§2.157fas mihi Graiorum sacrata resolvere iura, §2.158fas odisse viros, atque omnia ferre sub auras, §2.159si qua tegunt; teneor patriae nec legibus ullis.
"It is right for me to untie the sacred laws of the Greeks, it is right to hate the men, and to bring all things to the light if they hide anything; nor am I bound by any laws of my country.
§2.160Tu modo promissis maneas, servataque serves §2.161Troia fidem, si vera feram, si magna rependam.
Only do you stand by your promises, and may Troy, preserved, keep her faith, if I bring true things, if I pay back a great reward.
All the hope of the Greeks and confidence in the war they had begun always stood by the help of Pallas.
Impius ex quo §2.164Tydides sed enim scelerumque inventor Ulixes, §2.165fatale adgressi sacrato avellere templo §2.166Palladium, caesis summae custodibus arcis, §2.167corripuere sacram effigiem, manibusque cruentis §2.168virgineas ausi divae contingere vittas; §2.169ex illo fluere ac retro sublapsa referri §2.170spes Danaum, fractae vires, aversa deae mens.
But indeed, from the time when the impious son of Tydeus and Ulysses, the inventor of crimes, having attempted to tear away the fatal Palladium from her sacred temple, after slaying the guards of the highest citadel, snatched the sacred image, and with bloody hands dared to touch the maidenly headbands of the goddess; from that time the hope of the Greeks began to flow away and, slipping backward, to be carried away, their strength was broken, and the mind of the goddess turned away.
§2.171Nec dubiis ea signa dedit Tritonia monstris.
Nor did Tritonia give those signs with doubtful portents.
§2.172Vix positum castris simulacrum, arsere coruscae §2.173luminibus flammae arrectis, salsusque per artus §2.174sudor iit, terque ipsa solo—mirabile dictu— §2.175emicuit, parmamque ferens hastamque trementem.
Scarcely was the image placed in the camp, when glittering flames shone from her wide-open eyes, and a salty sweat ran through her limbs, and three times she herself—wonderful to relate— sprang up from the ground, carrying her shield and her trembling spear.
§2.176Extemplo temptanda fuga canit aequora Calchas, §2.177nec posse Argolicis exscindi Pergama telis, §2.178omina ni repetant Argis, numenque reducant, §2.179quod pelago et curvis secum avexere carinis.
At once Calchas declares that the seas must be attempted in flight, and that Pergama cannot be destroyed by Argive weapons unless they seek the omens again at Argos, and bring back the divinity which they carried away with them on the sea in their curved ships.
§2.180Et nunc, quod patrias vento petiere Mycenas, §2.181arma deosque parant comites, pelagoque remenso §2.182improvisi aderunt: ita digerit omina Calchas.
And now, because they have sought their native Mycenae with the wind, they are preparing arms and gods as companions, and, having remeasured the sea, they will be here unexpected: so Calchas interprets the omens.
Being warned, they set up this image in place of the Palladium, in place of the violated divinity, to expiate their sorrowful sacrilege.
§2.185Hanc tamen immensam Calchas attollere molem §2.186roboribus textis caeloque educere iussit, §2.187ne recipi portis, aut duci in moenia possit, §2.188neu populum antiqua sub religione tueri.
Yet Calchas ordered them to raise this immense mass with woven timbers and build it up to the sky, so that it could not be received through the gates, or be drawn into the walls, nor protect the people under their ancient religion.
§2.189Nam si vestra manus violasset dona Minervae, §2.190tum magnum exitium (quod di prius omen in ipsum §2.191convertant!) Priami imperio Phrygibusque futurum; §2.192sin manibus vestris vestram ascendisset in urbem, §2.193ultro Asiam magno Pelopea ad moenia bello §2.194venturam, et nostros ea fata manere nepotes. §2.195Talibus insidiis periurique arte Sinonis §2.196credita res, captique dolis lacrimisque coactis, §2.197quos neque Tydides, nec Larisaeus Achilles, §2.198non anni domuere decem, non mille carinae.
For if your hand had violated the gift of Minerva, then a great destruction (which omen may the gods first turn upon Calchas himself!) would come upon the empire of Priam and the Phrygians; but if by your hands it had ascended into your city, Asia of its own accord would come to the walls of Pelops with a great war, and those fates would await our descendants." By such treacheries and the art of perjured Sinon the story was believed, and we were captured by deceits and forced tears, we whom neither the son of Tydeus, nor Larisaean Achilles, nor ten years, nor a thousand ships subdued.
§2.199Hic aliud maius miseris multoque tremendum §2.200obicitur magis, atque improvida pectora turbat.
Here another greater and much more terrifying event is presented to the miserable ones, and confuses their unprovided minds.
Laocoon, chosen by lot as priest for Neptune, was sacrificing a huge bull at the solemn altars.
§2.203Ecce autem gemini a Tenedo tranquilla per alta— §2.204horresco referens—immensis orbibus angues §2.205incumbunt pelago, pariterque ad litora tendunt; §2.206pectora quorum inter fluctus arrecta iubaeque §2.207sanguineae superant undas; pars cetera pontum §2.208pone legit, sinuatque immensa volumine terga.
But behold, two snakes from Tenedos through the calm deep— I shudder relating it—with immense coils lean upon the sea, and together stretch toward the shores; their breasts, raised up among the waves, and their bloody crests rise above the waters; the other part skims the sea behind, and curves their immense backs in a coil.
§2.209Fit sonitus spumante salo; iamque arva tenebant, §2.210ardentisque oculos suffecti sanguine et igni, §2.211sibila lambebant linguis vibrantibus ora.
A sound is made as the salt water foams; and now they held the fields, and, their burning eyes suffused with blood and fire, they licked their hissing mouths with vibrating tongues.
§2.212Diffugimus visu exsangues: illi agmine certo §2.213Laocoönta petunt; et primum parva duorum §2.214corpora natorum serpens amplexus uterque §2.215implicat, et miseros morsu depascitur artus; §2.216post ipsum auxilio subeuntem ac tela ferentem §2.217corripiunt, spirisque ligant ingentibus; et iam §2.218bis medium amplexi, bis collo squamea circum §2.219terga dati, superant capite et cervicibus altis.
We flee, bloodless at the sight; they in a steady line seek Laocoon; and first each serpent, having embraced the small bodies of his two sons, entwines them, and feeds upon their miserable limbs with bites; afterward, they seize Laocoon himself as he comes to help and brings weapons, and bind him with immense coils; and now, having twice embraced his waist, twice having placed their scaly backs around his neck, they tower over him with their heads and lofty necks.
§2.220Ille simul manibus tendit divellere nodos, §2.221perfusus sanie vittas atroque veneno, §2.222clamores simul horrendos ad sidera tollit: §2.223quales mugitus, fugit cum saucius aram §2.224taurus, et incertam excussit cervice securim.
At the same time he stretches with his hands to tear apart the knots, his headbands drenched with gore and black poison, at the same time he raises horrendous cries to the stars: such as the bellowing when a wounded bull flees the altar and has shaken the uncertain ax from its neck.
§2.225At gemini lapsu delubra ad summa dracones §2.226effugiunt saevaeque petunt Tritonidis arcem, §2.227sub pedibusque deae clipeique sub orbe teguntur.
But the two serpents escape by gliding to the highest shrines and seek the citadel of fierce Tritonis, and are hidden under the feet of the goddess and under the circle of her shield.
§2.228Tum vero tremefacta novus per pectora cunctis §2.229insinuat pavor, et scelus expendisse merentem §2.230Laocoönta ferunt, sacrum qui cuspide robur §2.231laeserit, et tergo sceleratam intorserit hastam.
Then indeed a new fear creeps through the trembling hearts of all, and they say that Laocoon has deservedly paid for his crime, who harmed the sacred oak with his spearpoint, and hurled his wicked spear against its back.
They shout together that the image must be led to its seat and the divinity of the goddess must be implored.
§2.234Dividimus muros et moenia pandimus urbis.
We divide the walls and open the ramparts of the city.
§2.235Accingunt omnes operi, pedibusque rotarum §2.236subiciunt lapsus, et stuppea vincula collo §2.237intendunt: scandit fatalis machina muros, §2.238feta armis.
All gird themselves for the work, and place under its feet the glidings of wheels, and stretch hempen bonds around its neck: the fatal engine climbs the walls, pregnant with arms.
Pueri circum innuptaeque puellae §2.239sacra canunt, funemque manu contingere gaudent.
Boys and unmarried girls around sing sacred songs, and rejoice to touch the rope with their hands.
§2.240Illa subit, mediaeque minans inlabitur urbi.
It enters, and glides threateningly into the midst of the city.