§4.392marmoreo referunt thalamo stratisque reponunt.
Her maidservants carry her back to her marble chamber and replace her on her bed.
§4.393At pius Aeneas, quamquam lenire dolentem §4.394solando cupit et dictis avertere curas, §4.395multa gemens magnoque animum labefactus amore, §4.396iussa tamen divom exsequitur, classemque revisit.
But pious Aeneas, although he desires to soothe her grieving by consoling her and to turn away her cares with his words, groaning much and shaken in his mind by his great love, nevertheless executes the commands of the gods, and revisits the fleet.
§4.397Tum vero Teucri incumbunt, et litore celsas §4.398deducunt toto naves: natat uncta carina; §4.399frondentisque ferunt remos et robora silvis §4.400infabricata, fugae studio.
Then indeed the Trojans fall to work, and along the whole shore they launch the lofty ships: the well-pitched keel floats; and they bring leafy oars and unworked timber from the woods, in their eagerness for flight.
§4.401Migrantis cernas, totaque ex urbe ruentis.
You might see them moving, and rushing out from the whole city.
§4.402Ac velut ingentem formicae farris acervum §4.403cum populant, hiemis memores, tectoque reponunt; §4.404it nigrum campis agmen, praedamque per herbas §4.405convectant calle angusto; pars grandia trudunt §4.406obnixae frumenta umeris; pars agmina cogunt §4.407castigantque moras; opere omnis semita fervet.
Just as when ants pillage a huge heap of spelt, mindful of winter, and store it away in their home; a black column moves through the plains, and they carry their booty through the grass on a narrow path; some push the large grains with their shoulders, straining hard; others keep the columns together and chastise delays; the whole path seethes with work.
§4.408Quis tibi tum, Dido, cernenti talia sensus?
What feelings were yours then, Dido, as you saw such things?
§4.409quosve dabas gemitus, cum litora fervere late §4.410prospiceres arce ex summa, totumque videres §4.411misceri ante oculos tantis clamoribus aequor?
Or what groans did you utter, when you looked out from the highest citadel on the shore seething far and wide, and saw before your eyes the whole sea thrown into confusion by such loud cries?
§4.412Improbe Amor, quid non mortalia pectora cogis?
Relentless Love, to what do you not compel mortal hearts?
§4.413Ire iterum in lacrimas, iterum temptare precando §4.414cogitur, et supplex animos submittere amori, §4.415ne quid inexpertum frustra moritura relinquat.
She is compelled to go again into tears, again to try him with prayers, and as a suppliant to submit her pride to love, lest she leave anything untried and die in vain.
§4.416Anna, vides toto properari litore; circum §4.417undique convenere; vocat iam carbasus auras, §4.418puppibus et laeti nautae imposuere coronas.
"Anna, you see that they are hurrying along the whole shore; they have gathered from all sides; now the canvas calls the breezes, and the joyful sailors have placed garlands on the sterns.
If I was able to foresee this so great grief, sister, I shall also be able to endure it.
Miserae hoc tamen unum §4.421exsequere, Anna, mihi.
Yet perform this one thing, Anna, for miserable me.
Solam nam perfidus ille §4.422te colere, arcanos etiam tibi credere sensus; §4.423sola viri mollis aditus et tempora noras.
For that treacherous man used to respect only you, and even to entrust his secret feelings to you; you alone knew the easy approaches and the proper times for the man.
§4.424I, soror, atque hostem supplex adfare superbum: §4.425non ego cum Danais Troianam exscindere gentem §4.426Aulide iuravi, classemve ad Pergama misi, §4.427nec patris Anchisae cineres Manisve revelli, §4.428cur mea dicta neget duras demittere in auris.
Go, sister, and as a suppliant address our proud enemy: I did not swear at Aulis with the Greeks to destroy the Trojan race, or send a fleet to Pergamum, nor did I tear up the ashes or ghost of his father Anchises, why should he refuse to admit my words into his unyielding ears?
§4.429Quo ruit? Extremum hoc miserae det munus amanti: §4.430exspectet facilemque fugam ventosque ferentis.
Where is he rushing? Let him grant this last gift to his miserable lover: let him wait for an easy departure and carrying winds.
§4.431Non iam coniugium antiquum, quod prodidit, oro, §4.432nec pulchro ut Latio careat regnumque relinquat: §4.433tempus inane peto, requiem spatiumque furori, §4.434dum mea me victam doceat fortuna dolere.
I no longer plead for the former marriage, which he betrayed, nor that he be deprived of beautiful Latium and abandon his kingdom: I ask for empty time, a rest and a space for my madness, until my fortune teaches me, conquered, to grieve.
§4.435Extremam hanc oro veniam—miserere sororis— §4.436quam mihi cum dederit, cumulatam morte remittam. §4.437Talibus orabat, talisque miserrima fletus §4.438fertque refertque soror: sed nullis ille movetur §4.439fletibus, aut voces ullas tractabilis audit; §4.440fata obstant, placidasque viri deus obstruit auris.
I pray for this last favor—pity your sister— which when he has granted to me, I will return it increased at my death." With such words she pleaded, and such weepings her most miserable sister carries and carries again: but he is moved by no tears, nor does he, yielding, listen to any words; the fates stand in the way, and a god obstructs the calm ears of the man.
§4.441Ac, velut annoso validam cum robore quercum §4.442Alpini Boreae nunc hinc nunc flatibus illinc §4.443eruere inter se certant; it stridor, et altae §4.444consternunt terram concusso stipite frondes; §4.445ipsa haeret scopulis, et, quantum vertice ad auras §4.446aetherias, tantum radice in Tartara tendit: §4.447haud secus adsiduis hinc atque hinc vocibus heros §4.448tunditur, et magno persentit pectore curas; §4.449mens immota manet; lacrimae volvuntur inanes.
And, just as when Alpine north winds with their blasts, now from this side, now from that, strive among themselves to uproot a strong oak of ancient strength; a creaking goes forth, and high leaves strew the ground as the trunk is shaken; the tree itself clings to the rocks, and as far as it stretches with its top toward the ethereal breezes, so far does it stretch with its root into Tartarus: not otherwise is the hero beaten with constant voices from this side and that, and feels cares deeply in his great heart; his mind remains unmoved; tears roll down in vain.
Then indeed, unhappy Dido, terrified by her fates, prays for death; she is weary of looking at the vault of heaven.
§4.452Quo magis inceptum peragat lucemque relinquat, §4.453vidit, turicremis cum dona imponeret aris, §4.454horrendum dictu, latices nigrescere sacros, §4.455fusaque in obscenum se vertere vina cruorem.
That she might the more complete her undertaking and leave the light, she saw, when she was placing gifts on the incense-burning altars, horrible to relate, the sacred waters turn black, and the poured wine turn into ominous blood.
§4.456Hoc visum nulli, non ipsi effata sorori.
This sight she told to no one, not even to her sister.
§4.457Praeterea fuit in tectis de marmore templum §4.458coniugis antiqui, miro quod honore colebat, §4.459velleribus niveis et festa fronde revinctum: §4.460hinc exaudiri voces et verba vocantis §4.461visa viri, nox cum terras obscura teneret; §4.462solaque culminibus ferali carmine bubo §4.463saepe queri et longas in fletum ducere voces; §4.464multaque praeterea vatum praedicta priorum §4.465terribili monitu horrificant.
Furthermore, there was in her palace a marble chapel of her former husband, which she cherished with wonderful honor, bound with snow-white wool and festive foliage: from here, voices and words of her husband calling her seemed to be heard, when dark night held the lands; and a lonely owl on the roofs with its deathly song often seemed to complain and draw out long cries into wailing; and besides, many predictions of ancient prophets terrify her with terrible warning.
Agit ipse furentem §4.466in somnis ferus Aeneas; semperque relinqui §4.467sola sibi, semper longam incomitata videtur §4.468ire viam, et Tyrios deserta quaerere terra.
Cruel Aeneas himself pursues her raving in her sleep; and she always seems to be left alone to herself, always to go uncompanied on a long road, and to seek the Tyrians in a deserted land.
§4.469Eumenidum veluti demens videt agmina Pentheus, §4.470et solem geminum et duplicis se ostendere Thebas; §4.471aut Agamemnonius scaenis agitatus Orestes
Just as when mad Pentheus sees the bands of the Eumenides, and a double sun and a double Thebes show themselves; or as Agamemnonian Orestes driven on the stage.