§3.78Quae mihi nescio quo non erit aequa modo — §3.79Neve meos coram scindi patiare capillos §3.80Et leviter dicas: 'haec quoque nostra fuit. ' §3.81Vel patiare licet, dum ne contempta relinquar — §3.82Hic mihi vae! miserae concutit ossa metus.
Who will be unkind to me in some way or other — and do not allow my hair to be torn before your eyes, and say lightly: 'She too was once ours.' Or rather, you may even allow it, as long as I am not left behind, despised — this fear, alas! shakes the bones of wretched me.
Yet what are you waiting for? Agamemnon repents of his anger, and sorrowful Greece lies before your feet.
§3.85Vince animos iramque tuam, qui cetera vincis!
Conquer your pride and your anger, you who conquer all else!
§3.86Quid lacerat Danaas inpiger Hector opes?
Why does active Hector tear to pieces the Danaan forces?
Take up arms, grandson of Aeacus, but yet only after taking me back first, and press upon the disordered men with Mars favoring you!
On my account was your anger stirred; on my account let it cease, and let me be both the cause and the limit of your sadness.
§3.91Nec tibi turpe puta precibus succumbere nostris; §3.92Coniugis Oenides versus in arma prece est.
And do not think it shameful for you to yield to our prayers; the son of Oeneus was turned back to arms by the prayer of his wife.
§3.93Res audita mihi, nota est tibi.
The story is heard by me, and known to you.
fratribus orba §3.94Devovit nati spemque caputque parens.
Bereft of her brothers, the mother cursed the hope and the life of her son.
There was war; he, fierce, withdrew, having laid down his arms, and denied help to his fatherland with a stubborn mind.
§3.97Sola virum coniunx flexit.
Only his wife bent the husband.
felicior illa!
Happier she!
§3.98At mea pro nullo pondere verba cadunt.
But my words fall as of no weight.
And yet I am not indignant, nor have I behaved as a wife, though often summoned as a slave to my master's bed.
§3.101Me quaedam, memini, dominam captiva vocabat.
I remember a certain captive woman called me 'mistress'.
§3.102'Servitio,' dixi, 'nominis addis onus. ' §3.103Per tamen ossa viri subito male tecta sepulcro, §3.104Semper iudiciis ossa verenda meis; §3.105Perque trium fortes animas, mea numina, fratrum, §3.106Qui bene pro patria cum patriaque iacent; §3.107Perque tuum nostrumque caput, quae iunximus una, §3.108Perque tuos enses, cognita tela meis — §3.109Nulla Mycenaeum sociasse cubilia mecum §3.110Iuro; fallentem deseruisse velis!
'To my slavery,' I said, 'you add the burden of a name.' Yet, by the bones of my husband, poorly covered by a sudden tomb, bones always to be revered in my judgment; and by the brave souls of my three brothers, my personal divinities, who lie honorably for their fatherland and with their fatherland; and by your head and mine, which we joined together, and by your swords, weapons known to my people — I swear that no Mycenian has shared his bed with me; I swear; if I am deceiving you, may you wish to desert me!
§3.111Si tibi nunc dicam, fortissime: 'tu quoque iura §3.112Nulla tibi sine me gaudia capta!' neges.
If I should now say to you, bravest of men: 'You too swear that no joys have been taken by you without me!' you would refuse.
But the Danaans think you are mourning — for you the plectrum is moved, a soft mistress holds you in her warm bosom!
§3.115Et quisquam quaerit, quare pugnare recuses?
And does anyone ask why you refuse to fight?
§3.116Pugna nocet, citharae voxque Venusque iuvant.
War is harmful; the lyre, the voice, and Venus please.
§3.117Tutius est iacuisse toro, tenuisse puellam, §3.118Threiciam digitis increpuisse lyram, §3.119Quam manibus clipeos et acutae cuspidis hastam, §3.120Et galeam pressa sustinuisse coma.
It is safer to lie on a bed, to hold a girl, to strike the Thracian lyre with your fingers, than to bear shields in your hands and a spear of sharp point, and to support a helmet on your pressed hair.
But to you, instead of safe things, illustrious deeds were pleasing, and glory won by warring was sweet.
Or did you approve of fierce wars only until you captured me, and does your renown lie conquered along with my homeland?
May the gods grant better! And, I pray, may the Pelian spear, brandished by your strong arm, pierce Hector's side!
Send me, Danaans! As an envoy I shall entreat my master, and I shall bear many kisses mixed with my messages.
§3.129Plus ego quam Phoenix, plus quam facundus Ulixes, §3.130Plus ego quam Teucri, credite, frater agam.
I shall achieve more than Phoenix, more than eloquent Ulysses, I shall achieve more than Teucer's brother, believe me.
It is something to have touched his neck with familiar arms, and to have reminded the eyes of him who is present of oneself.
Though you be merciless, and fiercer than your mother's waves, even if I remain silent, you will be softened by my tears.
§3.135Nunc quoque — sic omnes Peleus pater inpleat annos, §3.136Sic eat auspiciis Pyrrhus ad arma tuis! — §3.137Respice sollicitam Briseida, fortis Achille, §3.138Nec miseram lenta ferreus ure mora!
Even now — so may your father Peleus complete all his years, so may Pyrrhus go to arms under your auspices! — look back upon anxious Briseis, brave Achilles, and do not, iron-hearted, burn wretched me with slow delay!
Or, if your love has turned into loathing of us, compel her, whom you compel to live without you, to die!
§3.141Utque facis, coges.
And as you are doing, you will compel her.
abiit corpusque colorque; §3.142Sustinet hoc animae spes tamen una tui.
Both my body and my color have gone; yet only the hope of you sustains this remnant of life.
If I am deprived of this, I shall seek again my brothers and my husband — nor is a woman ordered to die a magnificent thing for you.
But why should you order it? Attack my body with a drawn sword; I have blood that may flow from a pierced breast.
Let that sword of yours attack me, which, if the goddess had allowed, was destined to go into the breast of Atreus' son!
§3.149A, potius serves nostram, tua munera, vitam!
Ah, rather preserve my life, your own gift!
§3.150Quod dederas hosti victor, amica rogo.
What you had given to an enemy as a victor, I, your friend, ask.
Neptunian Troy offers those whom you could better destroy; seek the material for slaughter from the enemy.