Forging the Arms and Evander's Etruscan Alliance — Virgil, Aeneid Book 8 (lines 405–488), Latin & English

405

optatos dedit amplexus placidumque petivitconiugis infusus gremio per membra soporem.

He gave the desired embraces, and poured over the bosom of his spouse, sought peaceful sleep through his limbs.

Inde ubi prima quies medio iam noctis abactae

Then, when the first rest had already driven away sleep in the middle course

curriculo expulerat somnum, cum femina primum,

of the passing night, at the hour when a woman, on whom is imposed

cui tolerare colo vitam tenuique Minerva¹

the task of supporting life with the distaff and the humble craft of Minerva, first

410

impositum, cinerem et sopitos suscitat ignes,

stirs the ashes and the slumbering fires,

noctem addens operi, famulasque ad lumina longo

adding night to her work, and by the lamplight busies her handmaids

exercet penso, castum ut servare cubile

with a long task, that she may keep her husband’s bed chaste

coniugis et possit parvos educere natos:

and be able to rear her little children:

haud secus Ignipotens nec tempore segnior illo

not otherwise, nor more sluggish at that hour, the Lord of Fire

415

mollibus e stratis opera ad fabrilia surgit.

rises from his soft couch to his smith’s labors.

Insula Sicanium iuxta latus Aeoliamque

An island rises near the Sicilian coast and Aeolian

erigitur Liparen, fumantibus ardua saxis,

Lipare, steep with smoking rocks,

quam subter specus et Cyclopum exesa caminis

beneath which a cave and the Aetnaean caverns, eaten out

antra Aetnaea tonant validique incudibus ictus

by the chimneys of the Cyclopes, thunder, and mighty blows on anvils,

420

auditi referunt gemitus striduntque cavernis

when heard, return groans, and the iron ores of the Chalybes

stricturae Chalybum et fornacibus ignis anhelat,

hiss in the caverns, and the fire pants in the furnaces;

Volcani domus et Volcania nomine tellus.

it is the home of Vulcan, and the land is called Vulcania by name.

Hoc tunc ignipotens caelo descendit ab alto.

Hither then the Lord of Fire descended from high heaven.

Ferrum exercebant vasto Cyclopes in antro,

The Cyclopes were working iron in the vast cave,

425

Brontesque Steropesque et nudus membra² Pyragmon.

Brontes, and Steropes, and Pyragmon naked in his limbs.

His informatum manibus iam parte polita

Formed by their hands was a thunderbolt, already polished in part,

fulmen erat, toto genitor quae plurima caelo

of the kind which the Father casts down in great numbers from the whole heaven

deicit in terras, pars inperfecta manebat.

onto the earth; part of it remained unfinished.

Tris imbris torti radios, tris nubis aquosae

Three shafts of twisted rain, three of watery cloud

430

addiderant, rutili tris ignis et alitis austri:

they had added, three of red fire and of the winged south wind:

fulgores nunc horrificos sonitumque metumque

now they were blending into the work terrifying flashes, and sound, and fear,

miscebant operi flammisque sequacibus iras.

and wraths with pursuing flames.

Parte alia Marti currumque rotasque volucris

In another part they were pressing on with the chariot and swift wheels for Mars,

instabant, quibus ille viros, quibus excitat urbes;

with which he rouses men, with which he rouses cities;

435

aegidaque horriferam, turbatae Palladis arma,

and in rivalry they were polishing the terrifying aegis, the armor of enraged Pallas,

certatim squamis serpentum auroque polibant

with scales of serpents and with gold,

conexosque anguis ipsamque in pectore divae

and the intertwined snakes, and on the breast of the goddess

Gorgona, desecto vertentem lumina collo.

the Gorgon herself, rolling her eyes on her severed neck.

Tollite cuncta, inquit, coeptosque auferte labores,

”Take away all things,” he said, “and remove your begun labors,

440

Aetnaei Cyclopes, et huc advertite mentem:

O Cyclopes of Aetna, and turn your minds hither:

arma acri facienda viro. Nunc viribus usus,³

arms must be made for a fierce hero. Now there is need of strength,

nunc manibus rapidis, omni nunc arte magistra.

now of swift hands, now of all masterly art.

Praecipitate moras. Nec plura effatus; at illi

Banish delays.” He spoke no more; but they

ocius incubuere omnes pariterque laborem

bent to it all the more swiftly, and equally allotted the labor among themselves.

445

sortiti. Fluit aes rivis aurique metallum,

Bronze flows in streams, and the metal of gold,

volnificusque chalybs vasta fornace liquescit.

and the wounding steel melts in the vast furnace.

Ingentem clipeum informant, unum omnia contra

They shape a huge shield, one against all the weapons

tela Latinorum, septenosque orbibus orbes

of the Latins, and they bind together sevenfold circles, layer upon layer.

impediunt. Alii ventosis follibus auras

Some with windy bellows receive and return the air,

450

accipiunt redduntque, alii stridentia tingunt

others dip the hissing bronze in the pool.

aera lacu. Gemit impositis incudibus antrum.

The cave groans with the anvils set in place.

Illi inter sese multa vi bracchia tollunt

They raise their arms in rhythm among themselves with great force,

in numerum versantque tenaci forcipe massam.

and turn the mass of metal with gripping tongs.

Haec pater Aeoliis properat dum Lemnius oris,

While the Lemnian father hastens these works on Aeolian shores,

455

Euandrum ex humili tecto lux suscitat alma

the nurturing light and the morning songs of birds beneath the roof

et matutini volucrum sub culmine cantus.

arouse Evander from his humble dwelling.

Consurgit senior tunicaque inducitur artus

The old man rises and clothes his limbs in a tunic,

et Tyrrhena pedum circumdat vincula plantis;

and binds Tyrrhenian sandals about his feet;

tum lateri atque umeris Tegeaeum subligat ensem,

then he girds a Tegeaean sword to his side and shoulder,

460

demissa ab laeva pantherae terga retorquens.

flinging back the panther’s skin that hung down from his left.

Nec non et gemini custodes limine ab alto

No less do twin dogs, guardians from the high threshold,

praecedunt gressumque canes comitantur erilem.

go before him and accompany their master’s steps.

Hospitis Aeneae sedem et secreta petebat

The hero, mindful of their speech and the promised gift,

sermonum memor et promissi muneris heros.

was seeking the lodging and private chamber of his guest Aeneas.

465

Nec minus Aeneas se matutinus agebat.

No less was Aeneas astir early in the morning.

Filius huic Pallas, illi comes ibat Achates.

With the one walked his son Pallas, with the other Achates as companion.

Congressi iungunt dextras mediisque residunt

Having met, they join right hands and sit down in the middle

aedibus et licito tandem sermone fruuntur.

of the dwelling, and at last enjoy free conversation.

Rex prior haec:

The king first spoke thus:

470

Maxume Teucrorum ductor, quo sospite numquam

”Greatest leader of the Teucrians, while you are safe indeed

res equidem Troiae victas aut regna fatebor,

I shall never admit that the power of Troy or its kingdoms are conquered,

nobis ad belli auxilium pro nomine tanto

our strength to aid in war is small in proportion to so great a name:

exiguae vires: hinc Tusco claudimur amni,

on this side we are hemmed in by the Etruscan river,

hinc Rutulus premit et murum circumsonat armis.

on that side the Rutulian presses us, and makes our wall ring with arms.

475

Sed tibi ego ingentis populos opulentaque regnis

But I prepare to join to you vast nations and camps rich with kingdoms,

iungere castra paro, quam fors inopina salutem

a salvation which unexpected fortune reveals:

ostentat: fatis huc te poscentibus adfers.

you bring yourself here, with the fates demanding it.

Haud procul hinc saxo incolitur fundata vetusto

Not far from here, founded on ancient stone, is inhabited

urbis Agyllinae sedes, ubi Lydia quondam

the seat of the city of Agylla, where once a Lydian people,

480

gens, bello praeclara, iugis insedit Etruscis.

famous in war, settled on the Etruscan ridges.

Hanc multos florentem annos rex deinde superbo

This city, flourishing for many years, King Mezentius next

imperio et saevis tenuit Mezentius armis.

held with proud rule and savage arms.

Quid memorem infandas caedes, quid facta tyranni

Why should I recall the unspeakable slaughters, why the tyrant’s

effera? Di capiti ipsius generique reservent!

savage deeds? May the gods reserve them for his own head and his race!

485

Mortua quin etiam iungebat corpora vivis

Nay, he even used to join dead bodies to the living,

componens manibusque manus atque oribus ora,

matching hands to hands and mouths to mouths,

tormenti genus, et sanie taboque fluentis

a form of torture, and, as they dripped with gore and corruption,

complexu in misero longa sic morte necabat.

he thus killed them by a lingering death in that wretched embrace.”

Syntax notes3 items

8.409tenuique Minerva
Meaning "by the humble craft of weaving." Minerva is the goddess of weaving and handicrafts, used here metonymically for the craft itself. "tenui" (humble, thin) describes the meager livelihood derived from it.
8.425nudus membra
Meaning "naked as to his limbs." This is a "Greek accusative" or "accusative of specification," where the accusative "membra" (limbs) specifies the part of the body to which the adjective "nudus" (naked) applies.
8.441viribus usus
Meaning "there is need of strength." The noun "usus" (need, employment), like the verb "utor," governs the ablative case, hence "viribus" is in the ablative plural. The impersonal "est" is omitted here.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-22)

2026-09-22 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:8.405-8.488