Opening of the Gates and Turnus' Breach — Virgil, Aeneid Book 9 (lines 668–743), Latin & English

668

quantus ab occasu veniens pluvialibus Haedis¹

As great as the rain that, coming from the west with the rainy Haedi,

verberat imber humum, quam multa grandine nimbi

beats the ground, and as many as the clouds with thick hail that

670

in vada praecipitant, cum Iuppiter horridus austris

cast themselves down into the sea, when Jupiter, fierce with southern winds,

torquet aquosam hiemem et caelo cava nubila rumpit.

twirls the watery storm and bursts the hollow clouds in the sky.

Pandarus et Bitias, Idaeo Alcanore creti,

Pandarus and Bitias, sprung from Alcanor of Ida,

quos Iovis eduxit luco silvestris Iaera

whom the forest nymph Iaera brought up in the sacred grove of Jupiter,

abietibus iuvenes patriis et montibus aequos,²

young men equal to their native fir trees and mountains,

675

portam, quae ducis imperio commissa, recludunt,

open the gate which had been committed to them by the leader’s command,

freti animis, ultroque invitant moenibus hostem.

trusting in their courage, and of their own accord invite the enemy within the walls.

Ipsi intus dextra ac laeva pro turribus adstant,

They themselves stand inside, to the right and left, before the towers,

armati ferro et cristis capita alta corusci:³

armed with iron and flashing on their high heads with crests:

quales aëriae liquentia flumina circum,

just as twin oaks arise around flowing rivers,

680

sive Padi ripis Athesim seu propter amoenum,

whether on the banks of the Padus or near the lovely Athesis,

consurgunt geminae quercus intonsaque caelo

and lift their unshorn heads to the sky

attollunt capita et sublimi vertice nutant.

and nod with their lofty tops.

inrumpunt aditus Rutuli ut videre patentis

When the Rutulians saw the entrance open,

continuo Quercens et pulcher Aquiculus armis

immediately Quercens and Aquiculus, beautiful in arms,

685

et praeceps animi⁴ Tmarus et Mavortius Haemon

and Tmarus, headlong in spirit, and Haemon, beloved of Mars,

agminibus totis: at versi terga dedere

rush in with their entire columns; but they, turning back, fled,

aut ipso portae posuere in limine vitam.

or laid down their lives on the very threshold of the gate.

Tum magis increscunt animis discordibus irae;

Then the anger grows more in their hostile minds;

et iam collecti Troes glomerantur eodem

and now the Trojans, gathered together, mass at the same spot

690

et conferre manum et procurrere longius audent.

and dare to join hand-to-hand combat and to sally out further.

Ductori Turno diversa in parte furenti

To the leader Turnus, raging in another part

turbantique viros perfertur nuntius, hostem

and throwing the men into confusion, a messenger brings word that the enemy

fervere caede nova et portas praebere patentis.

is seething with a new slaughter and offering open gates.

Deserit inceptum atque immani concitus ira

He abandons his enterprise and, stirred by immense rage,

695

Dardaniam ruit ad portam fratresque superbos.

rushes to the Dardanian gate and the proud brothers.

Et primum Antiphaten, is enim se primus agebat,

And first Antiphates, for he was putting himself forward first,

Thebana de matre nothum Sarpedonis alti,

the bastard son of noble Sarpedon by a Theban mother,

coniecto sternit iaculo; volat Itala cornus

he lays low by casting his spear; the Italian cornel-wood flies

aëra per tenerum stomachoque infixa sub altum

through the soft air and, fixed in the throat, goes down deep

700

pectus abit: reddit specus atri volneris undam

into his chest; the hollow of the dark wound returns a foaming

spumantem, et fixo ferrum in pulmone tepescit.

wave of blood, and the iron grows warm in the pierced lung.

Tum Meropem atque Erymanta manu, tum sternit Aphidnum,

Then with his hand he lays low Meropes and Erymas, then Aphidnus,

tum Bitian ardentem oculis animisque frementem

then Bitias, burning in his eyes and roaring in his spirit,

non iaculo, neque enim iaculo vitam ille dedisset,

not with a javelin, for he would not have given up his life to a javelin,

705

sed magnum stridens contorta phalarica venit,

but a great whirring phalarica came, thrown

fulminis acta modo, quam nec duo taurea terga

like a thunderbolt, which neither two bull hides

nec duplici squama lorica fidelis et auro

nor the faithful corselet with double scales of gold

sustinuit: conlapsa ruunt immania membra.

could withstand; his immense limbs collapse and fall.

Dat tellus gemitum, et clipeum super intonat ingens.

The earth gives a groan, and his huge shield thunders over him.

710

Talis in Euboico Baiarum litore quondam

Just as on the Euboean shore of Baiae sometimes

saxea pila cadit, magnis quam molibus ante

a stone pier falls, which, previously constructed

constructam ponto iaciunt; sic illa ruinam

with great masses, they cast into the sea; thus it, falling,

prona trahit penitusque vadis inlisa recumbit:

drags ruin and lies struck deep down in the shallows;

miscent se maria, et nigrae attolluntur harenae;

the seas mix, and the black sands are raised;

715

tum sonitu Prochyta alta tremit durumque cubile

then with the sound lofty Prochyta trembles, and the hard bed

Inarime Iovis imperiis imposta Typhoeo.

of Inarime, placed upon Typhoeus by the commands of Jupiter.

Hic Mars armipotens animum viresque Latinis

Here Mars, powerful in arms, added courage and strength to the Latins,

addidit et stimulos acris sub pectore vertit

and turned sharp spurs under their breasts,

immisitque Fugam Teucris atrumque Timorem.

and sent Flight and dark Fear upon the Trojans.

720

Undique conveniunt, quoniam data copia pugnae

They gather from all sides, since the opportunity for battle is given,

bellatorque animo deus incidit.

and the warrior god has fallen upon their minds.

Pandarus ut fuso germanum corpore cernit

Pandarus, when he sees his brother’s body stretched out

et quo sit fortuna loco, qui casus agat res,

and in what state fortune is, what chance drives their affairs,

portam vi magna converso cardine torquet,

turns the gate with great force, revolving it on its hinge,

725

obnixus latis umeris, multosque suorum

pushing with his broad shoulders, and leaves many of his own men

moenibus exclusos duro in certamine linquit;

shut out from the walls in the hard contest;

ast alios secum includit recipitque ruentis,

but others he shuts in with himself and receives them as they rush in,

demens, qui Rutulum in medio non agmine regem

madman, who did not see the Rutulian king in the midst of the column

viderit inrumpentem ultroque incluserit⁵ urbi,

breaking in, and shut him inside the city of his own accord,

730

immanem veluti pecora inter inertia tigrim.

like an immense tiger among helpless cattle.

Continuo nova lux oculis effulsit, et arma

Immediately a new light shone from his eyes, and his weapons

horrendum sonuere; tremunt in vertice cristae

sounded terribly; the blood-red crests tremble

sanguineae, clipeoque micantia fulmina mittit:

on his head, and he sends glittering lightning from his shield:

agnoscunt faciem invisam atque immania membra

the Trojans recognize the hated face and the immense limbs

735

turbati subito Aeneadae. Tum Pandarus ingens

in sudden confusion. Then the huge Pandarus

emicat et mortis fraternae fervidus ira

leaps forward and, hot with rage for his brother’s death,

effatur: Non haec dotalis regia Amatae,

speaks: “This is not the dotal palace of Amata,

nec muris cohibet patriis media Ardea Turnum.

nor does central Ardea hold Turnus within his native walls.

Castra inimica vides; nulla hinc exire potestas.

You see a hostile camp; there is no power to escape from here.”

740

Olli⁶ subridens sedato pectore Turnus:

To him Turnus, smiling with a calm breast:

Incipe, siqua animo virtus, et consere dextram:

”Begin, if there is any courage in your heart, and join right hands:

hic etiam inventum Priamo narrabis Achillem.

here too you shall tell Priam that an Achilles has been found.”

Dixerat. Ille rudem nodis et cortice crudo

He had spoken. The other, rough with knots and raw bark...

Syntax notes6 items

9.668pluvialibus Haedis
Meaning 'with the rainy Haedi (the Kids)', in the ablative of time or circumstance. The rising of the Kids (part of Auriga) in early autumn was associated with stormy weather, used here as a metaphor for a tempestuous battle.
9.674abietibus iuvenes patriis et montibus aequos
The nouns 'abietibus' and 'montibus' are datives governed by the adjective 'aequos' ('equal to, on a level with'). This compares the young men's giant stature to the fir trees and mountains of their homeland.
9.678capita alta corusci
The phrase 'capita alta' is an accusative of specification (Greek accusative), limiting the adjective 'corusci' ('flashing, waving') to mean 'flashing with respect to their high heads'.
9.685praeceps animi
The genitive 'animi' is a genitive of specification or relation ('headlong of spirit'). This is a Grecizing construction limiting the adjective 'praeceps' to a mental state or quality.
9.728qui ... viderit ... incluserit
In the clause introduced by the relative pronoun 'qui', the verbs 'viderit' and 'incluserit' are in the subjunctive mood (perfect) to express the cause or reason for the antecedent's madness ('madman, since he did not see...').
9.740Olli
An archaic dative singular form of the demonstrative pronoun 'ille' (= 'illi'). Vergil frequently employs such archaisms to elevate the epic style.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:9.668-9.743