§4.81luna premit suadentque cadentia sidera somnos, §4.82sola domo maeret vacua, stratisque relictis §4.83incubat, illum absens absentem auditque videtque;
while the moon sinks and the setting stars invite sleep, she mourns alone in her empty house, and on the abandoned couch she lies; absent, she both hears and sees him who is absent.
Or she holds Ascanius in her lap, captivated by his father's likeness, if only she might beguile her unspeakable love.
§4.86Non coeptae adsurgunt turres, non arma iuventus §4.87exercet, portusve aut propugnacula bello §4.88tuta parant; pendent opera interrupta, minaeque §4.89murorum ingentes aequataque machina caelo.
The towers begun do not rise, the youth do not practice arms, nor do they prepare harbors or ramparts safe for war; the works hang interrupted, and the huge threats of the walls and the cranes leveled with heaven.
§4.90Quam simul ac tali persensit peste teneri §4.91cara Iovis coniunx, nec famam obstare furori, §4.92talibus adgreditur Venerem Saturnia dictis: §4.93Egregiam vero laudem et spolia ampla refertis §4.94tuque puerque tuus, magnum et memorabile numen, §4.95una dolo divom si femina victa duorum est!
As soon as the dear wife of Jupiter perceived that she was held by such a plague, and that her reputation did not withstand her madness, the daughter of Saturn addresses Venus with such words: "Indeed distinguished praise and ample spoils you carry off, both you and your boy; a great and memorable power, if one woman is conquered by the trick of two gods!
Nor does it escape me that you, fearing our walls, have held the homes of high Carthage in suspicion.
§4.98Sed quis erit modus, aut quo nunc certamine tanto?
But what will be the limit, or where do we go now with so great a contest?
§4.99Quin potius pacem aeternam pactosque hymenaeos
Why do we not rather cultivate eternal peace and promised marriage?
§4.100exercemus? Habes, tota quod mente petisti: §4.101ardet amans Dido, traxitque per ossa furorem.
You have what you sought with your whole heart: loving Dido burns, and has drawn the madness through her bones.
§4.102Communem hunc ergo populum paribusque regamus §4.103auspiciis; liceat Phrygio servire marito, §4.104dotalisque tuae Tyrios permittere dextrae. §4.105Olli—sensit enim simulata mente locutam, §4.106quo regnum Italiae Libycas averteret oras— §4.107sic contra est ingressa Venus:
Quis talia demens §4.108abnuat, aut tecum malit contendere bello,
Therefore, let us rule this common people with equal authority; let her serve a Phrygian husband, and yield the Tyrians as a dowry to your right hand." Venus, perceiving that she had spoken with a feigned mind, in order to turn the kingdom of Italy to the Libyan shores, thus began in reply: "Who is so mad as to reject such offers, or prefer to contend with you in war?
§4.109si modo, quod memoras, factum fortuna sequatur.
If only fortune should follow the deed which you mention.
§4.110Sed fatis incerta feror, si Iuppiter unam §4.111esse velit Tyriis urbem Troiaque profectis, §4.112miscerive probet populos, aut foedera iungi.
But I am driven uncertain by the fates, whether Jupiter wishes there to be one city for the Tyrians and those set out from Troy, or whether he approves that the peoples be mixed, or alliances joined.
§4.113Tu coniunx tibi fas animum temptare precando.
You are his wife; it is lawful for you to test his mind by entreaty.
§4.114Perge; sequar
. Tum sic excepit regia Iuno:
Go on; I will follow." Then royal Juno thus replied: "With me shall be that task.
§4.115Mecum erit iste labor: nunc qua ratione, quod instat §4.116confieri possit, paucis, adverte, docebo.
Now in what manner what is at hand can be accomplished, attend, I will teach in a few words.
§4.117Venatum Aeneas unaque miserrima Dido §4.118in nemus ire parant, ubi primos crastinus ortus §4.119extulerit Titan, radiisque retexerit orbem.
Aeneas and the most wretched Dido together are preparing to go to the grove to hunt, when tomorrow's Titan shall have brought forth the first risings, and uncovered the world with his rays.
§4.120His ego nigrantem commixta grandine nimbum, §4.121dum trepidant alae, saltusque indagine cingunt, §4.122desuper infundam, et tonitru caelum omne ciebo.
Upon these I will pour down from above a black cloud mixed with hail, while the riders gallop and surround the lawns with nets, and I will rouse the whole heaven with thunder.
§4.123Diffugient comites et nocte tegentur opaca: §4.124speluncam Dido dux et Troianus eandem §4.125devenient;
The companions will scatter and be covered by dark night: Dido and the Trojan leader will come to the same cave.
adero, et, tua si mihi certa voluntas, §4.127hic hymenaeus erit. —Non adversata petenti §4.128adnuit, atque dolis risit Cytherea repertis.
I will be present, and, if your certain goodwill is mine, here will be their wedding." Not opposing her request, Cytherea nodded, and smiled at the discovered tricks.
§4.129Oceanum interea surgens Aurora reliquit.
Meanwhile, rising Aurora left the Ocean.
§4.130It portis iubare exorto delecta iuventus; §4.131retia rara, plagae, lato venabula ferro, §4.132Massylique ruunt equites et odora canum vis.
The chosen youth go forth from the gates when the light has arisen; wide-meshed nets, snares, hunting spears with broad iron, and Massylian horsemen rush out, and the keen-scented strength of dogs.
§4.133Reginam thalamo cunctantem ad limina primi §4.134Poenorum exspectant, ostroque insignis et auro §4.135stat sonipes, ac frena ferox spumantia mandit.
The chiefs of the Carthaginians await the Queen delaying in her chamber at the threshold, and, conspicuous in purple and gold, stands her steed, and fiercely chews the foaming bit.
At length she steps forth, with a great crowd thronging, wrapped in a Sidonian cloak with an embroidered border.
§4.138Cui pharetra ex auro, crines nodantur in aurum, §4.139aurea purpuream subnectit fibula vestem.
Her quiver is of gold, her hair is tied into gold, a golden buckle fastens her purple garment below.
Moreover, the Phrygian companions and joyful Iulus advance.
Ipse ante alios pulcherrimus omnis §4.142infert se socium Aeneas atque agmina iungit.
Aeneas himself, beautiful beyond all others, joins himself as a companion and unites the bands.
§4.143Qualis ubi hibernam Lyciam Xanthique fluenta §4.144deserit ac Delum maternam invisit Apollo, §4.145instauratque choros, mixtique altaria circum §4.146Cretesque Dryopesque fremunt pictique Agathyrsi; §4.147ipse iugis Cynthi graditur, mollique fluentem §4.148fronde premit crinem fingens atque implicat auro; §4.149tela sonant umeris: haud illo segnior ibat §4.150Aeneas; tantum egregio decus enitet ore.
Like Apollo, when he leaves wintry Lycia and the streams of Xanthus and visits his maternal Delos, and renews the dances, and Cretans and Dryopes and painted Agathyrsi mingle and howl around the altars; he himself walks on the ridges of Cynthus, and with soft foliage shapes and presses his flowing hair and entwines it with gold; his weapons rattle on his shoulders: no less actively did Aeneas go; so much grace shines forth from his noble face.
§4.151Postquam altos ventum in montis atque invia lustra, §4.152ecce ferae, saxi deiectae vertice, caprae §4.153decurrere iugis; alia de parte patentis §4.154transmittunt cursu campos atque agmina cervi §4.155pulverulenta fuga glomerant montisque relinquunt.
After they came into the high mountains and trackless coverts, lo, wild goats, cast down from the top of the rock, ran down the ridges; from another part the stags cross the open plains in their course, and gather their dusty bands in flight, and leave the mountains.
§4.156At puer Ascanius mediis in vallibus acri §4.157gaudet equo, iamque hos cursu, iam praeterit illos, §4.158spumantemque dari pecora inter inertia votis §4.159optat aprum, aut fulvum descendere monte leonem.
But the boy Ascanius in the midst of the valleys rejoices in his fierce horse, and now passes these, now those in his course, and prays that a foaming boar be given among the helpless herds to his vows, or that a tawny lion descend from the mountain.