Neptune's Protection and the Fall of Palinurus — Virgil, Aeneid Book 5 (lines 793–871), Latin & English

793

Per scelus ecce etiam Troianis matribus actis¹

”Look, she even drove the Trojan mothers through wickedness

exussit foede puppes, et classe subegit

to foully burn the ships, and because of the lost fleet forced

795

amissa socios ignotae linquere terrae.

the companions to be left behind in an unknown land.

Quod superest,² oro, liceat dare tuta per undas

As for what remains, I pray, let them spread safe sails over the waves

vela tibi, liceat Laurentem attingere Thybrim:

to you, let them reach Laurentine Tiber:

si concessa peto, si dant ea moenia Parcae.

if I ask what is permitted, if the Fates give them those walls.”

Tum Saturnius haec domitor maris edidit alti:

Then the Saturnian ruler of the deep sea uttered these words:

800

Fas omne est, Cytherea, meis te fidere regnis,

”It is entirely right, Cytherea, for you to trust in my realms,

unde genus ducis: merui quoque; saepe furores

from which you derive your origin; I have also deserved it; often have I repressed

compressi, et rabiem tantam caelique marisque.

the rages and such great madness of both sky and sea.

Nec minor in terris, Xanthum Simoëntaque testor,

Nor has my care for your Aeneas been less on land, I call Xanthus and Simois to witness,

Aeneae mihi cura tui. Cum Troia Achilles

when Achilles, pursuing the breathless bands, dashed them against the walls of Troy,

805

exanimata sequens impingeret agmina muris,

consigned many thousands to death, and the filled rivers groaned,

milia multa daret leto, gemerentque repleti

nor could the Xanthus find a way and roll itself out

amnes, nec reperire viam atque evolvere posset

into the sea, then I snatched Aeneas in a hollow cloud from the brave son of Peleus,

in mare se Xanthus, Pelidae tunc ego forti

when he was matched against him with neither gods nor strength equal,

congressum Aenean³ nec dis nec viribus aequis

although I desired to overturn from its foundation

810

nube cava rapui, cuperem cum vertere ab imo

the walls of perjured Troy built by my hands.

structa meis manibus periurae moenia Troiae.

Now also the same mind persists in me: drive away your fears.

Nunc quoque mens eadem perstat mihi: pelle timores.

Safe he shall reach the harbor of Avernus which you desire.

Tutus, quos optas, portus accedet Averni.

There will be only one whom you will seek, lost in the gulf;

Unus erit tantum, amissum quem gurgite quaeres;

one life shall be given for many.”

815

unum pro multis dabitur caput.

When he had soothed the glad breast of the goddess with these words,

His ubi laeta deae permulsit pectora dictis,

the father yokes his horses with gold, and adds foaming bits

iungit equos auro genitor, spumantiaque addit

to the wild beasts, and lets out all the reins with his hands.

frena feris, manibusque omnes effundit habenas.

Lightly he flies in his azure chariot over the surface of the waters;

Caeruleo per summa levis volat aequora curru;

the waves subside, and the swollen sea is smoothed under the thundering axle

820

subsidunt undae, tumidumque sub axe tonanti

with its waters; the clouds flee from the vast sky.

sternitur aequor aquis; fugiunt vasto aethere nimbi.

Then various forms of his companions appear, huge sea-monsters,

Tum variae comitum facies, immania cete,

and the aged choir of Glaucus, and Palaemon son of Ino,

et senior Glauci chorus, Inousque Palaemon,

and swift Tritons, and all the army of Phorcus;

Tritonesque citi, Phorcique exercitus omnis;

Thetis holds the left, and Melite, and the virgin Panopea,

825

laeva tenent Thetis, et Melite, Panopeaque virgo,

Nisaee, and Spio, and Thalia, and Cymodoce.

Nisaee, Spioque, Thaliaque, Cymodoceque.

Here flattering joys in turn thrill the suspended mind

Hic patris Aeneae suspensam blanda vicissim

of father Aeneas: he commands all the masts to be raised more quickly,

gaudia pertemptant mentem: iubet ocius omnes

and the yards to be stretched with sails.

attolli malos, intendi brachia velis.

Together all made fast the sheet, and together they let out

830

Una omnes fecere pedem⁴ pariterque sinistros,

now the left, now the right folds; together they turn

nunc dextros solvere sinus; una ardua torquent

and turn back the high yard-arms; their own winds carry the fleet.

cornua detorquentque; ferunt sua flamina classem.

In front of all, Palinurus as leader led the dense line;

Princeps ante omnes densum Palinurus agebat

the others were ordered to direct their course to him.

agmen; ad hunc alii cursum contendere iussi.

And now damp Night had almost reached the midpoint of heaven;

835

Iamque fere mediam caeli Nox humida metam

the sailors, stretched on the hard benches under the oars,

contigerat; placida laxabant membra quiete

were relaxing their limbs in peaceful rest:

sub remis fusi per dura sedilia nautae:

when light Sleep, gliding down from the ethereal stars,

cum levis aetheriis delapsus Somnus ab astris

parted the dark air and dispersed the shadows,

aëra dimovit tenebrosum et dispulit umbras,

seeking you, Palinurus, bringing sad dreams to you,

840

te, Palinure, petens, tibi somnia tristia portans

innocent one; and the god sat on the high stern,

insonti; puppique deus consedit in alta,

like Phorbas, and pours forth these words from his mouth:

Phorbanti similis, funditque has ore loquelas:

”Palinurus, son of Iasus, the seas themselves carry the fleet;

Iaside Palinure, ferunt ipsa aequora classem;

the winds breathe steadily; the hour is given to rest.

aequatae spirant aurae; datur hora quieti.

Lay down your head, and steal your weary eyes from labor:

845

Pone caput, fessosque oculos furare⁵ labori:

I myself will perform your duties for you for a little while.”

ipse ego paulisper pro te tua munera inibo.

To whom Palinurus, scarcely raising his eyes, speaks:

Cui vix attollens Palinurus lumina fatur:

”Do you bid me be ignorant of the face of the calm sea and the quiet waves?

Mene salis placidi voltum fluctusque quietos

Do you bid me trust this monster?

ignorare iubes? Mene huic confidere monstro?

For why should I entrust Aeneas to the deceitful winds

850

Aenean credam⁶ quid enim fallacibus auris

and the sky, having been deceived so many times by the fraud of a calm?”

et caelo, totiens deceptus fraude sereni?

Such words he gave, and clinging fast and holding

Talia dicta dabat, clavumque affixus et haerens

he would never let go of the rudder, and kept his eyes on the stars.

nusquam amittebat, oculosque sub astra tenebat.

Lo, the god shakes over both his temples a branch dripping with Lethaean dew,

Ecce deus ramum Lethaeo rore madentem,

and drugged with Stygian power,

855

vique soporatum Stygia, super utraque quassat

and dissolves his swimming eyes, despite his resistance.

tempora, cunctantique natantia lumina solvit.

Scarcely had unexpected sleep relaxed his first limbs,

Vix primos inopina quies laxaverat artus,

when, leaning over, he cast him headlong into the clear waters,

et super incumbens cum puppis parte revolsa,

with a torn-away part of the stern and with the rudder,

cumque gubernaclo, liquidas proiecit in undas

calling his companions in vain many times;

860

praecipitem ac socios nequiquam saepe vocantem;

the god himself, flying as a winged creature, raised himself into the thin air.

ipse volans tenues se sustulit ales ad auras.

The fleet runs its safe journey over the sea no less,

Currit iter tutum non secius aequore classis,

and is carried on, unafraid by the promises of father Neptune.

promissisque patris Neptuni interrita fertur.

And now indeed, carried on, it was approaching the rocks of the Sirens,

Iamque adeo scopulos Sirenum advecta subibat,

difficult of old, and white with the bones of many men,

865

difficiles quondam multorumque ossibus albos,

then the hoarse rocks roared far off with the constant salt spray:

tum rauca adsiduo longe sale saxa sonabant:

when the father felt that the floating ship was wandering, its master lost,

cum pater amisso fluitantem errare magistro

and he himself guided the bark in the nightly waters,

sensit, et ipse ratem nocturnis rexit in undis,

groaning much, and shaken in his mind by the misfortune of his friend:

multa gemens, casuque animum concussus amici

”O you who trusted too much in the calm sky and sea,

870

O nimium caelo et pelago confise sereno,nudus in ignota, Palinure, iacebis harena!

naked on an unknown shore you will lie, Palinurus!”

Syntax notes6 items

5.793Troianis matribus actis
Ablative absolute, expressing means or cause: "with the Trojan mothers having been driven (by Juno's rage)".
5.796Quod superest
Idiomatic formula with the neuter relative pronoun: "As for what remains," referring to the remaining part of Aeneas's fleet.
5.809congressum Aenean
congressum is the perfect participle of the deponent verb congredior, modifying the accusative Aenean ("Aeneas when he engaged [Achilles]").
5.830fecere pedem
A nautical idiom. facere pedem means to work the sheet (the rope attached to the lower corner of a sail) to catch the wind.
5.845furare
Second-person singular imperative of the deponent verb furor (to steal). labori is a dative of separation ("steal from labor").
5.850Aenean credam
credam is a deliberative subjunctive ("Am I to entrust... ?"). Aenean is the Greek accusative form of Aeneas.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:5.793-5.871