Lingua Latina Lingua Britannica

At regina gravi iamdudum saucia cura But the queen, wounded for a long time now with serious
care

vulnus alit venis et caeco carpitur igni. nourishes the wound with her veins and is weakened by
an invisible fire.

multa viri virtus animo multusque recursat Much courage of the man and much honour of his race
keeps running back to her mind,

gentis honos; haerent infixi pectore vultus his expressions and words cling fixed in her breast

verbaque nec placidam membris dat cura quietem. 5 and does her love does not give gentle rest to her limbs.

His dictis incensum animum flammavit amore When she has said these things, she inflamed her heart
alight with love

spemque dedit dubiae menti solvitque pudorem. 55 and gave hope to her wavering mind and loosened her
conscience.

Interea magno misceri murmure caelum 160 Meanwhile the sky begins to be stirred with a great
rumble,

incipit, insequitur commixta grandine nimbus, a storm cloud with hail mixed in follows up,

et Tyrii comites passim et Troiana iuventus and both the Tyrian comrades and the Trojan youth

and the Dardanian grandson of Venus sought different

Dardaniusque nepos Veneris diversa per agros shelters in all directions

through the fields in fear; streams rush down the

tecta metu petiere; ruunt de montibus amnes. mountains.

Dido and the Trojan leader came down to the same cave.
speluncam Dido dux et Troianus eandem 165

First both the Earth and Juno as pronuba gave the signal;
deveniunt. prima et Tellus et pronuba Iuno

fires in the air witness to the wedding flashed

dant signum; fulsere ignes et conscius aether

and Nymphs howled on the top of the summit.

conubiis summoque ulularunt vertice Nymphae.

That day in the beginning was the cause of her death and
ille dies primus leti primusque malorum her troubles;

for Dido was neither disturbed by her appearance nor

causa fuit; neque enim specie famave movetur 170 reputation

no longer does Dido practice secret love:

nec iam furtivum Dido meditatur amorem:

she called [this] marriage, with this name she covered her
coniugium vocat, hoc praetexit nomine culpam. 172 guilt.

As soon as he with his winged feet touched the

ut primum alatis tetigit magalia plantis, 259 Carthaginian huts,

he catches sight of Aeneas establishing the citadel and

making buildings from new.
Aenean fundantem arces ac tecta novantem 260
And to him was a sword studded with tawny Jasper

conspicit. atque illi stellatus iaspide fulva

and glowing with Tyrian purple, a line cloak

ensis erat Tyrioque ardebat murice laena

hung from his shoulders, gifts which rich Dido

demissa ex umeris, dives quae munera Dido

had made and she has separated the cloth on the loom
with fine gold.
fecerat, et tenui telas discreverat auro.
He immediately makes for him: “Do you now place
foundations of lofty Carthage
continuo invadit: 'tu nunc Karthaginis altae 265
And beholden to your wife are you now constructing a
pretty city.
fundamenta locas pulchramque uxorius urbem
Alas, forgetful of your own kingdom and destiny!

exstruis? heu, regni rerumque oblite tuarum!

The ruler of the gods himself sends me from bright
Olympus to you,
ipse deum tibi me claro demittit Olympo
Who directs heaven and earth with his divine will.

regnator, caelum et terras qui numine torquet,

And he himself orders me to bring these commands
through the swift winds:
ipse haec ferre iubet celeris mandata per auras: 270
Why are you doing? Or by why hope are you waiting idle
hours in the Libyan lands?
quid struis? aut qua spe Libycis teris otia terris? If no glory of so great a destiny moves you

si te nulla movet tantarum gloria rerum [nor do you yourself undertake work for your own praise],

[nec super ipse tua moliris laude laborem,] Heed the rising Julius and the hopes of Iulus your heir,

Ascanium surgentem et spes heredis Iuli For whom the kingdom of Italy and the Roman land

respice, cui regnum Italiae Romanaque tellus 275 Is owed.” Mercury, having spoken with such a voice,

debetur.' tali Cyllenius ore locutus Left behind the mortal visions in the middle of his speech

mortalis visus medio sermone reliquit And vanished far into the thin air from sight.

et procul in tenuem ex oculis evanuit auram. But in truth Aeneas, witless, became silent by the sight,

At vero Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens, and his hairs stood on end with horror and his voice stuck
in his throat.

arrectaeque horrore comae et vox faucibus haesit. 280 He burns to leave in flight and leave behind the sweet
lands,

ardet abire fuga dulcisque relinquere terras, astonished by so great the warning and command of the
gods.

Alas why is he to do? With why words would he now dare

attonitus tanto monitu imperioque deorum. to court

the raging queen? Why first introductions should he take?

heu quid agat? quo nunc reginam ambire furentem

And he divides his swift mind now here, now there

audeat adfatu? quae prima exordia sumat?

and snatches [it] into various parts and turns through all
atque animum nunc huc celerem nunc dividit illuc 285 things.

This opinion seemed preferable to him:

in partisque rapit varias perque omnia versat.

he calls Mnestheus and Sergestus and brave Serestus,

haec alternanti potior sententia visa est:

let them fit out the fleet silently and let them bring the
Mnesthea Sergestumque vocat fortemque Serestum, comrades together on the shore,

prepare the gear and let them hide why the reason is for
classem aptent taciti sociosque ad litora cogant, the change of plans;

meanwhile he said that he himself, since the excellent

arma parent et quae rebus sit causa novandis 290 Dido

does not know and does not expect such great love to be
dissimulent; sese interea, quando optima Dido broken,

would try an approach and why are the softest times of

nesciat et tantos rumpi non speret amores, speaking

[and] which method is favourable for the circumstances.

All happily,
temptaturum aditus et quae mollissima fandi
swiftly obeyed the command and carried out the orders.

tempora, quis rebus dexter modus. ocius omnes

But the queen (who could deceive a lover?)

imperio laeti parent et iussa facessunt. 295

sensed deceit in advance, and first received future
movements,
At regina dolos (quis fallere possit amantem?)
fearing all things safe. The same wicked Rumour

praesensit, motusque excepit prima futuros

brought to her in her rage news that the fleet was being
fitted out and the course prepared.
omnia tuta timens. eadem impia Fama furenti
she rages, helpless in her mind, she raves burning,
through the whole city,
detulit armari classem cursumque parari.
like a maenad aroused when the sacred objects were
moved,
saevit inops animi totamque incensa per urbem 300
when the triennial rituals spur her when Bacchus was
heard
bacchatur, qualis commotis excita sacris
and the nocturnal Mt. Cithaeron calls her with a cry.

Thyias, ubi audito stimulant trieterica Baccho

At last she addresses Aeneas on her own accord with
these words:
orgia nocturnusque vocat clamore Cithaeron.
“Did you really hope to be able to conceal such a great
crime o traitor
tandem his Aenean compellat vocibus ultro: and silently leave my land?

'dissimulare etiam sperasti, perfide, tantum 305 Does neither our love nor the right hand once given

posse nefas tacitusque mea decedere terra? nor Dido about to die with a cruel funeral hold you?

nec te noster amor nec te data dextera quondam Yes, indeed are you labouring at your fleet under a wintry
star

nec moritura tenet crudeli funere Dido? and do you hurry to go through the deep in the middle of
the northern winds

quin etiam hiberno moliri sidere classem cruel one? Well if you were seeking alien lands and
unknown houses

et mediis properas Aquilonibus ire per altum, 310 and if ancient Troy remained,

crudelis? quid, si non arva aliena domosque would Troy be sought by the fleets through the billowy
calm?

ignotas peteres, et Troia antiqua maneret, Is it me you are fleeing from? I beg you, through these
tears, and your right hand

Troia per undosum peteretur classibus aequor? (since I myself have left behind nothing other for
wretched me now),

mene fugis? per ego has lacrimas dextramque tuam te by our wedding and the marriage began,

if I have deserved anything well from you, or if anything

(quando aliud mihi iam miserae nihil ipsa reliqui), 315 of mine has been

sweet to you, pity my falling house and, I pray,

per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos,

if there is any place still for prayers, do away with that

si bene quid de te merui, fuit aut tibi quicquam mindset.

On account of you the races of Libya and kings of the

dulce meum, miserere domus labentis et istam, Numidians

hate [me], the Carthaginians are hostile; on account of

oro, si quis adhuc precibus locus, exue mentem. the same you

my shame was destroyed and my reputation before, with

te propter Libycae gentes Nomadumque tyranni 320 which alone I was going to the starts.

To why fate do you desert me, going to die, o guest

odere, infensi Tyrii; te propter eundem

(since this name alone remains from husband)?

exstinctus pudor et, qua sola sidera adibam,

Who do I delay? Or until my brother Pygmalion

fama prior. cui me moribundam deseris hospes

destroys my city walls or until the Gaetulian Iarbas leads

(hoc solum nomen quoniam de coniuge restat)? me captive?

At least if any offspring had been conceived to me from

quid moror? an mea Pygmalion dum moenia frater 325 you

before your flight, if any tiny Aeneas were playing for me

in the palace,
destruat aut captam ducat Gaetulus Iarbas?
who would recall you still in his face,

saltem si qua mihi de te suscepta fuisset

I would not seem completely captured and deserted.

ante fugam suboles, si quis mihi parvulus aula

She had spoken. He was holding his eyes unmoved

luderet Aeneas, qui te tamen ore referret,

at the warnings of Jupiter and making a great effort
pressing his care deep within his heart.
non equidem omnino capta ac deserta viderer.' 330
At last he speaks a few words: I will never deny that you,
o queen,
Dixerat. ille Iovis monitis immota tenebat
have performed very many kind services, which you are
able to count in speaking,
lumina et obnixus curam sub corde premebat.
nor will it disgust me to remember Dido,

tandem pauca refert: 'ego te, quae plurima fando

while I myself am mindful of myself, while my spirit rules
these limbs.
enumerare vales, numquam, regina, negabo
I shall speak a few things on behalf of this matter. I did
not hope
promeritam, nec me meminisse pigebit Elissae 335
(don’t suppose it) to hide this flight in stealth, nor have I
ever
dum memor ipse mei, dum spiritus hos regit artus.
offered you torches of a husband or come into this
agreement.
pro re pauca loquar. neque ego hanc abscondere furto If the fates were allowing me under my own auspices to
lead my life

speravi (ne finge) fugam, nec coniugis umquam and settle my affairs under my own free will,

praetendi taedas aut haec in foedera veni. I would be tending firstly to the Trojan city and

me si fata meis paterentur ducere vitam 340 the sweet remains of my people, the lofty palace of Priam
would remain,

auspiciis et sponte mea componere curas, and I would have established the citadel of Troy by hand
for the conquered.

urbem Troianam primum dulcisque meorum But now Grynian Apollo and Lycian lots have

reliquias colerem, Priami tecta alta manerent, ordered [me] to make for great Italy;

et recidiva manu posuissem Pergama victis. this is my love, this is my fatherland. If the citadels of
Carthage

sed nunc Italiam magnam Gryneus Apollo, 345

and the sight of a Libyan city hold you, a Phoenician,

Italiam Lyciae iussere capessere sortes;

pray why is the envy that Trojans settle on Ausonian land?

hic amor, haec patria est. si te Karthaginis arces

It is right that we too seek foreign kingdoms.
Phoenissam Libycaeque aspectus detinet urbis, As often as the night covers the lands with moist
shadows,

quae tandem Ausonia Teucros considere terra as often as the burning starts rise,

invidia est? et nos fas extera quaerere regna. 350 the troubled image of my father Anchises warns me in my
sleep and terrifies me;

me patris Anchisae, quotiens umentibus umbris My boy Julius and the injury of his dear head,

nox operit terras, quotiens astra ignea surgunt, whom I am depriving from the kingdom of Italy and the
fated fields [warns] me.

admonet in somnis et turbida terret imago; Now also the interpreter of the gods, sent by Jupiter
himself

me puer Julius capitisque iniuria cari, (I swear on both our heads) has brought orders through
the swift

quem regno Hesperiae fraudo et fatalibus arvis. 355 breezes: I myself saw the god in plain light entering the
walls

nunc etiam interpres divum Iove missus ab ipso

and I drained his voice with these ears.

(testor utrumque caput) celeris mandata per auras

Stop inflaming me and you with your complaints.

detulit: ipse deum manifesto in lumine vidi

I do not seek Italy on my own accord.
intrantem muros vocemque his auribus hausi. She watches him speaking such things for a long time

desine meque tuis incendere teque querelis; 360 now, turned away, rolling her eyes this way and now that
way, she scans him up and down

Italiam non sponte sequor.' with silent eyes and inflamed, she speaks out thus:

Talia dicentem iamdudum aversa tuetur “Not to you the parent was divine nor is Dardanus the
originator of your race,

huc illuc volvens oculos totumque pererrat traitor, but the Caucasus, bristling with hard rocks, bore
you,

luminibus tacitis et sic accensa profatur: and Hyrcanian tigers more their udders [to you].

'nec tibi diva parens generis nec Dardanus auctor, 365 For why am I concealing and for why greater things do I
hold myself back?

perfide, sed duris genuit te cautibus horrens Surely he did not sign at our weeping? Surely he did not
move his eyes?

Caucasus Hyrcanaeque admorunt ubera tigres. Surely he, having been conquered, did not give tears or
pity the lover?

nam quid dissimulo aut quae me ad maiora reservo? Why things should I put before why thing? Now, now,
neither greatest Juno

num fletu ingemuit nostro? num lumina flexit? nor the Saturnian father sees these things with impartial
eyes.

Nowhere is trust safe. I received him cast up on the

num lacrimas victus dedit aut miseratus amantem est? shore, destitute,

and a mad woman, I set him in part of my kingdom.

quae quibus anteferam? iam iam nec maxima Iuno 371

I brought back his lost fleet, I brought back his comrades

nec Saturnius haec oculis pater aspicit aequis. from death.

(Alas I am carried off, set on fire by madness!): now the

nusquam tuta fides. eiectum litore, egentem prophet Apollo,

now the Lycian lots, now even the messenger of the gods
excepi et regni demens in parte locavi. sent by Jupiter himself

brings dread orders through the breezes.

amissam classem, socios a morte reduxi 375

Obviously, that is a trouble for the gods, that care disturbs

(heu furiis incensa feror!): nunc augur Apollo, them

at rest. I neither hold you nor do I refute your words:

nunc Lyciae sortes, nunc et Iove missus ab ipso

Go, seek Italy with the winds, seek a kingdom through the
interpres divum fert horrida iussa per auras. waves.

I hope that you will drink up punishment, if the dutiful

scilicet is superis labor est, ea cura quietos gods have any power,

in the middle of a reef and you will often call on Dido

sollicitat. neque te teneo neque dicta refello: 380

by name. I will follow, even though absent with dark fires

i, sequere Italiam ventis, pete regna per undas.
and, when cold death past my limbs from my spirit,

spero equidem mediis, si quid pia numina possunt,

I will be there in all places as a shade. You, O wicked one,
shall be punished.
supplicia hausurum scopulis et nomine Dido
I shall listen and this report shall come to me under the
lowest spirits of the dead.”
saepe vocaturum. sequar atris ignibus absens
She broke the middle of her conversation with these
words and lovesick,
et, cum frigida mors anima seduxerit artus, 385
fled the breezes and removed herself from sight and
withdrew
omnibus umbra locis adero. dabis, improbe, poenas.
him, hesitating much through fear, and preparing to say
many things.
audiam et haec Manis veniet mihi fama sub imos.'
Her attendants take her up, and bare back her collapsed
limbs,
his medium dictis sermonem abrumpit et auras

back to her marble chamber and lay them on the covers.

aegra fugit seque ex oculis avertit et aufert,

But dutiful Aeneas, although he desires to soothe her,

linquens multa metu cunctantem et multa parantem 390 grieving,

by consoling, and to remove her cares with words,

dicere. suscipiunt famulae conlapsaque membra

bewailing much and shaking to his heart with great love,

marmoreo referunt thalamo stratisque reponunt.
he nevertheless carries out the orders of the gods, and
comes back to his fleet.
At pius Aeneas, quamquam lenire dolentem
She was begging with such words and her very wretched
sister brings
solando cupit et dictis avertere curas,
and brings again such tears. But he was moved by no
tears
multa gemens magnoque animum labefactus amore 395
he hears no words;

iussa tamen divum exsequitur classemque revisit.

fate blocks the way, and the god blocks the peaceful ears
of the man.
Talibus orabat, talisque miserrima fletus
It was just as when Alpine north winds compete amidst
themselves
fertque refertque soror. sed nullis ille movetur
to uproot an oak, and the oak is sturdy with age old
strength with gusts,
fletibus aut voces ullas tractabilis audit;

now here, now there. A creak goes and the high leaves
fata obstant placidasque viri deus obstruit auris. 440

strew the ground when the trunk has been struck;

ac velut annoso validam cum robore quercum

and with its roots it stretches into Tartarus as much as

Alpini Boreae nunc hinc nunc flatibus illinc

it stretches with its top to the heavenly breezes:

eruere inter se certant; it stridor, et altae
not otherwise the hero is buffeted with constant voices

consternunt terram concusso stipite frondes;

on this side and that, and fills the fears in his great breast,

ipsa haeret scopulis et quantum vertice ad auras 445

his mind remains unmoved, the tears role empty.

aetherias, tantum radice in Tartara tendit:

O sun, you who survey all the works of th earth with
yours beings,
haud secus adsiduis hinc atque hinc vocibus heros
and you the intermediary of these cares and knowing, O
Juno,
tunditur, et magno persentit pectore curas;
and Hecate, having been wailed at the nocturnal
crossroads through the cities,
mens immota manet, lacrimae volvuntur inanes.
and the avenging furies and the gods of dying Elissa,

Sol, qui terrarum flammis opera omnia lustras,

accept these words, and turn your divine will, deserved,

tuque harum interpres curarum et conscia Iuno,

to my wrongs and hear our prayers. If it is necessary that

nocturnisque Hecate triviis ululata per urbes

the unspeakable head retouched the harbours and sail to

et Dirae ultrices et di morientis Elissae, 610 lands,

and thus the fates of Jupiter demand, this end is fixed,

accipite haec, meritumque malis advertite numen
but harassed by war and arms of a bold people,

et nostras audite preces. si tangere portus

exiled from this territory, torn from the embrace of Julus,

infandum caput ac terris adnare necesse est,

let him implore help and let him see the undeserved
deaths of his
et sic fata Iovis poscunt, hic terminus haeret,
own people, nor when he has handed himself over under
the laws of an unjust peace,
at bello audacis populi vexatus et armis, 615
nor may he enjoy his kingdom under the desired light,

finibus extorris, complexu avulsus Iuli

but let him fall before his time and be unburied, in the
middle of the sand.
auxilium imploret videatque indigna suorum
I pray that these things, I pour out this final voice with my
blood.
funera; nec, cum se sub leges pacis iniquae

Then you, O Carthaginians, harass with your hatred

tradiderit, regno aut optata luce fruatur,

his progeny and all his future race, and send these gifts to
sed cadat ante diem mediaque inhumatus harena. 620 our ash.

Let there be no love and no treaties for these peoples.

haec precor, hanc vocem extremam cum sanguine fundo.

May you rise up, some avenger, from our bones,

tum vos, o Tyrii, stirpem et genus omne futurum
to harass the Dardanian settlers with fire and sword,

exercete odiis, cinerique haec mittite nostro

now, at some times, at whenever time strength will offer
itself.
munera. nullus amor populis nec foedera sunto.
I pray for shores against shores, waves against waves,

exoriare aliquis nostris ex ossibus ultor 625

arms against arms: let they themselves and our
descendants fight.”
qui face Dardanios ferroque sequare colonos,
She spoke these things, and was turning her mind into all
parts,
nunc, olim, quocumque dabunt se tempore vires.
seeking to cut short the hated light as soon as possible.

litora litoribus contraria, fluctibus undas

But Dido, trembling and wild from her murderous
intentions,
imprecor, arma armis: pugnent ipsique nepotesque.'

rolling her bloody gaze, sprinkled as to her quivering

Haec ait, et partis animum versabat in omnis, 630

cheeks with spots and pale as the approach of death,

invisam quaerens quam primum abrumpere lucem.

bursts into the inner thresholds of the house and climbs

at trepida et coeptis immanibus effera Dido the high

pyre, mad, and unsheathed the Trojan sword,

sanguineam volvens aciem, maculisque trementis
a gift not sought for these uses.

interfusa genas et pallida morte futura,

Here, after she caught sight of the Trojan

interiora domus inrumpit limina et altos 645

garments, having delayed for a little in tearful thought,

conscendit furibunda rogos ensemque recludit

she both lay on the bed and said her last words:

Dardanium, non hos quaesitum munus in usus.

“sweet garments, sweet while fates and a god were
allowing,
hic, postquam Iliacas vestis notumque cubile
accept this spirit and release me from these cares.

conspexit, paulum lacrimis et mente morata

I have lived and pursued the course which Fortune had
given,
incubuitque toro dixitque novissima verba: 650

and now the great image of me will go beneath the lands.

'dulces exuviae, dum fata deusque sinebat,

I have founded a magnificent city, seen my city walls,

accipite hanc animam meque his exsolvite curis.

having avenged my husband, I exacted penalties from my

vixi et quem dederat cursum Fortuna peregi, inimical brother,

I would have been happy, alas excessively happy, if only

et nunc magna mei sub terras ibit imago.
the Trojan ships had never touched our shores.”

urbem praeclaram statui, mea moenia vidi, 655

She spoke, and having pressed her face on the bed, she
says “we shall die unavenged,
ulta virum poenas inimico a fratre recepi,
but let us die.” “Thus, thus it pleases me to go under the
shadows.
felix, heu nimium felix, si litora tantum
Let the cruel Trojan drain up this fire from the deep sea
with his eyes,
numquam Dardaniae tetigissent nostra carinae.'
and bear with him the omens of our death.”

dixit, et os impressa toro 'moriemur inultae,

She had spoken, and in the middle of such things,

sed moriamur' ait. 'sic, sic iuvat ire sub umbras. 660
her companions caught sight of her having collapsed onto
the sword,
hauriat hunc oculis ignem crudelis ab alto
and the sword foaming with blood and hands sprinkled. A
shout goes to the high
Dardanus, et nostrae secum ferat omina mortis.'
halls: Rumour raves through the shakened city.

dixerat, atque illam media inter talia ferro

The palace with lamentations and groaning and feminine
howling
conlapsam aspiciunt comites, ensemque cruore
resounds, the heaven resounds with great lamentations,
spumantem sparsasque manus. it clamor ad alta 665 not otherwise than if once the enemy had been let in all
of

atria: concussam bacchatur Fama per urbem. Carthage or ancient Tyre were falling, and raging

lamentis gemituque et femineo ululatu flames were rolling through the roofs of men and gods.

tecta fremunt, resonat magnis plangoribus aether,

non aliter quam si immissis ruat hostibus omnis

Karthago aut antiqua Tyros, flammaeque furentes 670

culmina perque hominum volvantur perque deorum.