§11.456haud secus atque alto in luco cum forte catervae §11.457consedere avium piscosove amne Padusae §11.458dant sonitum rauci per stagna loquacia cycni.
just as when by chance in a deep grove flocks of birds have settled, or in the fish-abounding river of Padusa hoarse swans give forth their cry throughout the talkative pools.
§11.459Immo,
ait,
O cives
adrepto tempore,
Turnus, §11.460cogite concilium et pacem laudate sedentes: §11.461illi armis in regna ruunt. Nec plura locutus §11.462corripuit sese et tectis citus extulit altis.
"Nay indeed," says Turnus, seizing the moment, "O citizens, call a council and praise peace as you sit; they are rushing in arms into our kingdom." Nor having spoken more did he delay, but quickly tore himself away and went out from the high palace.
"You, Volusus, command the Volscian squadrons to be armed," he says, "and lead the Rutulians as well.
Equitem Messapus in armis §11.465et cum fratre Coras latis diffundite campis.
Messapus, and Coras with his brother, spread the armed cavalry over the wide plains.
§11.466Pars aditus urbis firmet turrisque capessat, §11.467cetera, qua iusso, mecum manus inferat arma. §11.468Ilicet in muros tota discurritur urbe.
Let a part secure the entrances of the city and occupy the towers; let the remaining band, where I command, carry their arms with me." Immediately there is a running to the walls from the whole city.
§11.469Consilium ipse pater et magna incepta Latinus §11.470deserit ac tristi turbatus tempore differt §11.471multaque se incusat, qui non adceperit ultro §11.472Dardanium Aenean generumque adsciverit urbi.
Father Latinus himself deserts the council and his great designs, and, troubled by the sad occasion, postpones them, deeply blaming himself that he did not of his own accord receive Dardanian Aeneas and adopt him as a son-in-law for the city.
Others dig trenches before the gates, or bring up stones and stakes.
Bello dat signum rauca cruentum §11.475bucina.
The hoarse trumpet gives the bloody signal for war.
Tum muros varia cinxere corona §11.476matronae puerique: vocat labor ultimus omnis.
Then matrons and boys girded the walls in a varied crown; the final trial calls them all.
§11.477Nec non ad templum summasque ad Palladis arces §11.478subvehitur magna matrum regina caterva §11.479dona ferens, iuxtaque comes Lavinia virgo, §11.480causa mali tanti, oculos deiecta decoros.
Moreover, to the temple and the highest citadels of Pallas the queen is carried, accompanied by a great crowd of mothers, bearing gifts, and next to her as a companion, the virgin Lavinia, the cause of so great an evil, her beautiful eyes cast down.
§11.481Succedunt matres et templum ture vaporant §11.482et maestas alto fundunt de limine voces: §11.483Armipotens, praeses belli, Tritonia virgo, §11.484frange manu telum Phrygii praedonis et ipsum §11.485pronum sterne solo portisque effunde sub altis. §11.486Cingitur ipse furens certatim in proelia Turnus.
The mothers enter and perfume the temple with incense, and pour forth sad voices from the high threshold: "O powerful in arms, patroness of war, Tritonian virgin, break with your hand the spear of the Phrygian robber, and stretch him prone on the ground, and cast him down beneath the high gates." Turnus himself, raging, girds himself eagerly for the battle.
§11.487Iamque adeo rutilum thoraca indutus aenis §11.488horrebat squamis surasque incluserat auro, §11.489tempora nudus adhuc, laterique adcinxerat ensem §11.490fulgebatque alta decurrens aureus arce, §11.491exsultatque animis et spe iam praecipit hostem:
And now indeed, clad in a glowing breastplate with bronze scales, he bristled and had enclosed his shins in gold, his temples bare as yet, and had girt his sword to his side, and shone as he ran down, golden, from the high citadel; exults in spirit, and already anticipates the enemy in hope.
§11.492qualis ubi abruptis fugit praesaepia vinclis §11.493tandem liber equus campoque potitus aperto §11.494aut ille in pastus armentaque tendit equarum §11.495aut adsuetus aquae perfundi flumine noto §11.496emicat adrectisque fremit cervicibus alte §11.497luxurians, luduntque iubae per colla, per armos.
Just as when a horse, having broken his bonds, has fled the stalls, at last free, and having gained the open field, either he directs his course to the pastures and herds of mares, or, accustomed to be bathed in the familiar river, springs forward and neighs with his neck held high, exulting, and his mane plays over his neck, over his shoulders.
§11.498Obvia cui Volscorum acie comitante Camilla §11.499occurrit portisque ab equo regina sub ipsis §11.500desiluit, quam tota cohors imitata relictis §11.501ad terram defluxit equis; tum talia fatur: §11.502Turne, sui merito siqua est fiducia forti, §11.503audeo et Aeneadum promitto occurrere turmae §11.504solaque Tyrrhenos equites ire obvia contra.
Camilla, accompanied by her Volscian line, met him face to face, and the queen leaped down from her horse under the very gates; whom the whole troop imitating, having left their horses, slid down to the ground; then she speaks such words: "Turnus, if the brave have any rightful confidence in themselves, I dare and promise to meet the troop of the Aeneadae, and alone to go against the Tyrrhenian cavalry.
§11.505Me sine prima manu temptare pericula belli §11.506tu pedes ad muros subsiste et moenia serva. §11.507Turnus ad haec, oculos horrenda in virgine fixus: §11.508O decus Italiae virgo, quas dicere grates §11.509quasve referre parem? Sed nunc, est omnia quando
Permit me to tempt the first dangers of war with my hand; do you, on foot, halt at the walls and guard the fortifications." Turnus, his eyes fixed upon the awe-inspiring virgin, replied: "O virgin, glory of Italy, what thanks can I prepare to say or what can I return?
§11.510iste animus supra, mecum partire laborem.
But now, since that spirit of yours is superior to all, divide the labor with me.
§11.511Aeneas, ut fama fidem missique reportant §11.512exploratores, equitum levia improbus arma §11.513praemisit, quaterent campos; ipse ardua montis §11.514per deserta iugo superans adventat ad urbem.
Aeneas, as report and sent scouts bring back as certain, has shamelessly sent ahead light arms of cavalry to shake the fields; he himself, crossing the mountain ridge through desolate heights, is approaching the city.
I am preparing stratagems of war in a winding path of the forest, so that I may block the double-way pass with armed soldiers.
§11.517Tu Tyrrhenum equitem conlatis excipe signis; §11.518tecum acer Messapus erit turmaeque Latinae §11.519Tiburtique manus, ducis et tu concipe curam. §11.520Sic ait, et paribus Messapum in proelia dictis §11.521hortatur sociosque duces et pergit in hostem.
Do you receive the Tyrrhenian cavalry with joined standards; with you will be fierce Messapus, and the Latin squadrons, and the bands of Tibur; and do you also take upon yourself the charge of leader." Thus he says, and with similar words encourages Messapus and the allied leaders to battle, and proceeds against the enemy.
§11.522Est curvo anfractu valles, adcommoda fraudi §11.523armorumque dolis, quam densis frondibus atrum §11.524urget utrimque latus, tenuis quo semita ducit §11.525angustaeque ferunt fauces aditusque maligni.
There is a valley with a curved winding, suitable for deceit and the stratagems of arms, which a dark side with dense foliage presses on both sides, whither a thin path leads, and narrow passes and unfavorable approaches conduct.
§11.526Hanc super in speculis summoque in vertice montis §11.527planities ignota iacet tutique receptus, §11.528seu dextra laevaque velis occurrere pugnae, §11.529sive instare iugis et grandia volvere saxa.
Above this, on the lookouts and the highest peak of the mountain, an unknown plain lies, and safe retreats, whether you wish to meet the battle on the right or on the left, or to stand on the ridges and roll down huge stones.
Hither the youth is carried by a known region of roads, and seized the spot and sat down in the unfavorable woods.
§11.532Velocem interea superis in sedibus Opim,
Meanwhile, in the heavenly dwellings, to swift Opis,