§1Quicumque regno fidit et magna potens §2dominatur aula nec leves metuit deos §3animumque rebus credulum laetis dedit, §4me videat et' te, Troia: non umquam tulit §5documenta fors maiora, quam fragili loco
Whoever trusts in sovereignty and, powerful in a great court, rules and fears not the fickle gods and has given a credulous mind to flattering circumstances, let him look upon me and you, Troy: never did fortune bring greater proofs of how fragile is the ground on which the proud stand.
§6starent superbi, columen eversum occidit §7pollentis Asiae, caelitum egregius labor; §8ad cuius arma venit et qui frigidum §9septena Tanain ora pandentem bibit, §12et quae vagos vicina prospiciens Scythas §13ripam catervis Ponticam viduis ferit, §10et qui renatum primus excipiens diem §11tepidum rubenti Tigrin inmiscet freto, §14excisa ferro est, Pergamum incubuit sibi.
The overturned pillar of mighty Asia has fallen, the glorious labor of the gods; to whose defense came both he who drinks of the cold Tanais, which opens into seven mouths, and she who, looking out upon the wandering Scythians nearby, strikes the Pontic shore with her widowed bands, and he who, first receiving the newborn day, mingles the warm Tigris with the red sea— yet she is cut down by the sword, and Pergamum has collapsed upon itself.
§15en alta muri decora congesti iacent §16tectis adustis; regiam flammae ambiunt §17omnisque late fumat Assaraci domus.
See, the high ornaments of the piled-up wall lie low with burnt roofs; flames encircle the palace and all the house of Assaracus smokes far and wide.
§18non prohibet avidas flamma victoris manus: §19diripitur ardens Troia, nec caelum patet §20undante fumo: nube ceu densa obsitus §21ater favilla squalet Iliaca dies.
The flame does not hold back the victor's greedy hands: burning Troy is plundered, and the sky is not visible because of the billowing smoke: as if shrouded in a dense cloud, the day, black with Ilium's ashes, is foul.
§22stat avidus irae victor et lentum Ilium §23metitur oculis ac decem tandem ferus §24ignoscit annis; horret afflictam quoque, §25victamque quamvis videat, haut credit sibi §26potuisse vinci, spolia populator rapit §27Dardania; praedam mille non capiunt rates.
The victor stands, greedy for wrath, and measures slow Ilium with his eyes, and, fierce though he is, at last excuses the ten years; he shudders even at her ruined state, and though he sees her conquered, he scarcely believes it possible for her to have been conquered; the plunderer snatches the spoils of Dardania; a thousand ships do not contain the prey.
§28Testor deorum numen adversum mihi, §29patriaeque cineres teque rectorem Phrygum §30quem Troia toto conditum regno tegit, §31tuosque manes quo stetit stante Ilium, §32et vos meorum liberam magni greges, §33umbrae minores: quicquid adversi accidit, §34quaecumque Phoebas ore lymphato furens §35credi deo vetante praedixit mala, §36prior Hecuba vidi.
I call to witness the power of the gods, hostile to me, and the ashes of my country, and you, ruler of the Phrygians, whom Troy, buried beneath the whole kingdom, covers, and your shades, while who stood, Ilium stood, and you, great herds of my children, lesser ghosts: whatever adversity has happened, whatever evils the inspired daughter of Phoebus, raving with wild lips, foretold while the god forbade them to be believed, I, Hecuba, saw first.
gravida nec tacui metus §37et vana vates ante Cassandram fui.
Pregnant, I did not silence my fears, and I was a futile prophet before Cassandra.
§38non cautus ignes Ithacus aut Itbaci comes §39nocturnus in vos sparsit aut fallax Sinon: §40meus ignis iste est, facibus ardetis meis.
No cautious Ithacan or Ithacan's companion by night scattered fires among you, nor did deceitful Sinon: that fire of yours is mine, you burn by my torches.
§41sed quid ruinas urbis eversae gemis,
But why do you groan for the ruins of the overturned city, long-lived old age?
Look back, unhappy one, at these recent griefs: Troy is now an old misfortune.
§44vidi execrandum regiae caedis nefas §45ipsasque ad aras maius admissum scelus §46Aeacidis armis, cum ferox, scaeva manu §47coma reflectens regium torta caput, §48alto nefandum vulneri ferrum abdidit; §49quod. penitus actum cum recepisset, libens §50ensis senili siccus e iugulo redit.
I saw the abominable horror of the royal slaughter, and a greater crime committed at the very altars by the weapons of Aeacides, when, fierce, with sinister hand drawing back the royal head by the twisted hair, he buried the unspeakable sword deep in the wound; which, when he withdrew it after it was driven deep, the sword came back dry from the old man's throat willingly.
§51placare quem non potuit a caede effera §52mortalis aevi cardinem extremum premens §53superique testes sceleris et quoddam sacrum
Whom from savage slaughter could not appease the one pressing the extreme boundary of mortal life, and the gods who witness the crime, and the sacred majesty of a fallen kingdom?
§54regni iacentis? ille tot regum parens §55caret sepulcro Priamus et flamma indiget §56ardente Troia, non tamen superis sat est:
That parent of so many kings, Priam, lacks a tomb and is in need of fire, while Troy burns.
Yet this is not enough for the gods: behold, choosing a master for Priam's daughters-in-law and daughters, the urn casts lots, and behold, I shall follow as a worthless prey.
§59hic Hectoris coniugia despondet sibi. §60hic optat Heleni coniugem. hic Antenoris; §61nec dest tuos. Cassandra, qui thalamos petat.
This man betrothes Hector's wife to himself, another desires Helenus' wife, another Antenor's; nor is there wanting one, Cassandra, to seek your chamber.
§62mea sors timetur, sola sum Danais metus.
My lot is feared; I alone am a terror to the Danai.
§63Lamenta cessant? turba captivae mea,
Does the lamentation cease?
§64ferite palmis pectora et planctus date §65et iusta Troiae facite, iamdudum sonet §66fatalis Ide, iudicis diri domus.
My captive crowd, beat your breasts with your palms and give wailing, and perform the funeral rites of Troy; let long since resound fateful Ida, the home of the dread judge.
§67Non rude vulgus lacrimisque a ovum §68lugere iubes: §69hoc continuis egimus annis, §69bex quo tetigit §70Phrygius Graias hospes Amyclas §71securique fretum §72pinus matri sacra Cybebae.
No untutored crowd, nor those new to tears, do you bid to mourn: we have done this through continuous years, since the Phrygian guest touched Grecian Amyclae, and through the peaceful sea the pine sacred to mother Cybebe sailed.
§73deciens nivibus canuit Ide, §74deciens nostris nudata rogis, §75et Sigeis trepidus campis §76decumas secuit messor aristas, §77ut nulla dies maerore caret.
Ten times Ida has grown white with snow, ten times stripped for our funeral pyres, and on the Sigean plains the anxious reaper has cut the tenth harvest, so that no day is free from sorrow.
But a new cause provides for weeping: go to your lamentations, and lift your wretched hand, queen.
We, the worthless crowd, will follow our mistress: we are not untutored in mourning.
§83Fidae casus nostri comites, §84solvite crinem, §85per colla fluant maesta capilli §86tepido Troiae pulvere turpes: §102bcomplete manus, §103hoc ex Troia sumpsisse licet.
Faithful companions of our misfortune, loosen your hair; let your sad locks flow down your necks, defiled by the warm dust of Troy: fill your hands, this at least is permitted to take from Troy.
Let the crowd prepare their bared arms; with loosened robe, bind your bosoms, and let your limbs be bare even to the waist.
For whose marriage do you veil your breasts, captive modesty?
§92cingat tunicas palla solutas, §93vacet ad crebri verbera planctus §94furibunda manus— placet hic habitus, §95placet: agnosco Troada turbam.
Let the cloak gird your loosened tunics, let the raging hand be free for the blows of frequent beating—this garb pleases me, it pleases: I recognize the Trojan crowd.
§96iterum luctus redeant veteres,
Let the old mourning return once more,