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Virgil · Aeneid §8.489-8.567

The Entrusting of Pallas and the Sign of Venus

Passage 78 of 127 · Latin

Summary

Evander tells Aeneas of Mezentius's tyranny and the Etruscans' uprising against him, proposing Aeneas as their leader and entrusting his son Pallas to him. Soon, a divine sign from Venus appears in the clear sky, prompting Aeneas to prepare for departure with divine confidence, while Evander tearfully bids farewell to his departing son.

§8.489at fessi tandem cives infanda furentem §8.490armati circumsistunt ipsumque domumque, §8.491obtruncant socios, ignem ad fastigia iactant.
But at last the citizens, weary, surround him as he rages with unspeakable fury, in arms, both himself and his home, they slay his companions, and hurl fire onto the roofs.
§8.492Ille inter caedem Rutulorum elapsus in agros §8.493confugere et Turni defendier hospitis armis.
He, escaping in the midst of the slaughter to the fields of the Rutulians, fled for refuge and was defended by the arms of his host Turnus.
§8.494Ergo omnis furiis surrexit Etruria iustis: §8.495regem ad supplicium praesenti Marte reposcunt.
Therefore all Etruria rose with righteous fury: with immediate war they demand back their king for punishment.
§8.496his ego te, Aenea, ductorem milibus addam.
To these thousands, Aeneas, I will add you as leader.
§8.497Toto namque fremunt condensae litore puppes §8.498Signaque ferre iubent; retinet longaevus haruspex §8.499fata canens, O Maeoniae delecta iuventus, §8.500flos veterum virtusque virum, quos iustus in hostem §8.501fert dolor et merita accendit Mezentius ira, §8.502nulli fas Italo tantam subiungere gentem: §8.503externos optate duces; tum Etrusca resedit §8.504hoc acies campo, monitis exterrita divom.
For along the whole shore the crowded ships clamor and order the standards to be raised; the aged seer restrains them, prophesying fate: "O chosen youth of Maeonia, the flower and strength of ancient heroes, whom righteous grief drives against the enemy and Mezentius inflames with deserved anger, it is permitted to no Italian to subdue so great a nation: choose foreign leaders." Then the Etruscan army settled down on this plain, terrified by the warnings of the gods.
§8.505Ipse oratores ad me regnique coronam §8.506cum sceptro misit mandatque insignia Tarchon, §8.507succedam castris Tyrrhenaque regna capessam.
Tarchon himself sent envoys to me with the crown of the kingdom and the scepter, and entrusts the royal insignia, urging that I should enter the camp and take up the Tyrrhenian kingdom.
§8.508Sed mihi tarda gelu saeclisque effeta senectus §8.509invidet imperium seraeque ad fortia vires.
But old age, sluggish with chill and exhausted by years, grudges me command, and my strength is too late for bold deeds.
§8.510natum exhortarer, ni mixtus matre Sabella §8.511hinc partem patriae traheret.
I would urge my son, were it not that, mixed with a Sabellian mother, he drew a part of his homeland from here.
Tu, cuius et annis §8.512et generi fatum indulgent, quem numina poscunt, §8.513ingredere, o Teucrum atque Italum fortissime ductor.
You, whose years and race fate favors, whom the divine powers demand, enter upon it, O most courageous leader of both Teucrians and Italians.
§8.514hunc tibi praeterea, spes et solacia nostri, §8.515Pallanta adiungam; sub te tolerare magistro §8.516militiam et grave Martis opus, tua cernere facta §8.517adsuescat primis et te miretur ab annis.
Furthermore, I will join to you this Pallas, our hope and solace; under you as his master, let him accustom himself to endure military service and the heavy work of Mars, to behold your deeds from his earliest years, and to admire you.
§8.518Arcadas huic equites bis centum, robora pubis §8.519lecta dabo totidemque suo tibi nomine Pallas.
To him I will give two hundred Arcadian horsemen, the chosen strength of our youth, and Pallas will give as many to you in his own name.
§8.520Vix ea fatus erat, defixique ora tenebant §8.521Aeneas Anchisiades et fidus Achates §8.522multaque dura suo tristi cum corde putabant, §8.523ni signum caelo Cytherea dedisset aperto.
Scarcely had he spoken these words, when with downcast eyes Aeneas, son of Anchises, and faithful Achates would have gone on thinking of many hard things in their sad hearts, had Cytherea not given a sign in the clear sky.
§8.524Namque inproviso vibratus ab aethere fulgor §8.525cum sonitu venit, et ruere omnia visa repente §8.526Tyrrhenusque tubae mugire per aethera clangor.
For suddenly a flash vibrated from the ether came with a crash, and all things seemed suddenly to fall, and the Tyrrhenian clang of a trumpet roared through the ether.
§8.527Suspiciunt, iterum atque iterum fragor increpat ingens: §8.528arma inter nubem caeli regione serena §8.529per sudum rutilare vident et pulsa tonare.
They look up; again and again a huge crash thunders: arms amid a cloud in a serene region of the sky they see glowing red through the clear air and thundering when struck.
§8.530Obstipuere animis alii, sed Troius heros §8.531agnovit sonitum et divae promissa parentis.
The others were astounded in mind, but the Trojan hero recognized the sound and the promises of his divine parent.
§8.532Tum memorat: Ne vero, hospes, ne quaere profecto, §8.533quem casum portenta ferant: ego poscor Olympo.
Then he spoke: "Indeed, my host, do not, do not ask what fortune these portents bring; I am demanded by Olympus.
§8.534Hoc signum cecinit missuram diva creatrix, §8.535si bellum ingrueret, Volcaniaque arma per auras §8.536laturam auxilio.
The goddess who bore me prophesied that she would send this sign if war threatened, and would bring Vulcanian arms through the air for my aid.
§8.537Heu quantae miseris caedes Laurentibus instant;
Alas, how great a slaughter threatens the wretched Laurentines!
§8.538quas poenas mihi, Turne, dabis;
What penalties you will pay to me, Turnus!
quam multa sub undas §8.539scuta virum galeasque et fortia corpora volves,
How many shields of heroes, helmets, and brave bodies will you roll beneath your waves, father Tiber!
§8.540Thybri pater! Poscant acies et foedera rumpant. §8.541Haec ubi dicta dedit, solio se tollit ab alto §8.542et primum Herculeis sopitas ignibus aras §8.543excitat hesternumque larem parvosque penatis §8.544laetus adit: mactant lectas de more bidentis §8.545Euandrus pariter, pariter Troiana iuventus.
Let them demand battles and break treaties." When he had given these words, he raised himself from his high throne, and first stirs the sleeping fires on the altars of Hercules, and gladly approaches yesterday's Lar and the small Penates; they sacrifice chosen sheep according to custom, Evander alike, and alike the Trojan youth.
§8.546Post hinc ad navis graditur sociosque revisit.
After this, he walks to the ships and revisits his companions.
§8.547Quorum de numero qui sese in bella sequantur §8.548praestantis virtute legit; pars cetera prona §8.549fertur aqua segnisque secundo defluit amni, §8.550nuntia ventura Ascanio rerumque patrisque.
From their number, he chooses those who are outstanding in courage to follow him to the wars; the remaining part is carried down by the flowing water and floats lazily down the favorable river, to bring news to Ascanius of the events and of his father.
§8.551Dantur equi Teucris Tyrrhena petentibus arva; §8.552ducunt exsortem Aeneae, quem fulva leonis §8.553pellis obit totum, praefulgens unguibus aureis.
Horses are given to the Teucrians seeking the Tyrrhenian fields; they lead a chosen horse for Aeneas, which a tawny lion's skin covers entirely, shining with golden claws.
§8.554Fama volat parvam subito volgata per urbem, §8.555ocius ire equites Tyrrheni ad litora regis.
Suddenly a rumor flies, spread through the little city, that horsemen are going swiftly to the shores of the Tyrrhenian king.
§8.556vota metu duplicant matres, propiusque periclo §8.557it timor, et maior Martis iam apparet imago.
Mothers double their vows through fear, and terror goes closer to danger, and the larger image of Mars now appears.
§8.558tum pater Evandrus dextram complexus euntis §8.559haeret inexpletus lacrimans, ac talia fatur: §8.560O mihi praeteritos referat si Iuppiter annos, §8.561(qualis eram, cum primam aciem Praeneste sub ipsa §8.562stravi scutorumque incendi victor acervos §8.563et regem hac Erulum dextra sub Tartara misi, §8.564nascenti cui tris animas Feronia mater §8.565(horrendum dictu) dederat; terna arma movenda, §8.566ter Leto sternendus erat; cui tunc tamen omnis §8.567abstulit haec animas dextra et totidem exuit armis:
Then father Evander, grasping the right hand of the departing one, clings to him, weeping insatiably, and speaks such words: "O if Jupiter would restore to me my past years, such as I was when under the very walls of Praeneste I laid low the first battle-line, and as victor burned heaps of shields, and with this right hand sent King Erulus down to Tartarus, to whom at birth his mother Feronia had given three lives (dreadful to relate); three sets of armor to be wielded, thrice had he to be laid low in death; yet from him then this right hand took away all lives and stripped him of as many sets of armor:"

Notes

  1. §8.493defendier — An archaic passive present infinitive (equivalent to the classical 'defendi'). Virgil uses it either for metrical convenience or to lend an epic, archaic tone to the narrative.
  2. §8.507succedam — Present subjunctive. It is an indirect command clause introduced by 'mandat' (8.506) with the conjunction 'ut' omitted. The same applies to 'capessam.'
  3. §8.523ni signum caelo Cytherea dedisset — An irregular contrary-to-fact conditional sentence combining an imperfect indicative in the main clause ('putabant,' 8.522) with a pluperfect subjunctive ('dedisset') in the protasis. It vividly emphasizes the imminent state: 'they would have gone on thinking of hardships, had Venus not given the sign' (which interrupted their thoughts).
  4. §8.558euntis — Genitive singular of the present participle, meaning 'the departing one.' In this context, it refers to his son Pallas (or Aeneas and his army) departing for war, who is the object of Evander's tearful farewell.

Cite this passage

Virgil, Aeneid §8.489-8.567. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:8.489-8.567

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