§2.322Quo res summa, loco, Panthu? Quam prendimus arcem?
"Where is the state of our affairs, Panthus?
Which citadel do we seize?" Scarcely had I spoken these words, when with a groan he returned such words: "The final day has come and the unavoidable time for Dardania.
§2.325Dardaniae: fuimus Troes, fuit Ilium et ingens §2.326gloria Teucrorum; ferus omnia Iuppiter Argos §2.327transtulit; incensa Danai dominantur in urbe.
We were Trojans, Ilium was, and the immense glory of the Teucrians has been; fierce Jupiter has transferred all things to Argos; the Greeks rule in the burning city.
§2.328Arduus armatos mediis in moenibus adstans §2.329fundit equus, victorque Sinon incendia miscet §2.330insultans;
Standing high in the midst of the walls, the towering horse pours forth armed men, and the victorious Sinon, insulting, scatters fires.
portis alii bipatentibus adsunt, §2.331milia quot magnis umquam venere Mycenis; §2.332obsedere alii telis angusta viarum §2.333oppositi; stat ferri acies mucrone corusco §2.334stricta, parata neci; vix primi proelia temptant §2.335portarum vigiles, et caeco Marte resistunt. §2.336Talibus Othryadae dictis et numine divom §2.337in flammas et in arma feror, quo tristis Erinys, §2.338quo fremitus vocat et sublatus ad aethera clamor.
Others are present at the wide-open gates, as many thousands as ever came from great Mycenae; others have blocked the narrowness of the streets, opposed with weapons; a line of steel stands drawn with flashing point, prepared for slaughter; scarcely do the first guards of the gates attempt battle, and they resist in a blind conflict." By such words of the son of Othryas and by the divine will of the gods I am carried into the flames and into arms, whither the grim Erinys, whither the roar and the clamor raised to the heavens call me.
§2.339Addunt se socios Rhipeus et maximus armis §2.340Epytus oblati per lunam Hypanisque Dymasque, §2.341et lateri adglomerant nostro, iuvenisque Coroebus, §2.342Mygdonides: illis ad Troiam forte diebus §2.343venerat, insano Cassandrae incensus amore, §2.344et gener auxilium Priamo Phrygibusque ferebat, §2.345infelix, qui non sponsae praecepta furentis §2.346audierit.
Rhipeus and Epytus, most mighty in arms, add themselves as companions, met under the moon, along with Hypanis and Dymas, and gather to our side, and young Coroebus, the son of Mygdon: in those days he had by chance come to Troy, inflamed with a mad love for Cassandra, and as a son-in-law was bringing help to Priam and the Phrygians, unfortunate one, who did not hear the advice of his raving bride.
§2.347Quos ubi confertos audere in proelia vidi, §2.348incipio super his:
Iuvenes, fortissima frustra §2.349pectora, si vobis audentem extrema cupido §2.350certa sequi, quae sit rebus fortuna videtis: §2.351excessere omnes, adytis arisque relictis, §2.352di, quibus imperium hoc steterat; succurritis urbi §2.353incensae; moriamur et in media arma ruamus.
When I saw them close-packed, daring for battle, I begin with these words to them: "O youths, hearts most brave in vain, if you have a fixed desire to follow me daring the extreme, you see what fortune there is for our affairs: all the gods, by whom this empire had stood, have departed, leaving shrines and altars; you bring aid to a burning city; let us die and rush into the midst of arms.
§2.354Una salus victis, nullam sperare salutem. §2.355Sic animis iuvenum furor additus: inde, lupi ceu §2.356raptores atra in nebula, quos improba ventris §2.357exegit caecos rabies, catulique relicti §2.358faucibus exspectant siccis, per tela, per hostis §2.359vadimus haud dubiam in mortem, mediaeque tenemus §2.360urbis iter; nox atra cava circumvolat umbra.
The only safety for the defeated is to hope for no safety." Thus fury was added to the minds of the youths: then, like ravenous wolves in a dark mist, whom the wicked rage of the belly has driven blind, and their abandoned cubs await them with dry throats, we go through weapons, through enemies into no doubtful death, and we hold the way to the midst of the city; black night flies around us with its hollow shadow.
§2.361Quis cladem illius noctis, quis funera fando §2.362explicet, aut possit lacrimis aequare labores?
Who could unfold the disaster of that night, who the deaths in speaking, or could equal our labors with tears?
§2.363Urbs antiqua ruit, multos dominata per annos; §2.364plurima perque vias sternuntur inertia passim §2.365corpora, perque domos et religiosa deorum §2.366limina.
An ancient city falls, having ruled for many years; and very many inactive bodies are strewn far and wide through the streets, and through the houses and the sacred thresholds of the gods.
Nec soli poenas dant sanguine Teucri; §2.367quondam etiam victis redit in praecordia virtus §2.368victoresque cadunt Danai: crudelis ubique §2.369luctus, ubique pavor, et plurima mortis imago.
Nor do the Teucrians alone pay penalties with their blood; sometimes also courage returns to the hearts of the defeated and the victorious Greeks fall: everywhere is cruel grief, everywhere fear, and the manifold image of death.
§2.370Primus se, Danaum magna comitante caterva, §2.371Androgeos offert nobis, socia agmina credens §2.372inscius, atque ultro verbis compellat amicis: §2.373Festinate, viri: nam quae tam sera moratur
First Androgeos, with a great crowd of Greeks accompanying him, offers himself to us, believing our bands to be allies, ignorant, and addresses us voluntarily with friendly words: "Hurry, men! For what so late sluggishness delays you?
§2.374segnities? Alii rapiunt incensa feruntque §2.375Pergama; vos celsis nunc primum a navibus itis. §2.376Dixit, et extemplo, neque enim responsa dabantur §2.377fida satis, sensit medios delapsus in hostis.
Others are plundering and carrying off burning Pergama; are you only now coming from the high ships?" He spoke, and immediately (for no replies sufficiently faithful were returned) he sensed that he had fallen into the midst of enemies.
§2.378Obstipuit, retroque pedem cum voce repressit: §2.379inprovisum aspris veluti qui sentibus anguem §2.380pressit humi nitens, trepidusque repente refugit §2.381attollentem iras et caerula colla tumentem; §2.382haud secus Androgeos visu tremefactus abibat.
He was astounded, and drew back his foot with his voice: just as one who has pressed an unseen snake in the rough thorns on the ground as he steps, and suddenly in terror flees from it raising its anger and swelling its dark-blue neck; not otherwise did Androgeos, terrified at the sight, withdraw.
§2.383Inruimus, densis et circumfundimur armis, §2.384ignarosque loci passim et formidine captos §2.385sternimus: adspirat primo fortuna labori.
We rush in, and pour around them with thick weapons, and we lay them low, ignorant of the place and captured by fear, everywhere: fortune favors our first labor.
§2.386Atque hic successu exsultans animisque Coroebus, §2.387O socii, qua prima
inquit
fortuna salutis §2.388monstrat iter, quoque ostendit se dextra, sequamur §2.389mutemus clipeos, Danaumque insignia nobis
And here, Coroebus, exulting in success and courage, says: "O companions, where first fortune of safety shows the path, and where she shows herself favorable, let us follow: let us change our shields, and fit the insignia of the Greeks to ourselves.
§2.390aptemus: dolus an virtus, quis in hoste requirat?
Deceit or courage, who would ask in the case of an enemy?
§2.391Arma dabunt ipsi. Sic fatus, deinde comantem §2.392Androgei galeam clipeique insigne decorum §2.393induitur, laterique Argivum accommodat ensem.
They themselves will give us arms." Thus he spoke, and then he puts on the plumed helmet of Androgeos and the beautiful insignia of his shield, and fits the Argive sword to his side.
§2.394Hoc Rhipeus, hoc ipse Dymas omnisque iuventus §2.395laeta facit; spoliis se quisque recentibus armat.
This Rhipeus, this Dymas himself, and all the youths joyfully do; each one arms himself with the recent spoils.
§2.396Vadimus immixti Danais haud numine nostro, §2.397multaque per caecam congressi proelia noctem §2.398conserimus, multos Danaum demittimus Orco.
We go, mixed with the Greeks, under a divine power not our own, and we join many battles through the dark night, fighting hand to hand, and we send down many of the Greeks to Orcus.
§2.399Diffugiunt alii ad navis, et litora cursu §2.400fida petunt: pars ingentem formidine turpi §2.401scandunt rursus equum et nota conduntur in alvo.
Others flee to the ships, and seek the faithful shores with speed: a part in shameful fear climb the huge horse again and are hidden in the familiar belly.
§2.402Heu nihil invitis fas quemquam fidere divis!
Alas, it is right for no one to trust in anything when the gods are unwilling!