§4.472armatam facibus matrem et serpentibus atris §4.473cum fugit, ultricesque sedent in limine Dirae.
when he flees his mother armed with torches and black serpents, and the avenging Furies sit on the threshold.
§4.474Ergo ubi concepit furias evicta dolore §4.475decrevitque mori, tempus secum ipsa modumque §4.476exigit, et, maestam dictis adgressa sororem, §4.477consilium voltu tegit, ac spem fronte serenat: §4.478Inveni, germana, viam—gratare sorori— §4.479quae mihi reddat eum, vel eo me solvat amantem.
Therefore, when she, overcome by grief, conceived the madness, and decided to die, she herself works out the time and manner in her own mind; and having approached her sorrowful sister with words, she conceals her plan in her face, and shows hope on her serene brow: "I have found, sister, a way—congratulate your sister— which may restore him to me, or free me, loving him, from him.
§4.480Oceani finem iuxta solemque cadentem §4.481ultimus Aethiopum locus est, ubi maxumus Atlas §4.482axem humero torquet stellis ardentibus aptum: §4.483hinc mihi Massylae gentis monstrata sacerdos, §4.484Hesperidum templi custos, epulasque draconi §4.485quae dabat, et sacros servabat in arbore ramos, §4.486spargens umida mella soporiferumque papaver.
Near the limit of the Ocean and the setting sun lies the furthest land of the Ethiopians, where greatest Atlas turns on his shoulder the heaven fitted with burning stars: from here, a priestess of the Massylian race has been shown to me, the guardian of the temple of the Hesperides, who used to give food to the dragon, and guard the sacred branches on the tree, sprinkling moist honey and sleep-inducing poppy.
§4.487Haec se carminibus promittit solvere mentes §4.488quas velit, ast aliis duras immittere curas, §4.489sistere aquam fluviis, et vertere sidera retro; §4.490nocturnosque movet Manis: mugire videbis §4.491sub pedibus terram, et descendere montibus ornos.
She promises by her charms to free whatever minds she wishes, but to inflict harsh cares upon others; to stop the water in rivers, and turn the stars backward; and she summons the nocturnal spirits of the dead: you will see the earth bellow under your feet, and mountain ashes descend from the mountains.
§4.492Testor, cara, deos et te, germana, tuumque §4.493dulce caput, magicas invitam accingier artes.
I call the gods to witness, and you, sister, and your sweet head, that I gird myself with magic arts unwillingly.
§4.494Tu secreta pyram tecto interiore sub auras §4.495erige, et arma viri, thalamo quae fixa reliquit §4.496impius, exuviasque omnis, lectumque iugalem, §4.497quo perii, superimponas: abolere nefandi §4.498cuncta viri monumenta iuvat, monstratque sacerdos. §4.499Haec effata silet; pallor simul occupat ora.
You, in secret, build up a pyre under the open air in the inner courtyard, and place upon it the weapons of the man, which he left fixed in the bedchamber, impious, and all his garments, and the marriage bed, where I perished: to destroy all monuments of the abominable man is pleasing, and the priestess indicates so." Having spoken these words, she is silent; at the same time, pallor occupies her face.
§4.500Non tamen Anna novis praetexere funera sacris §4.501germanam credit, nec tantos mente furores §4.502concipit, aut graviora timet, quam morte Sychaei: §4.503ergo iussa parat.
Yet Anna does not believe that her sister is cloaking her funeral with these new rites, nor does she conceive such madness in her mind, or fear anything more severe than at the death of Sychaeus: therefore she prepares the commands.
§4.504At regina, pyra penetrali in sede sub auras §4.505erecta ingenti taedis atque ilice secta, §4.506intenditque locum sertis, et fronde coronat §4.507funerea; super exuvias ensemque relictum §4.508effigiemque toro locat, haud ignara futuri.
But the queen, when the huge pyre had been built up under the open air in the inner courtyard with torches and cut oak, hangs the place with garlands, and crowns it with funeral foliage; above on the bed she places the garments and the sword left behind, and his image, not ignorant of the future.
§4.509Stant arae circum, et crines effusa sacerdos §4.510ter centum tonat ore deos, Erebumque Chaosque, §4.511tergeminamque Hecaten, tria virginis ora Dianae.
Altars stand around, and the priestess, with her hair let loose, thunders from her mouth three hundred gods, and Erebus and Chaos, and triple Hecate, the three faces of virgin Diana.
§4.512Sparserat et latices simulatos fontis Averni, §4.513falcibus et messae ad lunam quaeruntur aënis §4.514pubentes herbae nigri cum lacte veneni; §4.515quaeritur et nascentis equi de fronte revolsus §4.516et matri praereptus amor.
She had also sprinkled feigned waters of the fountain of Avernus, and downy herbs with the milk of black poison are sought, cut with bronze sickles; and the love torn from the forehead of a newborn horse and snatched away from its mother is also sought.
§4.517Ipsa mola manibusque piis altaria iuxta, §4.518unum exuta pedem vinclis, in veste recincta, §4.519testatur moritura deos et conscia fati §4.520sidera; tum, si quod non aequo foedere amantes §4.521curae numen habet iustumque memorque, precatur.
She herself, with salted meal and pious hands near the altars, one foot freed from sandals, with her robe ungirded, dying, calls to witness the gods and the stars conscious of fate; then, if there is any just and mindful deity that has care of lovers in an unequal alliance, she prays to it.
§4.522Nox erat, et placidum carpebant fessa soporem §4.523corpora per terras, silvaeque et saeva quierant §4.524aequora: cum medio volvuntur sidera lapsu, §4.525cum tacet omnis ager, pecudes pictaeque volucres, §4.526quaeque lacus late liquidos, quaeque aspera dumis §4.527rura tenent, somno positae sub nocte silenti §4.528.
It was night, and weary bodies throughout the lands were enjoying peaceful sleep, and the woods and savage seas had grown quiet: when the stars are rolled in the middle of their course, when every field is silent, the beasts and colored birds, both those which occupy the liquid lakes far and wide, and those which inhabit the rough countryside with briers, laid to rest under the silent night in sleep,...
§4.529At non infelix animi Phoenissa, nec umquam §4.530Solvitur in somnos, oculisve aut pectore noctem §4.531accipit: ingeminant curae, rursusque resurgens §4.532saevit amor, magnoque irarum fluctuat aestu.
But not the unhappy-minded Phoenician queen, nor does she ever dissolve into sleep, or receive the night with her eyes or heart: her cares redouble, and rising again, her love rages, and she fluctuates with a great tide of wraths.
§4.533Sic adeo insistit, secumque ita corde volutat: §4.534En, quid ago? Rursusne procos inrisa priores
Thus indeed she begins, and thus revolves with herself in her heart: "Lo, what am I doing?
Shall I, mocked, try again my former suitors, and suppliant seek marriage with the Numidians, whom I have already so often disdained as husbands?
§4.537Iliacas igitur classes atque ultima Teucrum §4.538iussa sequar? Quiane auxilio iuvat ante levatos, §4.539et bene apud memores veteris stat gratia facti?
Shall I then follow the Ilian fleets and the final commands of the Trojans? Is it because it is pleasing that they were formerly relieved by my help, and the gratitude for my past deed stands well in their mindful minds?
§4.540Quis me autem, fac velle, sinet, ratibusve superbis
But who, grant that I wished it, will allow me, or receive me, hated, on their proud ships?
Alas, lost one, do you not know, nor yet perceive the perjuries of the race of Laomedon?
§4.543Quid tum, sola fuga nautas comitabor ovantes,
What then?
§4.544an Tyriis omnique manu stipata meorum §4.545inferar, et, quos Sidonia vix urbe revelli, §4.546rursus agam pelago, et ventis dare vela iubebo?
Shall I alone accompany the rejoicing sailors in flight, or shall I be carried accompanied by my Tyrians and the whole band of my people, and those whom I could scarcely tear away from the Sidonian city, shall I again drive over the sea, and command them to give sails to the winds?
§4.547Quin morere, ut merita es, ferroque averte dolorem.
Rather, die, as you have deserved, and avert your grief with the sword.
§4.548Tu lacrimis evicta meis, tu prima furentem §4.549his, germana, malis oneras atque obicis hosti.
You, sister, overcome by my tears, you first loaded me, raving, with these evils, and exposed me to the enemy.
§4.550Non licuit thalami expertem sine crimine vitam
Why was it not permitted to lead a life free from marriage, without crime,