§2.241O patria, O divom domus Ilium, et incluta bello §2.242moenia Dardanidum, quater ipso in limine portae
O fatherland, O Ilium, home of the gods, and the walls of the sons of Dardanus renowned in war!
§2.243substitit, atque utero sonitum quater arma dedere: §2.244instamus tamen inmemores caecique furore, §2.245et monstrum infelix sacrata sistimus arce.
Four times on the very threshold of the gate it halted, and four times the arms gave a sound from its belly; yet we press on, unmindful and blind with madness, and place the ill-omened monster on the sacred citadel.
Then also Cassandra opens her mouth for future fates, by the command of the god never believed by the Teucrians.
§2.248Nos delubra deum miseri, quibus ultimus esset §2.249ille dies, festa velamus fronde per urbem.
We, miserable ones, for whom that day would be our last, veil the shrines of the gods with festive foliage throughout the city.
§2.250Vertitur interea caelum et ruit oceano nox, §2.251involvens umbra magna terramque polumque §2.252Myrmidonumque dolos; fusi per moenia Teucri §2.253conticuere, sopor fessos complectitur artus:
Meanwhile the sky turns and night rushes from the ocean, enveloping in its great shadow both the earth and the heavens and the deceits of the Myrmidons; scattered through the walls, the Teucrians fell silent, and deep sleep embraces their weary limbs.
§2.254et iam Argiva phalanx instructis navibus ibat §2.255a Tenedo tacitae per amica silentia lunae §2.256litora nota petens, flammas cum regia puppis §2.257extulerat, fatisque deum defensus iniquis §2.258inclusos utero Danaos et pinea furtim §2.259laxat claustra Sinon.
And now the Argive phalanx was going with its equipped ships from Tenedos through the friendly silence of the quiet moon, seeking the familiar shores, when the royal ship had raised the flames, and Sinon, defended by the hostile fates of the gods, secretly releases the Greeks shut up in the belly and the pine barriers.
Illos patefactus ad auras §2.260reddit equus, laetique cavo se robore promunt §2.261Thessandrus Sthenelusque duces, et dirus Ulixes, §2.262demissum lapsi per funem, Acamasque, Thoasque, §2.263Pelidesque Neoptolemus, primusque Machaon, §2.264et Menelaus, et ipse doli fabricator Epeos.
The opened horse returns them to the air, and they joyfully bring themselves out from the hollow wood: the leaders Thessandrus and Sthenelus, and dread Ulysses, having slipped down a lowered rope, and Acamas, and Thoas, and Neoptolemus, grandson of Peleus, and Machaon first, and Menelaus, and Epeos himself, the builder of the deceit.
§2.265Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam; §2.266caeduntur vigiles, portisque patentibus omnis §2.267accipiunt socios atque agmina conscia iungunt.
They invade the city buried in sleep and wine; the sentries are slain, and with open gates they receive all their companions and join the conscious bands.
§2.268Tempus erat, quo prima quies mortalibus aegris §2.269incipit, et dono divom gratissima serpit.
It was the time when the first rest begins for weary mortals, and creeps most welcome as a gift of the gods.
§2.270In somnis, ecce, ante oculos maestissimus Hector §2.271visus adesse mihi, largosque effundere fletus, §2.272raptatus bigis, ut quondam, aterque cruento §2.273pulvere, perque pedes traiectus lora tumentis.
In my sleep, behold, before my eyes most sorrowful Hector seemed to be present to me, and to pour forth abundant tears, dragged by the chariot, as formerly, and black with bloody dust, and pierced through his swollen feet with thongs.
§2.274Ei mihi, qualis erat, quantum mutatus ab illo §2.275Hectore, qui redit exuvias indutus Achilli, §2.276vel Danaum Phrygios iaculatus puppibus ignis, §2.277squalentem barbam et concretos sanguine crinis §2.278volneraque illa gerens, quae circum plurima muros §2.279accepit patrios.
Alas to me, what a sight he was, how much changed from that Hector who returned dressed in the spoils of Achilles, or having hurled Phrygian fires at the ships of the Greeks, bearing a filthy beard and hair matted with blood, and those wounds which he received in great numbers around his native walls.
Ultro flens ipse videbar §2.280Compellare virum et maestas expromere voces: §2.281O lux Dardaniae, spes O fidissima Teucrum,
Weeping myself, I seemed voluntarily to address the hero and to bring forth mournful words: "O light of Dardania, O most faithful hope of the Teucrians, what great delays have held you?
§2.282quae tantae tenuere morae? Quibus Hector ab oris
From what shores, Hector, long-awaited, do you come?
§2.283exspectate venis? Ut te post multa tuorum §2.284funera, post varios hominumque urbisque labores
How wearied we look upon you, after so many deaths of your people, after various labors of both men and city!
§2.285defessi aspicimus! Quae causa indigna serenos §2.286foedavit voltus? Aut cur haec volnera cerno?
What unworthy cause has defiled your serene countenance?
§2.287Ille nihil, nec me quaerentem vana moratur, §2.288sed graviter gemitus imo de pectore ducens, §2.289Heu fuge, nate dea, teque his, ait, eripe flammis.
Or why do I see these wounds?" He made no reply, nor does he delay me seeking vain things, but drawing groans heavily from the depths of his chest, says, "Alas, flee, goddess-born, and snatch yourself from these flames.
§2.290Hostis habet muros; ruit alto a culmine Troia.
The enemy holds the walls; Troy falls from her high summit.
§2.291Sat patriae Priamoque datum: si Pergama dextra §2.292defendi possent, etiam hac defensa fuissent.
Enough has been given to the fatherland and Priam: if Pergama could be defended by a right hand, it would have been defended even by this one.
§2.293Sacra suosque tibi commendat Troia penatis: §2.294hos cape fatorum comites, his moenia quaere §2.295magna, pererrato statues quae denique ponto. §2.296Sic ait, et manibus vittas Vestamque potentem §2.297aeternumque adytis effert penetralibus ignem.
Troy commends her sacred things and her Penates to you: take these as companions of your fates, seek for these great walls, which you will establish at last after the sea has been thoroughly traversed." Thus he speaks, and with his hands brings forth the headbands and powerful Vesta and the eternal fire from the innermost sanctuaries.
§2.298Diverso interea miscentur moenia luctu, §2.299et magis atque magis, quamquam secreta parentis §2.300Anchisae domus arboribusque obtecta recessit, §2.301clarescunt sonitus, armorumque ingruit horror.
Meanwhile, the city is confused with varied grief on all sides, and more and more, although the house of my father Anchises was set back, secret and covered with trees, the sounds become clear, and the horror of arms grows near.
§2.302Excutior somno, et summi fastigia tecti §2.303ascensu supero, atque arrectis auribus adsto: §2.304in segetem veluti cum flamma furentibus austris §2.305incidit, aut rapidus montano flumine torrens §2.306sternit agros, sternit sata laeta boumque labores, §2.307praecipitisque trahit silvas, stupet inscius alto §2.308accipiens sonitum saxi de vertice pastor.
I am shaken from sleep, and ascend to the top of the roof by climbing, and stand with pricked-up ears: just as when a flame falls on the standing grain with raging south winds, or a rapid torrent from a mountain river lays low the fields, lays low the joyful crops and the labors of oxen, and drags headlong the forests, the ignorant shepherd is amazed, hearing the sound from the lofty summit of a rock.
Then indeed the truth is manifest, and the treachery of the Greeks lies open.
Iam Deiphobi dedit ampla ruinam §2.311Volcano superante domus; iam proxumus ardet §2.312Ucalegon; Sigea igni freta lata relucent.
Already the wide house of Deiphobus has given ruin, with Vulcan overcoming it; already neighboring Ucalegon is on fire; the broad Sigean straits reflect the light with the fire.
§2.313Exoritur clamorque virum clangorque tubarum.
The clamor of men and the clangor of trumpets arise.
§2.314Arma amens capio; nec sat rationis in armis, §2.315sed glomerare manum bello et concurrere in arcem §2.316cum sociis ardent animi; furor iraque mentem §2.317praecipitant, pulchrumque mori succurrit in armis.
Distracted, I take arms; nor is there enough of reason in arms, but my mind burns to gather a band for war and to rush into the citadel with companions; madness and anger drive my mind headlong, and it comes to my mind that it is beautiful to die in arms.
§2.318Ecce autem telis Panthus elapsus Achivom, §2.319Panthus Othryades, arcis Phoebique sacerdos, §2.320sacra manu victosque deos parvumque nepotem §2.321ipse trahit, cursuque amens ad limina tendit.
But behold, Panthus, having escaped the weapons of the Greeks, Panthus, son of Othryas, priest of the citadel and Phoebus, himself drags the sacred things, the conquered gods, and his small grandson, and runs, distracted, toward our threshold.