§3.1Postquam res Asiae Priamique evertere gentem §3.2immeritam visum Superis, ceciditque superbum §3.3Ilium, et omnis humo fumat Neptunia Troia, §3.4diversa exsilia et desertas quaerere terras §3.5auguriis agimur divom, classemque sub ipsa §3.6Antandro et Phrygiae molimur montibus Idae, §3.7incerti, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur, §3.8contrahimusque viros.
After it seemed good to the gods above to overturn the power of Asia and Priam's innocent race, and proud Ilium fell, and all Neptunian Troy smokes from the ground, we are driven by divine auguries to seek distant exiles and deserted lands, and we build a fleet under the very walls of Antandros and the mountains of Phrygian Ida, uncertain whither the fates may bear us, where it may be granted us to settle, and we muster our men.
Vix prima inceperat aestas, §3.9et pater Anchises dare fatis vela iubebat; §3.10litora cum patriae lacrimans portusque relinquo
Hardly had the first summer begun, when my father Anchises ordered us to give our sails to the fates; then weeping I leave the shores and harbors of my country and the plains where Troy once was.
§3.11et campos, ubi Troia fuit: feror exsul in altum §3.12cum sociis natoque Penatibus et magnis dis.
I am borne an exile into the deep with my companions and my son, the Penates, and the great gods.
§3.13Terra procul vastis colitur Mavortia campis, §3.14Thraces arant, acri quondam regnata Lycurgo, §3.15hospitium antiquum Troiae sociique Penates, §3.16dum Fortuna fuit.
A land of Mavors lies afar, of vast plains, inhabited, which Thracians till, once ruled by fierce Lycurgus, an ancient guest-land of Troy and with allied Penates, while Fortune lasted.
Feror huc, et litore curvo §3.17moenia prima loco, fatis ingressus iniquis, §3.18Aeneadasque meo nomen de nomine fingo.
Hither I am borne, and on the winding shore I lay my first walls, having entered under unfriendly fates, and from my own name I fashion the name Aeneadae.
§3.19Sacra Dionaeae matri divisque ferebam §3.20auspicibus coeptorum operum, superoque nitentem §3.21caelicolum regi mactabam in litore taurum.
I was offering sacrifices to my Dionean mother and the gods who favor our begun works, and to the high king of the heavenly dwellers I was slaying a sleek bull on the shore.
By chance there was a mound nearby, on whose top were cornel copses and a myrtle bristling with dense spear-shafts.
§3.24Accessi, viridemque ab humo convellere silvam §3.25conatus, ramis tegerem ut frondentibus aras, §3.26horrendum et dictu video mirabile monstrum.
I drew near, and as I attempted to tear the green growth from the soil, so that I might cover the altars with leafy boughs, I see a portent dreadful and wondrous to relate.
§3.27Nam, quae prima solo ruptis radicibus arbos §3.28vellitur, huic atro liquuntur sanguine guttae, §3.29et terram tabo maculant.
For, the first tree that is pulled from the ground with broken roots, from this drops of black blood ooze, and stain the earth with gore.
Mihi frigidus horror §3.30membra quatit, gelidusque coit formidine sanguis.
A cold horror shakes my limbs, and my chilled blood freezes with fear.
§3.31Rursus et alterius lentum convellere vimen §3.32insequor, et causas penitus temptare latentis: §3.33ater et alterius sequitur de cortice sanguis.
Again I proceed to tear away the tough shoot of another, and to probe thoroughly the hidden causes; from the bark of the second also, black blood follows.
§3.34Multa movens animo nymphas venerabar agrestis §3.35Gradivumque patrem, Geticis qui praesidet arvis, §3.36rite secundarent visus omenque levarent.
Pondering many things in my mind, I prayed to the rustic nymphs and father Gradivus, who presides over the Getic fields, that they would duly make favorable what was seen and lighten the omen.
§3.37Tertia sed postquam maiore hastilia nisu §3.38adgredior, genibusque adversae obluctor harenae— §3.39eloquar, an sileam?—gemitus lacrimabilis imo §3.40auditur tumulo, et vox reddita fertur ad auris:
But when with greater effort I attack the third shoots, and struggle on my knees against the opposing sand— shall I speak, or keep silent?—a tearful groan from the bottom of the mound is heard, and an answering voice is borne to my ears: "Why, Aeneas, do you tear a miserable wretch?
Spare me now that I am buried; spare staining your pious hands.
Non me tibi Troia §3.43externum tulit, aut cruor hic de stipite manat.
Troy did not bear me as a stranger to you, nor does this blood flow from a mere stock.
§3.44Heu, fuge crudelis terras, fuge litus avarum:
Alas! flee the cruel lands, flee the greedy shore.
§3.45nam Polydorus ego;
For I am Polydorus.
hic confixum ferrea texit §3.46telorum seges et iaculis increvit acutis. §3.47Tum vero ancipiti mentem formidine pressus §3.48obstipui, steteruntque comae et vox faucibus haesit.
Here an iron harvest of weapons covered me, transfixed, and grew up into sharp javelins." Then indeed, pressed in mind by a double fear, I was astounded, and my hair stood on end, and my voice clung to my throat.
§3.49Hunc Polydorum auri quondam cum pondere magno §3.50infelix Priamus furtim mandarat alendum §3.51Threicio regi, cum iam diffideret armis §3.52Dardaniae, cingique urbem obsidione videret.
This Polydorus, formerly with a great weight of gold, unhappy Priam had secretly entrusted to the Thracian king to be brought up, when he already despaired of the arms of Dardania and saw the city girded with siege.
§3.53Ille, ut opes fractae Teucrum, et Fortuna recessit, §3.54res Agamemnonias victriciaque arma secutus, §3.55fas omne abrumpit; Polydorum obtruncat, et auro §3.56vi potitur.
The king, when the power of the Teucrians was broken and Fortune departed, following Agamemnon's cause and victorious arms, broke every sacred law; he slaughtered Polydorus, and by force seized the gold.
Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, §3.57auri sacra fames? Postquam pavor ossa reliquit,
To what do you not compel mortal hearts, accursed hunger for gold?
§3.58delectos populi ad proceres primumque parentem §3.59monstra deum refero, et quae sit sententia posco.
After fear left my bones, I report the portents of the gods to the chosen leaders of the people and first of all to my father, and ask what their judgment is.
§3.60Omnibus idem animus, scelerata excedere terra, §3.61linqui pollutum hospitium, et dare classibus austros.
All have the same mind, to depart from the accursed land, to leave the polluted guest-land, and to give the south winds to our fleets.
§3.62Ergo instauramus Polydoro funus, et ingens §3.63aggeritur tumulo tellus; stant Manibus arae, §3.64caeruleis maestae vittis atraque cupresso, §3.65et circum Iliades crinem de more solutae; §3.66inferimus tepido spumantia cymbia lacte §3.67sanguinis et sacri pateras, animamque sepulchro §3.68condimus, et magna supremum voce ciemus.
Therefore we perform funeral rites anew for Polydorus, and a vast amount of earth is heaped upon the mound; altars stand to the Shades, mournful with dark-blue bands and black cypress, and around stand Trojan women, with their hair let loose according to custom; we offer foaming bowls of warm milk and platters of sacred blood, and we lay the soul to rest in the tomb, and call upon it for the last time with a loud voice.
§3.69Inde, ubi prima fides pelago, placataque venti §3.70dant maria et lenis crepitans vocat Auster in altum, §3.71deducunt socii navis et litora complent: §3.72provehimur portu, terraeque urbesque recedunt.
Thereupon, as soon as trust can be placed in the sea, and the winds grant calm waters, and the gentle whispering South Wind calls to the deep, my companions launch the ships and crowd the shores; we sail forth from the harbor, and lands and cities recede.
§3.73Sacra mari colitur medio gratissima tellus §3.74Nereidum matri et Neptuno Aegaeo, §3.75quam pius arquitenens oras et litora circum §3.76errantem Mycono e celsa Gyaroque revinxit, §3.77immotamque coli dedit et contemnere ventos.
A sacred land is inhabited in the midst of the sea, most pleasing to the mother of the Nereids and to Aegean Neptune, which the pious Archer-God, as it drifted about shores and coasts, bound fast to lofty Myconos and Gyaros, and granted that it be inhabited unmoved and despise the winds.
§3.78Huc feror; haec fessos tuto placidissima portu
Hither I am borne; this most peaceful land receives us, weary, in its safe harbor.
§3.79accipit: egressi veneramur Apollinis urbem.
Landing, we worship the city of Apollo.
§3.80Rex Anius, rex idem hominum Phoebique sacerdos
King Anius, both king of men and priest of Phoebus,