§2.648demoror, ex quo me divom pater atque hominum rex §2.649fulminis adflavit ventis et contigit igni. §2.650Talia perstabat memorans, fixusque manebat.
I drag out my years, since the father of gods and king of men blew upon me with the winds of his thunderbolt and touched me with his fire." Recalling such things, he persisted and remained fixed.
§2.651Nos contra effusi lacrimis, coniunxque Creüsa §2.652Ascaniusque omnisque domus, ne vertere secum §2.653cuncta pater fatoque urguenti incumbere vellet.
We, on the contrary, dissolved in tears—both my wife Creusa and Ascanius and the whole household—lest our father wish to ruin everything with himself and add weight to the pressing fate.
§2.654Abnegat, inceptoque et sedibus haeret in isdem.
He refuses, and clings to his purpose and to the same spot.
§2.655Rursus in arma feror, mortemque miserrimus opto: §2.656nam quod consilium aut quae iam fortuna dabatur?
Again I rush to arms, and in my utter misery I long for death: for what counsel or what fortune was now offered?
§2.657Mene efferre pedem, genitor, te posse relicto §2.658sperasti, tantumque nefas patrio excidit ore?
"Did you hope, father, that I could step out, leaving you behind, and did so great an impiety fall from a father's lips?
§2.659Si nihil ex tanta Superis placet urbe relinqui, §2.660et sedet hoc animo, perituraeque addere Troiae §2.661teque tuosque iuvat, patet isti ianua leto, §2.662iamque aderit multo Priami de sanguine Pyrrhus, §2.663natum ante ora patris, patrem qui obtruncat ad aras.
If it pleases the gods above that nothing of so great a city be left, and this is fixed in your mind, and it pleases you to add both yourself and your own to dying Troy, the door is open to that death of yours, and soon Pyrrhus will be here, fresh from the abundant blood of Priam, who slaughters the son before the father's face, and the father at the altars.
§2.664Hoc erat, alma parens, quod me per tela, per ignis §2.665eripis, ut mediis hostem in penetralibus, utque §2.666Ascanium patremque meum iuxtaque Creüsam §2.667alterum in alterius mactatos sanguine cernam?
Was this the reason, gentle mother, that you rescue me through weapons, through fires, so that I might see the enemy in the midst of our innermost chambers, and see Ascanius and my father and Creusa alongside them, slaughtered, each in the other's blood?
§2.668Arma, viri, ferte arma; vocat lux ultima victos.
Arms, men, bring arms; the last light calls the vanquished.
§2.669Reddite me Danais; sinite instaurata revisam §2.670proelia: Numquam omnes hodie moriemur inulti. §2.671Hinc ferro accingor rursus clipeoque sinistram §2.672insertabam aptans, meque extra tecta ferebam.
Give me back to the Greeks; let me return to the renewed battles: never shall we all die unavenged today." Hereupon I gird myself again with steel, and was fitting my left hand into the shield, adjusting it, and was bearing myself outside the house.
§2.673Ecce autem complexa pedes in limine coniunx §2.674haerebat, parvumque patri tendebat Iulum: §2.675Si periturus abis, et nos rape in omnia tecum; §2.676sin aliquam expertus sumptis spem ponis in armis, §2.677hanc primum tutare domum.
But lo, my wife, clasping my feet on the threshold, clung to me, and held out little Iulus to his father: "If you go to perish, carry us too with you into all things; but if from experience you place some hope in the arms you have taken, guard this house first.
Cui parvus Iulus, §2.678cui pater et coniunx quondam tua dicta relinquor? §2.679Talia vociferans gemitu tectum omne replebat, §2.680cum subitum dictuque oritur mirabile monstrum.
To whom is little Iulus, to whom is your father, and to whom am I, once called your wife, abandoned?" Crying out such words, she filled the whole house with her groaning, when a sudden and wondrous portent, marvelous to tell, arises.
§2.681Namque manus inter maestorumque ora parentum §2.682ecce levis summo de vertice visus Iuli §2.683fundere lumen apex, tactuque innoxia mollis §2.684lambere flamma comas et circum tempora pasci.
For between the hands and before the faces of his sorrowing parents, behold, a light tuft of hair on the very top of Iulus' head seemed to pour forth light, and a soft flame to lick his hair harmlessly and feed around his temples.
§2.685Nos pavidi trepidare metu, crinemque flagrantem §2.686excutere et sanctos restinguere fontibus ignis.
We, trembling in panic with fear, fluttered to shake out the blazing hair and to extinguish the sacred fires with spring water.
§2.687At pater Anchises oculos ad sidera laetus §2.688extulit, et caelo palmas cum voce tetendit: §2.689Iuppiter omnipotens, precibus si flecteris ullis, §2.690aspice nos; hoc tantum, et, si pietate meremur, §2.691da deinde auxilium, pater, atque haec omina firma. §2.692Vix ea fatus erat senior, subitoque fragore §2.693intonuit laevum, et de caelo lapsa per umbras §2.694stella facem ducens multa cum luce cucurrit.
But father Anchises joyfully lifted his eyes to the stars, and stretched his palms to heaven, with a prayer: "Almighty Jupiter, if you are bent by any prayers, look upon us; this is all we ask, and, if we deserve it by our piety, grant then your aid, father, and confirm these omens." Scarcely had the old man spoken these words, when with a sudden crash it thundered on the left, and falling from heaven through the shadows a star carrying a torch ran with much light.
§2.695Illam, summa super labentem culmina tecti, §2.696cernimus Idaea claram se condere silva §2.697signantemque vias; tum longo limite sulcus §2.698dat lucem, et late circum loca sulphure fumant.
We see it, gliding over the highest rooftops, bury itself bright in Mount Ida's forest, marking its pathways; then with a long track the furrow gives light, and widely around the places smoke with sulphur.
At this indeed, overcome, my father raises himself toward the air, and addresses the gods and adores the sacred star.
§2.701Iam iam nulla mora est; sequor et qua ducitis adsum.
"Now, now there is no delay; I follow, and where you lead, I am present.
§2.702Di patrii, servate domum, servate nepotem.
Ancestral gods, save my house, save my grandson.
§2.703Vestrum hoc augurium, vestroque in numine Troia est.
This omen is yours, and Troy is in your divine power.
§2.704Cedo equidem, nec, nate, tibi comes ire recuso. §2.705Dixerat ille; et iam per moenia clarior ignis §2.706auditur, propiusque aestus incendia volvunt.
I indeed yield, nor, my son, do I refuse to go as your companion." He had spoken; and now through the walls the fire is heard more clearly, and the conflagrations roll their heat closer.
§2.707Ergo age, care pater, cervici imponere nostrae; §2.708ipse subibo umeris, nec me labor iste gravabit: §2.709quo res cumque cadent, unum et commune periclum, §2.710una salus ambobus erit.
"Therefore come, dear father, place yourself on my neck; I myself will support you with my shoulders, nor will that labor burden me: however things fall out, there will be one and a common danger, one safety for us both.
Mihi parvus Iulus §2.711sit comes, et longe servet vestigia coniunx: §2.712vos, famuli, quae dicam, animis advertite vestris.
Let little Iulus be my companion, and let my wife follow our footsteps at a distance: you, servants, turn your minds to what I shall say.
§2.713Est urbe egressis tumulus templumque vetustum §2.714desertae Cereris, iuxtaque antiqua cupressus §2.715religione patrum multos servata per annos.
To those having departed from the city, there is a mound and an ancient temple of deserted Ceres, and nearby an ancient cypress tree, preserved through many years by the reverence of our fathers.
§2.716Hanc ex diverso sedem veniemus in unam.
To this one seat we shall come from different directions.
§2.717Tu, genitor, cape sacra manu patriosque Penatis; §2.718me, bello e tanto digressum et caede recenti, §2.719attrectare nefas, donec me flumine vivo §2.720abluero. §2.721Haec fatus, latos umeros subiectaque colla §2.722veste super fulvique insternor pelle leonis, §2.723succedoque oneri; dextrae se parvus Iulus
You, father, take the sacred items and ancestral Penates in your hand; for me, having departed from so great a war and recent slaughter, it is a sin to touch them, until with living water I have washed myself." Having spoken these words, I am covered over my broad shoulders and lowered neck with a garment and the skin of a tawny lion as an overlay, and submit to the burden; little Iulus clasped himself to my right hand