§11.231Deficit ingenti luctu rex ipse Latinus.
King Latinus himself loses heart in his immense grief.
That fated Aeneas is brought by a manifest divine will, is warned by the anger of the gods and the recent tombs before their eyes.
Therefore he summons a great council, and the chief men of his people, called by his command, he gathers within the high portals.
They assembled and stream to the royal palace along the crowded streets.
Sedet in mediis et maximus aevo §11.238et primus sceptris haud laeta fronte Latinus.
Latinus sits in the midst, greatest in age and first in sceptred power, with a countenance by no means joyful.
§11.239Atque hic legatos Aetola ex urbe remissos, §11.240quae referant, fari iubet et responsa reposcit §11.241ordine cuncta suo.
And here he bids the envoys sent back from the Aetolian city to tell what they report, and demands their answers all in their order.
Tum facta silentia linguis, §11.242et Venulus dicto parens ita farier infit: §11.243Vidimus, o cives, Diomedem Argivaque castra §11.244atque iter emensi casus superavimus omnis §11.245contigimusque manum, qua concidit Ilia tellus.
Then silence fell upon their tongues, and Venulus, obeying the command, begins to speak thus: "We have seen, O citizens, Diomedes and the Argive camp, and having measured our way we overcame every chance, and touched the hand by which the Ilian land fell.
He was founding the city of Argyripa, named after his fatherland's race, as victor of Garganus, in the fields of Iapygian land.
§11.248Postquam introgressi et coram data copia fandi, §11.249munera praeferimus, nomen patriamque docemus, §11.250qui bellum intulerint, quae causa attraxerit Arpos.
After we entered and permission to speak in his presence was granted, we present our gifts, declare our name and fatherland, who had brought war upon us, and what cause had drawn us to Arpi.
§11.251Auditis ille haec placido sic reddidit ore: §11.252O fortunatae gentes, Saturnia regna, §11.253antiqui Ausonii, quae vos fortuna quietos §11.254sollicitat suadetque ignota lacessere bella?
Having heard these things, he replied thus with a calm countenance: 'O fortunate nations, Saturnian realms, ancient Ausonians, what fortune disturbs you in your peace and persuades you to provoke unknown wars?
§11.255Quicumque Iliacos ferro violavimus agros, §11.256mitto ea, quae muris bellando exhausta sub altis, §11.257quos Simois premat ille viros, infanda per orbem §11.258supplicia et scelerum poenas expendimus omnes, §11.259vel Priamo miseranda manus: scit triste Minervae §11.260sidus et Euboicae cautes ultorque Caphareus.
Whoever of us violated the Ilian fields with the sword— I pass over those things which were endured in fighting beneath the high walls, and those heroes whom that Simois overwhelms—have paid unspeakable punishments throughout the world and all the penalties of our crimes, a band to be pitied even by Priam: this is known by the grim star of Minerva, and the Euboean cliffs, and the avenging Caphareus.
§11.261Militia ex illa diversum ad litus abacti §11.262Atrides Protei Menelaus adusque columnas §11.263exsulat, Aetnaeos vidit Cyclopas Ulixes.
Driven from that warfare to diverse shores, Menelaus, son of Atreus, even to the pillars of Proteus is exiled; Ulysses saw the Aetnean Cyclopes.
§11.264Regna Neoptolemi referam versosque penates
Shall I speak of the realms of Neoptolemus, and the overthrown household gods of Idomeneus?
§11.265Idomenei? Libycone habitantis litore Locros?
Or the Locrians dwelling on the Libyan shore?
§11.266Ipse Mycenaeus magnorum ductor Achivom §11.267coniugis infandae prima inter limina dextra §11.268oppetiit: devictam Asiam subsedit adulter.
The Mycenaean leader himself, ruler of the great Achaians, fell just inside his portals by the right hand of his wicked wife; the adulterer lay in wait for conquered Asia.
§11.269Invidisse deos, patriis ut redditus aris §11.270coniugium optatum et pulchram Calydona viderem?
To think that the gods grudged that, restored to my ancestral altars, I should see my longed-for wife and beautiful Calydon!
§11.271Nunc etiam horribili visu portenta sequuntur, §11.272et socii amissi petierunt aethera pennis §11.273fluminibusque vagantur aves, heu dira meorum §11.274supplicia, et scopulos lacrimosis vocibus implent.
Even now, portents of horrible sight pursue me, and my lost comrades have sought the sky on wings, and wander as birds along the rivers—alas, the dreadful punishments of my people!—and they fill the cliffs with tearful voices.
§11.275Haec adeo ex illo mihi iam speranda fuerunt §11.276tempore, cum ferro caelestia corpora demens §11.277adpetii et Veneris violavi volnere dextram.
Indeed, such things were to be expected by me ever since that time when, madman that I was, I attacked celestial bodies with iron and violated the right hand of Venus with a wound.
§11.278Ne vero, ne me ad talis impellite pugnas: §11.279nec mihi cum Teucris ullum post eruta bellum §11.280Pergama, nec veterum memini laetorve malorum.
Do not indeed, do not urge me to such battles; I have no war with the Trojans since the overthrow of Pergama, nor do I remember or rejoice in ancient evils.
The gifts which you bring to me from your native shores, turn them to Aeneas.
Stetimus tela aspera contra §11.283contulimusque manus: experto credite, quantus §11.284in clipeum adsurgat, quo turbine torqueat hastam.
We have stood against his fierce weapons and joined hands: trust one who has tried, how greatly he rises to his shield, with what a whirlwind he hurls his spear.
§11.285Si duo praeterea talis Idaea tulisset §11.286terra viros, ultro Inachias venisset ad urbes §11.287Dardanus, et versis lugeret Graecia fatis.
If the Idaean land had produced two other such men besides, the Dardanian would of his own accord have come to the Inachian cities, and Greece would be mourning with her fates reversed.
§11.288Quidquid apud durae cessatum est moenia Troiae, §11.289Hectoris Aeneaeque manu victoria Graium §11.290haesit et in decimum vestigia rettulit annum.
Whatever delay there was before the walls of stubborn Troy, by the hand of Hector and Aeneas the victory of the Greeks was stayed, and retraced its steps unto the tenth year.
Both distinguished in courage, both in outstanding arms; this man was prior in piety.
Coeant in foedera dextrae, §11.293qua datur; ast armis concurrant arma cavete. §11.294Et responsa simul quae sint, rex optime, regis §11.295audisti et quae sit magno sententia bello. §11.296Vix ea legati, variusque per ora cucurrit §11.297Ausonidum turbata fremor: ceu saxa morantur §11.298cum rapidos amnis, fit clauso gurgite murmur §11.299vicinaeque fremunt ripae crepitantibus undis.
Let your right hands join in alliance in whatever way is granted; but beware that arms clash not with arms.' 'At once you have heard, O best of kings, what the replies of the king are, and what his opinion is regarding this great war." Scarcely had the envoys spoken these things, when a diverse murmur ran through the troubled mouths of the Ausonians; just as when rocks delay rapid rivers, a roar arises from the pent-up flood, and the neighboring banks resound with the splashing waves.
§11.300Ut primum placati animi et trepida ora quierunt, §11.301praefatus divos solio rex infit ab alto: §11.302Ante equidem summa de re statuisse, Latini, §11.303et vellem et fuerat melius, non tempore tali §11.304cogere concilium, cum muros adsidet hostis.
As soon as their minds were calmed and their trembling lips grew still, the king, having first addressed the gods, begins from his high throne: "Indeed, Latins, I could have wished to have decided beforehand on this supreme matter, and it would have been better, rather than at such a time to gather a council, when the enemy sits beside our walls.
§11.305Bellum importunum, cives, cum gente deorum §11.306invictisque viris gerimus, quos nulla fatigant §11.307proelia: nec victi possunt absistere ferro.
We are waging an importunate war, citizens, with a race of gods and unconquered men, whom no battles weary, nor even when defeated can they keep away from the sword.