§5.79purpureosque iacit flores, ac talia fatur:
and scatters purple flowers, and speaks as follows: "Hail, holy parent!
§5.80Salve, sancte parens: iterum salvete, recepti §5.81nequiquam cineres, animaeque umbraeque paternae.
Hail again, ye ashes rescued in vain, and paternal soul and shade!
§5.82Non licuit fines Italos fataliaque arva, §5.83nec tecum Ausonium (quicumque est) quaerere Thybrim. §5.84Dixerat haec, adytis cum lubricus anguis ab imis §5.85septem ingens gyros, septena volumina traxit, §5.86amplexus placide tumulum lapsusque per aras, §5.87caeruleae cui terga notae, maculosus et auro §5.88squamam incendebat fulgor, ceu nubibus arcus §5.89mille iacit varios adverso sole colores.
It was not permitted to seek the Italian borders and the fated fields, nor with you the Ausonian Tiber, whatever it may be." He had spoken these words, when from the deepest sanctuary a slippery serpent drew seven huge coils, seven foldings, placidly embracing the mound and gliding through the altars, whose back blue spots and a flecked splendor with gold inflamed its scales, as a rainbow in the clouds throws a thousand various colors against the opposing sun.
§5.90Obstipuit visu Aeneas.
Aeneas was amazed at the sight.
Ille agmine longo §5.91tandem inter pateras et levia pocula serpens §5.92libavitque dapes, rursusque innoxius imo §5.93successit tumulo, et depasta altaria liquit.
The serpent, with its long train, at last creeping between the bowls and smooth cups, tasted the feast, and again harmlessly entered the bottom of the mound, and left the altars where it had fed.
§5.94Hoc magis inceptos genitori instaurat honores, §5.95incertus, geniumne loci famulumne parentis §5.96esse putet: caedit binas de more bidentes, §5.97totque sues, totidem nigrantis terga iuvencos; §5.98vinaque fundebat pateris, animamque vocabat §5.99Anchisae magni Manisque Acheronte remissos.
Because of this, he all the more renews the begun honors to his father, uncertain whether he should think it the genius of the place or the attendant of his parent; he slaughters two sheep of two years old according to custom, and as many pigs, and just as many steers with black backs; and he poured wine from the bowls, and called upon the soul of great Anchises and the Manes released from Acheron.
§5.100Nec non et socii, quae cuique est copia, laeti §5.101dona ferunt, onerant aras, mactantque iuvencos; §5.102ordine aena locant alii, fusique per herbam §5.103subiciunt veribus prunas et viscera torrent.
Moreover, his companions also, gladly, each as he has abundance, bring gifts, heap the altars, and sacrifice steers; others place bronze cauldrons in order, and scattered over the grass put hot coals under the spits and roast the flesh.
§5.104Exspectata dies aderat, nonamque serena §5.105Auroram Phaethontis equi iam luce vehebant, §5.106famaque finitimos et clari nomen Acestae §5.107excierat; laeto complerant litora coetu, §5.108visuri Aeneadas, pars et certare parati.
The expected day had arrived, and now the horses of Phaethon were bringing the ninth serene Aurora with bright light, and rumor and the name of illustrious Acestes had aroused the neighbors; they had filled the shores with a joyful gathering, to see the Aeneadae, and some also prepared to contend.
§5.109Munera principio ante oculos circoque locantur §5.110in medio, sacri tripodes viridesque coronae, §5.111et palmae pretium victoribus, armaque et ostro §5.112perfusae vestes, argenti aurique talenta; §5.113et tuba commissos medio canit aggere ludos.
First of all, the prizes are placed before their eyes and in the middle of the course, sacred tripods and green crowns, and palms, the reward for the victors, and armor, and garments drenched in purple, and talents of silver and gold; and the trumpet sounds the games begun from the middle of the mound.
First, four ships chosen from the whole fleet, well-matched with heavy oars, enter the contest.
§5.116Velocem Mnestheus agit acri remige Pristim, §5.117mox Italus Mnestheus, genus a quo nomine Memmi; §5.118ingentemque Gyas ingenti mole Chimaeram, §5.119urbis opus, triplici pubes quam Dardana versu §5.120impellunt, terno consurgunt ordine remi; §5.121Sergestusque, domus tenet a quo Sergia nomen, §5.122Centauro invehitur magna, Scyllaque Cloanthus §5.123caerulea, genus unde tibi, Romane Cluenti.
Mnestheus drives the swift Pristis with a keen crew, soon to be Italian Mnestheus, from which name comes the house of Memmius; and Gyas drives the huge Chimaera of huge bulk, a work like a city, which the Dardanian youth impel with a triple bank, and the oars rise in a threefold order; and Sergestus, from whom the Sergian house holds its name, is carried in the great Centaur, and Cloanthus in the blue Scylla, from which is your lineage, Roman Cluentius.
§5.124Est procul in pelago saxum spumantia contra §5.125litora, quod tumidis submersum tunditur olim §5.126fluctibus, hiberni condunt ubi sidera cori; §5.127tranquillo silet, immotaque attollitur unda §5.128campus, et apricis statio gratissima mergis.
There is far out in the sea a rock opposite the foaming shores, which, submerged, is sometimes beaten by the swollen waves, when the wintry north-west winds hide the stars; in calm weather it is silent, and rises from the motionless wave as a level plain, a most welcome resting-place for sun-loving cormorants.
§5.129Hic viridem Aeneas frondenti ex ilice metam §5.130constituit signum nautis pater, unde reverti §5.131scirent, et longos ubi circumflectere cursus.
Here father Aeneas set up a green mark of leafy oak as a sign for the sailors, whence they might know to return, and where to wheel their long courses.
§5.132Tum loca sorte legunt, ipsique in puppibus auro §5.133ductores longe effulgent ostroque decori; §5.134cetera populea velatur fronde iuventus, §5.135nudatosque umeros oleo perfilsa nitescit.
Then they choose places by lot, and the leaders themselves on the sterns shine from afar, adorned with gold and purple; the rest of the youth is veiled with poplar foliage, and glistens, their naked shoulders drenched with oil.
§5.136Considunt transtris, intentaque brachia remis; §5.137intenti exspectant signum, exsultantiaque haurit §5.138corda pavor pulsans, laudumque arrecta cupido.
They sit down on the benches, and their arms are stretched to the oars; intently they await the signal, and throbbing fear drains their beating hearts, and the strained desire for glory.
§5.139Inde, ubi clara dedit sonitum tuba, finibus omnes, §5.140haud mora, prosiluere suis; ferit aethera clamor §5.141nauticus, adductis spumant freta versa lacertis.
Then, when the clear trumpet gave the sound, all from their limits, not delaying, leapt forth; the sailors' shout strikes the heavens, the waters upturned by drawn-back arms foam.
§5.142Infindunt pariter sulcos, totumque dehiscit §5.143convulsum remis rostrisque tridentibus aequor.
They cleave furrows together, and the whole sea, torn open by oars and three-pronged prows, gapes wide.
§5.144Non tam praecipites biiugo certamine campum §5.145corripuere, ruuntque effusi carcere currus, §5.146nec sic immissis aurigae undantia lora §5.147concussere iugis pronique in verbera pendent.
Not so headlong in a two-horse chariot race do the chariots seize the field and rush poured forth from the barrier, nor do the charioteers so shake the waving reins over the let-go horses, and hang forward, leaning to the whip.
§5.148Tum plausu fremituque virum studiisque faventum §5.149consonat omne nemus, vocemque inclusa volutant §5.150litora, pulsati colles clamore resultant.
Then with the applause and din of men and the zeal of supporters all the woodland resounds, and the enclosed shores roll the voice, and the hills, struck by the clamor, rebound.
§5.151Effugit ante alios primisque elabitur undis §5.152turbam inter fremitumque Gyas; quem deinde Cloanthus §5.153consequitur, melior remis, sed pondere pinus §5.154tarda tenet.
Gyas flies out before the others and glides in the first waves amidst the crowd and din; whom then Cloanthus follows, better with oars, but the heavy pine-wood holds him back slow.
Post hos aequo discrimine Pristis §5.155Centaurusque locum tendunt superare priorem; §5.156et nunc Pristis habet, nunc victam praeterit ingens §5.157Centaurus, nunc una ambae iunctisque feruntur §5.158frontibus, et longa sulcant vada salsa carina.
After these, with equal distance, Pristis and Centaur strive to win the prior place; and now Pristis has it, now the huge Centaur passes the vanquished ship, now both are borne together with even prows, and furrow the salty shallows with long keels.
§5.159Iamque propinquabant scopulo metamque tenebant, §5.160cum princeps medioque Gyas in gurgite victor §5.161rectorem navis compellat voce Menoeten:
And now they were approaching the rock and holding the mark, when Gyas, foremost and victor in the middle of the flood, addresses Menoetes, the pilot of his ship, with his voice: