He gave the desired embraces, and poured over the bosom of his spouse, sought peaceful sleep through his limbs.
§8.407Inde ubi prima quies medio iam noctis abactae §8.408curriculo expulerat somnum, cum femina primum, §8.409cui tolerare colo vitam tenuique Minerva §8.410impositum, cinerem et sopitos suscitat ignes, §8.411noctem addens operi, famulasque ad lumina longo §8.412exercet penso, castum ut servare cubile §8.413coniugis et possit parvos educere natos: §8.414haud secus Ignipotens nec tempore segnior illo §8.415mollibus e stratis opera ad fabrilia surgit.
Then, when the first rest had already driven away sleep in the middle course of the passing night, at the hour when a woman, on whom is imposed the task of supporting life with the distaff and the humble craft of Minerva, first stirs the ashes and the slumbering fires, adding night to her work, and by the lamplight busies her handmaids with a long task, that she may keep her husband's bed chaste and be able to rear her little children: not otherwise, nor more sluggish at that hour, the Lord of Fire rises from his soft couch to his smith's labors.
§8.416Insula Sicanium iuxta latus Aeoliamque §8.417erigitur Liparen, fumantibus ardua saxis, §8.418quam subter specus et Cyclopum exesa caminis §8.419antra Aetnaea tonant validique incudibus ictus §8.420auditi referunt gemitus striduntque cavernis §8.421stricturae Chalybum et fornacibus ignis anhelat, §8.422Volcani domus et Volcania nomine tellus.
An island rises near the Sicilian coast and Aeolian Lipare, steep with smoking rocks, beneath which a cave and the Aetnaean caverns, eaten out by the chimneys of the Cyclopes, thunder, and mighty blows on anvils, when heard, return groans, and the iron ores of the Chalybes hiss in the caverns, and the fire pants in the furnaces; it is the home of Vulcan, and the land is called Vulcania by name.
§8.423Hoc tunc ignipotens caelo descendit ab alto.
Hither then the Lord of Fire descended from high heaven.
§8.424Ferrum exercebant vasto Cyclopes in antro, §8.425Brontesque Steropesque et nudus membra Pyragmon.
The Cyclopes were working iron in the vast cave, Brontes, and Steropes, and Pyragmon naked in his limbs.
§8.426His informatum manibus iam parte polita §8.427fulmen erat, toto genitor quae plurima caelo §8.428deicit in terras, pars inperfecta manebat.
Formed by their hands was a thunderbolt, already polished in part, of the kind which the Father casts down in great numbers from the whole heaven onto the earth; part of it remained unfinished.
§8.429Tris imbris torti radios, tris nubis aquosae §8.430addiderant, rutili tris ignis et alitis austri: §8.431fulgores nunc horrificos sonitumque metumque §8.432miscebant operi flammisque sequacibus iras.
Three shafts of twisted rain, three of watery cloud they had added, three of red fire and of the winged south wind: now they were blending into the work terrifying flashes, and sound, and fear, and wraths with pursuing flames.
§8.433Parte alia Marti currumque rotasque volucris §8.434instabant, quibus ille viros, quibus excitat urbes; §8.435aegidaque horriferam, turbatae Palladis arma, §8.436certatim squamis serpentum auroque polibant §8.437conexosque anguis ipsamque in pectore divae §8.438Gorgona, desecto vertentem lumina collo.
In another part they were pressing on with the chariot and swift wheels for Mars, with which he rouses men, with which he rouses cities; and in rivalry they were polishing the terrifying aegis, the armor of enraged Pallas, with scales of serpents and with gold, and the intertwined snakes, and on the breast of the goddess the Gorgon herself, rolling her eyes on her severed neck.
§8.439Tollite cuncta,
inquit,
coeptosque auferte labores, §8.440Aetnaei Cyclopes, et huc advertite mentem: §8.441arma acri facienda viro.
"Take away all things," he said, "and remove your begun labors, O Cyclopes of Aetna, and turn your minds hither: arms must be made for a fierce hero.
Nunc viribus usus, §8.442nunc manibus rapidis, omni nunc arte magistra.
Now there is need of strength, now of swift hands, now of all masterly art.
§8.443Praecipitate moras. Nec plura effatus; at illi §8.444ocius incubuere omnes pariterque laborem §8.445sortiti.
Banish delays." He spoke no more; but they bent to it all the more swiftly, and equally allotted the labor among themselves.
Fluit aes rivis aurique metallum, §8.446volnificusque chalybs vasta fornace liquescit.
Bronze flows in streams, and the metal of gold, and the wounding steel melts in the vast furnace.
§8.447Ingentum clipeum informant, unum omnia contra §8.448tela Latinorum, septenosque orbibus orbes §8.449impediunt.
They shape a huge shield, one against all the weapons of the Latins, and they bind together sevenfold circles, layer upon layer.
Some with windy bellows receive and return the air, others dip the hissing bronze in the pool.
Gemit impositis incudibus antrum.
The cave groans with the anvils set in place.
They raise their arms in rhythm among themselves with great force, and turn the mass of metal with gripping tongs.
§8.454Haec pater Aeoliis properat dum Lemnius oris, §8.455Euandrum ex humili tecto lux suscitat alma §8.456et matutini volucrum sub culmine cantus.
While the Lemnian father hastens these works on Aeolian shores, the nurturing light and the morning songs of birds beneath the roof arouse Evander from his humble dwelling.
§8.457Consurgit senior tunicaque inducitur artus §8.458et Tyrrhena pedum circumdat vincula plantis; §8.459tum lateri atque umeris Tegeaeum subligat ensem, §8.460demissa ab laeva pantherae terga retorquens.
The old man rises and clothes his limbs in a tunic, and binds Tyrrhenian sandals about his feet; then he girds a Tegeaean sword to his side and shoulder, flinging back the panther’s skin that hung down from his left.
§8.461Nec non et gemini custodes limine ab alto §8.462praecedunt gressumque canes comitantur erilem.
No less do twin dogs, guardians from the high threshold, go before him and accompany their master's steps.
The hero, mindful of their speech and the promised gift, was seeking the lodging and private chamber of his guest Aeneas.
§8.465Nec minus Aeneas se matutinus agebat.
No less was Aeneas astir early in the morning.
§8.466Filius huic Pallas, illi comes ibat Achates.
With the one walked his son Pallas, with the other Achates as companion.
Having met, they join right hands and sit down in the middle of the dwelling, and at last enjoy free conversation.
§8.469Rex prior haec: §8.470Maxume Teucrorum ductor, quo sospite numquam §8.471res equidem Troiae victas aut regna fatebor, §8.472nobis ad belli auxilium pro nomine tanto §8.473exiguae vires: hinc Tusco claudimur amni, §8.474hinc Rutulus premit et murum circumsonat armis.
The king first spoke thus: "Greatest leader of the Teucrians, while you are safe indeed I shall never admit that the power of Troy or its kingdoms are conquered, our strength to aid in war is small in proportion to so great a name: on this side we are hemmed in by the Etruscan river, on that side the Rutulian presses us, and makes our wall ring with arms.
§8.475Sed tibi ego ingentis populos opulentaque regnis §8.476iungere castra paro, quam fors inopina salutem §8.477ostentat: fatis huc te poscentibus adfers.
But I prepare to join to you vast nations and camps rich with kingdoms, a salvation which unexpected fortune reveals: you bring yourself here, with the fates demanding it.
§8.478Haud procul hinc saxo incolitur fundata vetusto §8.479urbis Agyllinae sedes, ubi Lydia quondam §8.480gens, bello praeclara, iugis insedit Etruscis.
Not far from here, founded on ancient stone, is inhabited the seat of the city of Agylla, where once a Lydian people, famous in war, settled on the Etruscan ridges.
§8.481Hanc multos florentem annos rex deinde superbo §8.482imperio et saevis tenuit Mezentius armis.
This city, flourishing for many years, King Mezentius next held with proud rule and savage arms.
§8.483Quid memorem infandas caedes, quid facta tyranni
Why should I recall the unspeakable slaughters, why the tyrant's savage deeds?
§8.484effera? Di capiti ipsius generique reservent!
May the gods reserve them for his own head and his race!
§8.485Mortua quin etiam iungebat corpora vivis §8.486componens manibusque manus atque oribus ora, §8.487tormenti genus, et sanie taboque fluentis §8.488complexu in misero longa sic morte necabat.
Nay, he even used to join dead bodies to the living, matching hands to hands and mouths to mouths, a form of torture, and, as they dripped with gore and corruption, he thus killed them by a lingering death in that wretched embrace."