§12.1Turnus ut infractos adverso Marte Latinos §12.2defecisse videt, sua nunc promissa reposci, §12.3se signari oculis, ultro implacabilis ardet §12.4attollitque animos.
When Turnus saw that the Latins, broken by the adverse war, had lost heart, that his own promises were now demanded, and that he was marked out by the eyes of all, he voluntarily burned with unappeasable anger and raised his courage.
Poenorum qualis in arvis §12.5saucius ille gravi venantum vulnere pectus §12.6tum demum movet arma leo gaudetque comantis §12.7excutiens cervice toros fixumque latronis §12.8inpavidus frangit telum et fremit ore cruento: §12.9haud secus adcenso gliscit violentia Turno.
Just as in the fields of the Carthaginians, that lion, wounded in the breast by a heavy wound of hunters, only then moves his weapons, and rejoices shaking the hairy muscles from his neck, and fearlessly breaks the fixed weapon of the robber and roars with bloody mouth: not otherwise does violence swell in the inflamed Turnus.
§12.10Tum sic adfatur regem atque ita turbidus infit: §12.11Nulla mora in Turno; nihil est quod dicta retractent
Then he addresses the king thus and in a turbulent manner begins: "There is no delay in Turnus; there is no reason why the cowardly sons of Aeneas should retract their words, or refuse what they have agreed to.
§12.12ignavi Aeneadae, nec quae pepigere recusent. §12.13Congredior, fer sacra, pater, et concipe foedus.
I engage; bring the sacred things, father, and make the treaty.
§12.14Aut hac Dardanium dextra sub Tartara mittam, §12.15desertorem Asiae (sedeant spectentque Latini), §12.16et solus ferro crimen commune refellam, §12.17aut habeat victos, cedat Lavinia coniunx. §12.18Olli sedato respondit corde Latinus: §12.19O praestans animi iuvenis, quantum ipse feroci §12.20virtute exsuperas, tanto me impensius aequum est §12.21consulere atque omnis metuentem expendere casus.
Either I will send this Dardanian, the deserter of Asia, with this right hand beneath Tartarus (let the Latins sit and watch), and alone with the sword refute the common charge, or let him hold us as defeated, let Lavinia yield as his wife." To him Latinus replied with a calm heart: "O youth outstanding in spirit, by as much as you yourself surpass in fierce courage, by so much more carefully is it right for me to counsel and, in fear, to weigh every outcome.
§12.22Sunt tibi regna patris Dauni, sunt oppida capta §12.23multa manu, nec non aurumque animusque Latino est; §12.24sunt aliae innuptae Latio et Laurentibus arvis, §12.25nec genus indecores.
You have the kingdom of your father Daunus, you have many towns captured by your hand; and Latinus also has gold and goodwill; there are other unmarried girls in Latium and the Laurentine fields, not noble-born in disgrace.
Sine me haec haud mollia fatu §12.26sublatis aperire dolis, simul hoc animo hauri.
Allow me to lay open these things, not easy to say, with guiles removed, and at the same time drink this into your mind.
§12.27Me natam nulli veterum sociare procorum §12.28fas erat, idque omnes divique hominesque canebant.
It was not permitted for me to ally my daughter with any of her former suitors, and all the gods and men foretold this.
§12.29Victus amore tui, cognato sanguine victus §12.30coniugis et maestae lacrumis, vincla omnia rupi: §12.31promissam eripui genero, arma impia sumpsi.
Overcome by love of you, overcome by kindred blood and by the tears of my sorrowful wife, I broke all bonds: I snatched the promised girl from my son-in-law, and took up unholy arms.
§12.32Ex illo qui me casus, quae, Turne, sequantur §12.33bella, vides, quantos primus patiare labores.
From that time, Turnus, you see what disasters pursue me, what wars, and how great are the troubles you yourself first suffer.
§12.34Bis magna victi pugna vix urbe tuemur §12.35spes Italas; recalent nostro Thybrina fluenta §12.36sanguine adhuc campique ingentes ossibus albent.
Twice defeated in a great battle, we scarcely defend within the city the hopes of Italy; the streams of Tiber are still warm with our blood, and the vast plains are white with our bones.
§12.37Quo referor totiens? Quae mentem insania mutat?
Why do I drift back so many times? What madness changes my mind?
If, Turnus being dead, I am ready to accept them as allies, why do I not rather end the conflicts while he is safe?
§12.40Quid consanguinei Rutuli, quid cetera dicet §12.41Italia, ad mortem si te—Fors dicta refutet!— §12.42prodiderim, natam et conubia nostra petentem?
What will my kinsmen the Rutulians, what will the rest of Italy say, if I—may Fortune refute my words!— have betrayed you to death, while seeking my daughter and our marriage?
§12.43Respice res bello varias; miserere parentis §12.44longaevi, quem nunc maestum patria Ardea longe §12.45dividit. Haudquaquam dictis violentia Turni §12.46flectitur: exsuperat magis aegrescitque medendo.
Look back upon the diverse fortunes of war; pity your aged father, whom now in his sorrow his distant native Ardea separates far from you." By no means is the violence of Turnus bent by his words; it rather increases and grows worse with the healing.
§12.47Ut primum fari potuit, sic institit ore: §12.48Quam pro me curam geris, hanc precor, optime, pro me §12.49deponas letumque sinas pro laude pacisci: §12.50et nos tela, pater, ferrumque haud debile dextra §12.51spargimus; et nostro sequitur de volnere sanguis.
As soon as he was first able to speak, he thus began: "The care which you have for me, I pray, best of men, that you lay this aside for my sake, and allow me to barter death for praise: for we too, father, scatter weapons and no weak iron with our right hand, and blood follows from our wound as well.
§12.52longe illi dea mater erit, quae nube fugacem §12.53feminea tegat et vanis sese occulat umbris. §12.54At regina, nova pugnae conterrita sorte, §12.55flebat et ardentem generum monitura tenebat: §12.56Turne, per has ego te lacrimas, per siquis Amatae §12.57tangit honos animum (spes tu nunc una, senectae §12.58tu requies miserae, decus imperiumque Latini §12.59te penes, in te omnis domus inclinata recumbit).
His goddess-mother will be far from him, she who covers the fugitive in a womanly cloud and hides herself in empty shadows." But the queen, terrified by the new terms of the battle, wept, and held her burning son-in-law, about to warn him: "Turnus, by these tears I entreat you, by whatever honor of Amata touches your mind (you are now our only hope, the quiet of my wretched old age, the honor and dominion of Latinus rest in your hands, upon you all our leaning house reclines).
§12.60unum oro: desiste manum committere Teucris.
One thing I beg: cease to join hands with the Teucrians.
§12.61Qui te cumque manent isto certamine casus, §12.62et me, Turne, manent: simul haec invisa relinquam §12.63lumina nec generum Aenean captiva videbo. §12.64Accepit vocem lacrimis Lavinia matris §12.65flagrantis perfusa genas, quoi plurimus ignem §12.66subiecit rubor et calefacta per ora cucurrit.
Whatever fortunes await you in that contest, Turnus, await me also: at the same time I will leave this hated light, nor as a captive will I see Aeneas as my son-in-law." Lavinia received her mother's words, her burning cheeks drenched with tears, to whom an abundant blush cast fire and ran through her heated face.
§12.67Indum sanguineo veluti violaverit ostro §12.68siquis ebur, aut mixta rubent ubi lilia multa §12.69alba rosa: talis virgo dabat ore colores.
Just as if someone has stained Indian ivory with bloody purple, or when white lilies blush mixed with many a red rose: such colors did the maiden show on her face.
§12.70Illum turbat amor, figitque in virgine voltus: §12.71ardet in arma magis paucisque adfatur Amatam.
Love throws him into turmoil, and he fixes his gaze on the maiden: he burns more for arms, and speaks briefly to Amata.
§12.72Ne, quaeso, ne me lacrimis neve omine tanto §12.73prosequere in duri certamina Martis euntem, §12.74O mater; neque enim Turno mora libera mortis.
"Do not, I pray, do not send me away with tears or with such an omen as I go into the contests of harsh war, O mother; for Turnus has no free delay of death.
§12.75Nuntius haec Idmon Phrygio mea dicta tyranno §12.76haud placitura refer: cum primum crastina caelo §12.77puniceis invecta rotis Aurora rubebit,
Idmon, as messenger, carry these words of mine to the Phrygian tyrant, which will not please him: as soon as tomorrow's Aurora red on her crimson wheels shall blush in the sky,"