§12.237cogemur, qui nunc lenti consedimus arvis.
we shall be forced, we who now sit sluggishly in the fields.
§12.238Talibus incensa est iuvenum sententia dictis §12.239iam magis atque magis, serpitque per agmina murmur; §12.240ipsi Laurentes mutati ipsique Latini.
By such words the opinion of the young men was inflamed now more and more, and a murmur creeps through the ranks; the Laurentines themselves were changed and the Latins themselves.
§12.241Qui sibi iam requiem pugnae rebusque salutem §12.242sperabant, nunc arma volunt foedusque precantur §12.243infectum et Turni sortem miserantur iniquam.
Those who but now were hoping for rest from battle and safety for their state now wish for arms, and pray that the treaty be unmade, and pity the unjust lot of Turnus.
§12.244His aliud maius Iuturna adiungit et alto §12.245dat signum caelo, quo non praesentius ullum §12.246turbavit mentes Italas monstroque fefellit.
To these Juturna adds another greater sign, and from high heaven gives an omen, than which none more powerfully disturbed Italian minds and deceived them with its portent.
§12.247Namque volans rubra fulvus Iovis ales in aethra §12.248litoreas agitabat aves turbamque sonantem §12.249agminis aligeri, subito cum lapsus ad undas §12.250cycnum excellentem pedibus rapit improbus uncis.
For, flying in the red sky, the tawny bird of Jupiter was chasing the shore birds and the noisy crowd of the winged flock, when suddenly swooping to the waves it snatch with its curved talons, relentless, a splendid swan.
§12.251Adrexere animos Itali, cunctaeque volucres §12.252convertunt clamore fugam, mirabile visu, §12.253aetheraque obscurant pennis hostemque per auras §12.254facta nube premunt, donec vi victus et ipso §12.255pondere defecit, praedamque ex unguibus ales §12.256proiecit fluvio penitusque in nubila fugit.
The Italians alert their minds, and all the birds turn their flight with a clamor—wondrous to see— and obscure the sky with their wings, and in a cloud press the enemy through the air, until overcome by force and by the very weight the bird failed, and from its talons dropped the prey into the river and fled deep into the clouds.
§12.257Tum vero augurium Rutuli clamore salutant §12.258expediuntque manus; primusque Tolumnius augur §12.259Hoc erat, hoc, votis,
inquit,
quod saepe petivi.
Then indeed the Rutulians greet the omen with a shout and prepare their hands; and first Tolumnius the augur says: "This was it, this, that I have often sought in my prayers.
§12.260Adcipio adgnoscoque deos; me, me duce ferrum §12.261corripite, O miseri, quos improbus advena bello §12.262territat invalidas ut aves et litora vestra §12.263vi populat: petet ille fugam penitusque profundo §12.264vela dabit.
I accept and acknowledge the gods; with me, me as leader, snatch up the iron, O wretched ones, whom the relentless stranger terrifies with war like powerless birds, and ravages your shores by force: he will take flight and deep into the deep give sail.
Vos unanimi densete catervas §12.265et regem vobis pugna defendite raptum. §12.266Dixit et adversos telum contorsit in hostis §12.267procurrens: sonitum dat stridula cornus et auras §12.268certa secat.
Do you with one mind thicken your ranks and defend in battle your king snatched from you." He spoke, and running forward hurled his weapon at the opposing enemy: the whirring cornel-wood spear makes a sound and cuts the air with certain aim.
Simul hoc, simul ingens clamor et omnes §12.269turbati cunei calefactaque corda tumultu.
At once this, at once a huge clamor, and all the wedges of the ranks are thrown into confusion, and hearts are heated by the tumult.
§12.270Hasta volans, ut forte novem pulcherrima fratrum §12.271corpora constiterant contra, quos fida crearat §12.272una tot Arcadio coniunx Tyrrhena Gylippo, §12.273horum unum ad medium, teritur qua sutilis alvo §12.274balteus et laterum iuncturas fibula mordet §12.275egregium forma iuvenem et fulgentibus armis §12.276transadigit costas fulvaque effundit harena.
The flying spear, as by chance nine most beautiful brothers had stood in a body opposite—whom a single faithful Tyrrhenian wife had borne to Arcadian Gylippus— one of these at the waist, where the stitched belt rubs the belly and the buckle bites the joints of the sides, a youth outstanding in form and with gleaming armor, it pierces through the ribs and stretches him on the yellow sand.
§12.277At fratres, animosa phalanx accensaque luctu, §12.278pars, gladios stringunt manibus, pars missile ferrum §12.279corripiunt caecique ruunt.
But the brothers, a courageous band and inflamed with grief, part draw their swords with their hands, part snatch up missile iron and rush blindly.
Quos agmina contra §12.280procurrunt Laurentum, hinc densi rursus inundant §12.281Troes Agyllinique et pictis Arcades armis: §12.282sic omnis amor unus habet decernere ferro.
Against them the ranks of the Laurentines run forward; from here again in dense throng pour forth the Trojans, the Agyllines, and the Arcadians with painted armor: thus one love possesses all to decide the issue with the sword.
§12.283Diripuere aras, it toto turbida caelo §12.284tempestas telorum ac ferreus ingruit imber, §12.285craterasque focosque ferunt.
They stripped the altars; through the whole sky goes a turbulent storm of weapons, and an iron rain pours down, and they carry off bowls and hearth-fires.
Fugit ipse Latinus §12.286pulsatos referens infecto foedere divos.
Latinus himself flees, bearing back his defeated gods, the treaty unfulfilled.
§12.287Infrenant alii currus aut corpora saltu §12.288subiciunt in equos et strictis ensibus adsunt.
Others rein in chariots, or leap onto horses and are present with drawn swords.
§12.289Messapus regem regisque insigne gerentem, §12.290Tyrrhenum Aulesten, avidus confundere foedus, §12.291adverso proterret equo: ruit ille recedens §12.292et miser oppositis a tergo involvitur aris §12.293in caput inque umeros.
Messapus, eager to confound the treaty, terrifies with opposing horse the Tyrrhenian Aulestes, a king and bearing the emblem of a king; Aulestes falls as he retreats, and wretchedly is entangled in the altars placed behind him, onto his head and shoulders.
At fervidus advolat hasta §12.294Messapus teloque orantem multa trabali §12.295desuper altus equo graviter ferit atque ita fatur: §12.296Hoc habet, haec melior magnis data victima divis.
But hot-tempered Messapus flies up with his spear and with his beam-like weapon, as Aulestes begs for many things, strikes him heavily from his horse high above and speaks thus: "He has it!
§12.297Concurrunt Itali spoliantque calentia membra.
This is a better victim given to the great gods." The Italians rush together and despoil the warm limbs.
§12.298Obvius ambustum torrem Corynaeus ab ara §12.299corripit et venienti Ebuso plagamque ferenti §12.300occupat os flammis: olli ingens barba reluxit §12.301nidoremque ambusta dedit.
Corynaeus, standing in the way, snatches a burnt brand from the altar and, as Ebusus comes up and offers a blow, forestalls his face with flames: his huge beard shone and, burnt, gave off a stench.
Super ipse secutus §12.302caesariem laeva turbati corripit hostis §12.303inpressoque genu nitens terrae adplicat ipsum: §12.304sic rigido latus ense ferit.
Corynaeus following up in person grasps with his left hand the hair of his troubled enemy, and pressing down with his knee, straining, pins him to the earth: thus he strikes his side with his stiff sword.
Podalirius Alsum §12.305pastorem primaque acie per tela ruentem, §12.306ense sequens nudo superimminet: ille securi §12.307adversi frontem mediam mentumque reducta §12.308disicit et sparso late rigat arma cruore.
Podalirius, pursuing Alsus the shepherd, as he rushes through weapons in the front line, hangs over him with naked sword; Alsus, with ax drawn back, cleaves the middle of the forehead and the chin of his foe and wets his weapons widely with scattered blood.
Hard rest and iron sleep press down his eyes, and his lights are closed in eternal night.
§12.311At pius Aeneas dextram tendebat inermem §12.312nudato capite atque suos clamore vocabat: §12.313Quo ruitis? Quaeve ista repens discordia surgit?
But pious Aeneas stretched out his unarmed right hand with bare head and called his men with a shout: "Whither do you rush? Or what is this sudden discord that rises?
§12.314O cohibete iras! Ictum iam foedus et omnes
Oh, restrain your rages!
§12.315compositae leges; mihi ius concurrere soli; §12.316me sinite atque auferte metus; ego foedera faxo §12.317firma manu; Turnum debent haec iam mihi sacra.
The treaty is already struck and all its laws are settled; the right to engage belongs to me alone; leave me to it and banish fears; I will make the alliance firm with my hand; these sacred rites already owe Turnus to me."