- Source
- Vergil. The Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics Of Virgil. Greenough, J.B., editor. Boston: Ginn and Company, 1881.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:9.221-9.293
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-29
Nisus and Euryalus present their night expedition plan to the council of Trojan leaders, who praise their courage. Ascanius promises them generous rewards, and Euryalus moves the assembly by asking him to protect and care for his mother in his absence.
adceleremus, ait. Vigiles simul excitat, illi
”Let us hasten,” he said. At the same time he rouses the watchmen, who
succedunt servantque vices: statione relicta
succeed them and keep their turns; leaving their post,
ipse comes Niso graditur, regemque requirunt.
he himself goes as companion to Nisus, and they seek the leaders.
Cetera per terras omnis animalia somno
All other living creatures throughout all lands in sleep
laxabant curas et corda oblita laborum:
were relaxing their cares and their hearts were forgetful of labors.
ductores Teucrum primi et delecta iuventus
The chief leaders of the Trojans and chosen youth
consilium summis regni de rebus habebant,
were holding a council on the highest affairs of the realm,
quid facerent quisve Aeneae iam nuntius esset.
what they should do, or who should now be a messenger to Aeneas.
Stant longis adnixi hastis, et scuta tenentes,
They stand leaning on long spears and holding their shields,
castrorum et campi medio. Tum Nisus et una
in the middle of the camp and the plain. Then Nisus and with him
Euryalus confestim alacres admittier1 orant:
Euryalus eagerly pray to be admitted immediately:
rem magnam, pretiumque morae fore.2 Primus Iulus
that the matter is great and would be worth the delay. First Iulus
accepit trepidos ac Nisum dicere iussit.
received them in their excitement and ordered Nisus to speak.
Tum sic Hyrtacides: Audite O mentibus aequis,
Then thus the son of Hyrtacus: “Hear with impartial minds,
Aeneadae, neve haec nostris spectentur ab annis,
followers of Aeneas, and let not these things which we bring be judged by our years.
quae ferimus. Rutuli somno vinoque soluti
The Rutulians, relaxed by sleep and wine,
conticuere; locum insidiis conspeximus ipsi,
have fallen silent; we ourselves have observed a place for ambush,
qui patet in bivio portae, quae proxuma ponto;
which lies open at the parting of the way of the gate which is nearest to the sea;
interrupti ignes, aterque ad sidera fumus
the fires are interrupted, and black smoke rises to the stars.
erigitur: si fortuna permittitis uti
If you permit us to use this fortune
quaesitum Aenean et moenia Pallantea,
to seek Aeneas and the walls of Pallanteum,
mox hic cum spoliis ingenti caede peracta
soon you will see him present here with spoils, after a huge slaughter has been performed.
adfore cernetis. Nec nos via fallit euntis:
Nor does the way deceive us as we go;
vidimus obscuris primam sub vallibus urbem
for we have seen the first outskirts of the city below in the dark valleys
venatu adsiduo et totum cognovimus amnem.
in our constant hunting, and we have come to know the whole river.”
Hic annis gravis atque animi maturus Aletes:
Here Aletes, heavy with years and mature in mind, said:
Di patrii, quorum semper sub numine Troia est,
”Ancestral gods, under whose divinity Troy always remains,
non tamen omnino Teucros delere paratis,
you do not prepare, after all, to utterly destroy the Trojans,
cum talis animos iuvenum et tam certa tulistis
since you have brought such spirits in our youth and such steadfast
pectora. Sic memorans umeros dextrasque tenebat
hearts.” Thus speaking, he held the shoulders and right hands
amborum et voltum lacrimis atque ora rigabat.
of both, and wet his face and features with tears.
Quae vobis, quae digna, viri, pro laudibus istis
”What rewards, what worthy rewards, men, can I think
praemia posse rear solvi? Pulcherrima primum
can be paid to you for these glorious deeds? First, the most beautiful,
di moresque dabunt vestri; tum cetera reddet
the gods and your own character will give; then the rest
actutum pius Aeneas atque integer aevi3
pious Aeneas will render immediately, and Ascanius, young in years,
Ascanius, meriti tanti non immemor umquam.
never unmindful of such great merit.”
Immo ego vos, cui sola salus genitore reducto,4
”Nay, I,” Ascanius interrupts,
excipit Ascanius, per magnos, Nise, penatis
”to whom the sole safety lies in my father being brought back, entreat you, Nisus, by the great Penates
Assaracique larem et canae penetralia Vestae
and the Lar of Assaracus and the shrines of hoary Vesta;
obtestor; quaecumque mihi fortuna fidesque est,
whatever fortune and faith I have,
in vestris pono gremiis: revocate parentem,
I place in your laps. Bring back my father,
reddite conspectum; nihil illo triste recepto.
restore his sight to us; nothing is sad if he is received.
Bina dabo argento perfecta atque aspera signis
I will give a pair of cups finished in silver and rough with figures,
pocula, devicta genitor quae cepit Arisba,
which my father took from conquered Arisba,
et tripodas geminos, auri duo magna talenta,
and twin tripods, two great talents of gold,
cratera antiquum, quem dat Sidonia Dido.
and an ancient mixing-bowl, which Sidonian Dido gave.
Si vero capere Italiam sceptrisque potiri
But if indeed it should fall to our lot to capture Italy, to possess the scepter
contigerit victori et praedae dicere sortem,
as victor, and to assign the lot of the booty—
vidisti quo Turnus equo, quibus ibat in armis
you saw on what horse Turnus rode, in what arms
aureus: ipsum illum, clipeum cristasque rubentis
he went, all golden: that very horse, the shield and the red crests
excipiam sorti, iam nunc tua praemia, Nise.
I will exempt from the lot, even now your rewards, Nisus.
Praeterea bis sex genitor lectissima matrum
Besides, my father will give twice six most chosen bodies of matrons
corpora captivosque dabit suaque omnibus arma,
and captives, and their own arms to all,
insuper his campi quod rex habet ipse Latinus.
and besides these, the land which king Latinus himself possesses.
Te vero, mea quem spatiis propioribus aetas
But as for you, whom my age follows with a closer span,
insequitur, venerande puer, iam pectore toto
revered boy, even now with my whole heart
accipio et comitem casus complector in omnis.
I receive you and embrace you as a companion in all fortunes.
Nulla meis sine te quaeretur gloria rebus;
No glory shall be sought in my affairs without you;
seu pacem seu bella geram, tibi maxima rerum
whether I lead peace or war, to you the greatest trust of deeds
verborumque fides. Contra quem talia fatur
and words shall be given.” In reply to him, Euryalus
Euryalus: Me nulla dies tam fortibus ausis
speaks such things: “No day shall prove me unequal to such brave endeavors,
dissimilem arguerit;5 tantum, fortuna secunda
so much I promise, let fortune fall favorable
aut adversa cadat. Sed te super omnia dona
or adverse. But one thing above all gifts
unum oro, genetrix Priami de gente vetusta
I beg of you: I have a mother from the ancient race of Priam,
est mihi, quam miseram tenuit non Ilia tellus
whom, unhappy, neither the Ilian land nor the walls
mecum excedentem, non moenia regis Acestae.
of king Acestes could keep from departing with me.
Hanc ego nunc ignaram huius quodcumque pericli est
Her I now leave, ignorant of whatever danger this is,
inque salutatam linquo: nox et tua testis
and without having said farewell: night and your right hand
dextera, quod nequeam lacrumas perferre parentis
are witness that I cannot bear a parent’s tears.
at tu, oro, solare inopem et succurre relictae.
But you, I pray, console her in her helplessness and help her who is left behind.
Hanc sine me spem ferre tui: audentior ibo
Permit me to carry this hope of you; more boldly shall I go
in casus omnis. Percussa mente dedere
into all fortunes.” Struck in their minds,
Dardanidae lacrimas; ante omnis pulcher Iulus,
the Trojans shed tears; before all, beautiful Iulus,
- 9.231admittier
An archaic form of the present passive infinitive (equivalent to the classical admitti), used here for poetic archaism or metrical convenience.
- 9.232rem magnam, pretiumque morae fore
An accusative with infinitive construction in indirect speech depending on orant (9.231) with an implied verb of saying. fore (= futurum esse) has rem magnam and pretium as its subjects, meaning '[saying that] the matter is great and would be worth the delay'.
- 9.255integer aevi
The genitive aevi is a genitive of specification or respect modifying the adjective integer ('unimpaired in age', i.e., 'youthful'). This usage imitates the Greek genitive of relation.
- 9.257cui sola salus genitore reducto
cui is a dative of reference or possession referring to ego (the speaker Ascanius, emphasized by immo ego vos), rather than the adjacent vos. genitore reducto is an ablative absolute ('my father having been brought back'). The structure means: 'I, to whom the sole safety lies in my father being brought back...'.
- 9.281Me nulla dies tam fortibus ausis / dissimilem arguerit
arguerit is a perfect subjunctive (potential subjunctive) expressing a mild but confident assertion about the future ('no day shall prove...'). dissimilem takes the ablative of comparison/respect fortibus ausis ('different from/unequal to such brave endeavors').