Trojan ruins—it is a great matter that moves the Danai, a future Hector: free the Greeks from fear.
§552haec una naves causa deductas tenet, §553hac classis haeret, neve crudelem putes, §554quod sorte iussus Hectoris natum petam:
This single cause holds the drawn-down ships, by this the fleet is stuck; and lest you think me cruel, because, ordered by lot, I seek Hector's son: I would have sought Orestes.
§555petissem Oresten. patere quod victor tulit.
Endure what the victor has brought.
§556Vtinam quidem esses, nate, materna in manu, §557nossemque quis te casus ereptum mihi §558teneret, aut quae regio— non hostilibus §559confossa telis pectus aut vinclis manus §560secantibus praestricta, non acri latus §561utrumque flamma cincta maternam fidem §562umquam exuissem.
Would indeed that you were, my son, in your mother's hand, and that I knew what misfortune held you, snatched from me, or what region—not though my breast were pierced by hostile weapons, or my hands bound by cutting chains, not though both my flanks were girt by fierce flame, would I ever have cast off a mother's faith.
nate, quis te nunc locus, §563fortuna quae possedit? errore avio
My son, what place, what fortune possesses you now? Do you wander through fields, straying in a pathless error?
§564vagus arva lustras? vastus an patriae vapor
Or has the vast heat of our country's fire seized your limbs?
§565corripuit artus? saevus an victor tuo
Or has a cruel victor played with your blood?
Or, destroyed by the bite of a huge wild beast, do you feed the birds of Ida?
§568Simulata remove verba; non facile est tibi §569decipere Vlixen: vicimus matrum dolos §570etiam dearum.
Remove simulated words; it is not easy for you to deceive Ulysses: we have conquered the deceits of mothers, even of goddesses.
cassa consilia amove; §571ubi natus est?
Remove useless plans; where is the son?
§571bVbi Hector? ubi cuncti Phryges?
Where is Hector? Where are all the Phrygians?
§572ubi Priamus? unum quaeris: ego quaero omnia.
Where is Priam? You seek one; I seek all.
§573VLBL Coacta dices sponte quod fari abnuis.
Compelled, you will say what you refuse to speak of your own accord.
§574Tuta est, perire quae potest debet cupit.
She is safe who can, ought to, and desires to perish.
§575Magnifica verba mors prope admota excutit.
Death brought near shakes out magnificent words.
If you wish, Ulysses, to compel Andromache by fear, threaten life: for to die is my vow.
§578Verberibus igni t morte cruciatu eloqui §579quodcumque celas adiget invitam dolor §580et pectore imo condita arcana eruet: §581necessitas plus posse quam pietas solet.
Lashes, fire, torture, and pain will compel you unwillingly to speak whatever you conceal, and will drag out secrets hidden in the deepest chest: necessity is wont to have more power than affection.
§582Propone flammas, vulnera et diras mali §583doloris artes et famem et saevam sitim §584variasque pestes undique, et ferrum inditum §585visceribus istis, carceris caeci luem, §586et quicquid audet victor iratus timens: §588animosa nullos mater admittit metus.
Set before me flames, wounds, and the dire arts of evil pain, hunger, and cruel thirst, various plagues from all sides, and the sword plunged into these entrails, the rot of a blind prison, and whatever an angry, fearing victor dares: a courageous mother admits no fears.
This very love, in which you now persist obstinately, warns the Danai to consult for their own little children.
§591post arma tam longinqua, post annos decem §592minus timerem quos facit Calchas metus, §593si mihi timerem: bella Telemacho paras.
After so distant a war, after ten years, I would fear less the terrors Calchas makes, if I feared for myself: you are preparing wars for Telemachus.
Unwillingly, Ulysses, I will give joy to the Danai: it must be given; confess, my pain, the griefs you suppress.
Rejoice, sons of Atreus, and you, as is your custom, bring glad news to the Pelasgians: Hector's offspring has perished.
§598Et esse verum hoc qua probas Danais fide?
And by what faith do you prove to the Danai that this is true?
§599Ita quod minari maximum victor potest §600contingat et me fata maturo exitu §601facilique solvant ac meo condant solo §602et patria tellus Hectorem leviter premat,
Just as surely as he is deprived of light, so may the greatest thing a victor can threaten happen to me, and may the fates release me by a timely and easy death, and bury me in my own soil, and may his father's earth press lightly upon Hector.
He lies among the dead, and, breathless, has borne what is due, given to the tomb.
§605Expleta fata stirpe sublata Hectoris §606solidamque pacem laetus ad Danaos feram— §607quid agis, Vlixe? Danaidae credent tibi: §608tu cui? parenti— fingit an quisquam hoc parens, §609nec abominandae mortis auspicium pavet?
The fates are fulfilled with the offspring of Hector removed; joyfully I shall bring solid peace to the Danai— What are you doing, Ulysses? The Danai will believe you: but whom do you believe? A mother?—does any parent invent this, and not dread the omen of an abominable death?
§610auspicia metuunt qui nihil maius timent.
They fear omens who fear nothing greater.
She has bound her faith by an oath— if she perjures, what more grave thing can she fear?
Now call forth cunning, my soul, now frauds, deceits, now the whole Ulysses; truth never perishes.
§615scrutare matrem, maeret, illacrimat, gemit; §616sed et huc et illuc anxios gressus refert §617missasque voces aure sollicita excipit: §618magis haec timet, quam maeret.
Scrutinize the mother: she mourns, she weeps, she groans; but she turns her anxious steps hither and thither, and catches uttered words with an anxious ear: she fears more than she mourns.
ingenio est onus.
There is a burden on her mind.
§619Alios parentes alioqui in luctu decet: §620tibi gratulandum est. misera, quod nato cares. §621quem mors manebat saeva praecipitem datum §622e turre, lapsis sola quae muris manet.
Otherwise, it becomes other parents in their grief: you should be congratulated, wretched woman, that you lack a son, whom a cruel death was awaiting, to be cast headlong from the tower, which alone remains of the fallen walls.
Spirit has left her limbs, they shake, they totter, and her blood is numb, bound by cold frost.
§625Intremuit: hac, hac parte quaerenda est mihi; §626matrem timor detexit: iterabo metum. — §627ite, ite celeres, fraude materna abditum §628hostem, Pelasgi nominis pestem ultimam, §629ubicumque latitat, erutam in medium date.
She trembled: in this, this part I must search; fear has exposed the mother: I will repeat the terror. — Go, go quickly, the enemy hidden by maternal deceit, the ultimate plague of the Pelasgian name, wherever he lurks, drag him out and bring him into the open.
Excellent: he is held! Go on, hurry, drag him out— why do you look back and tremble? Now surely he perishes.
§632Vtinam timerem, solitus ex longo est metus:
Would that I were only fearing!
§633dediscit animus †scire quod didicit diu.
Fear is customary from of old: but my mind forgets the certainty it has long known.
§634Lustrale quoniam debitum muris puer
Since the boy is due as a lustral offering to the walls...