LIBER IX.

JUNO sends Iris to Turnus, counselling him to take advantage of the absence of Aeneas, and to attack the Trojan camp, at the mouth of the Tiber, 1-13. Turnus marches his forces accordingly, 14-32. The Trojans, obeying the instructions of Aeneas, resolve to act on the defensive, 33-45. Turnus, annoyed at this, prepares to burn the fleet, 46-76. Address to the Muses, 77-79. Berecyntia had asked of Jupiter immortality for the ships made of her sacred pines, whereupon Jupiter promised to change them into nymphs, when Aeneas should arrive in Italy, 80-106. To the astonishment of all, the ships now dive prow foremost to the bottom of the sea, and become nymphs, 107-125. Turnus interprets the omen in his own favour, and encourages his followers, 126-158. He places a body of troops to watch, who spend the night in carousal, 159-167. Precautions of the Trojans, 168-175. EPISODE OF NISUS AND EURYALUS. [See note at p. 333.] The Trojan Nisus, a sentinel at one of the gates, declares to his friend and comrade Euryalus his resolution of setting out alone in search of Aeneas, proposing that the reward due to such a service should be given to Euryalus, 176-196. After some conversation, it is agreed that both shall go, and they seek Ascanius, 197-223. They explain their plan to a council of war, 224-245. They receive high encomiums and promises, 246-280. Euryalus commends his mother to the care of Ascanius, who, with tears, accepts the trust, 281-301. After receiving presents, they set out, 302-312. They slay and plunder the foe, slumbering under the influence of wine, and make their way through them, 313-366. A body of Latin cavalry proceeding to the camp, are attracted by the gleam of the plundered helmet worn by Euryalus, and challenge them, 367-377. They plunge into a wood; Nisus escapes, but returns to seek Euryalus, whom he finds in the enemy's hands, 378-398. He throws his spear, and slays two of the enemy, 399-419. Their leader stabs to death Euryalus, in spite of the interposition of Nisus, who rushes into the midst, and, fighting, is slain, 420-445. Apostrophe to Nisus and Euryalus, 446-449. The grief of the Latins when they arrive at the beleaguering host, 450458. In the morning, Turnus marshals his troops, and displays on spears the heads of Nisus and Euryalus, 459-472. Distraction of the mother of Euryalus, 473-502. Assault on the camp, 503-524. Invocation to the Muses, 525-529. A tower set on fire, with the death of Helenor and Lycus, 530-568. Various combats, 569-589. Ascanius slays his first enemy in battle, 590-638. Apollo interferes, and Ascanius is withdrawn from the dangers of the fight, 639-662. The battle rages with the others, 663-671. Daring of the Trojan Pandarus and Bitias, who throw open one of the gates, 672-690. Turnus, aroused, slays Bitias, 691-716. Mars favours the Latins, when Pandarus, closing the gate, shuts out many of his countrymen, but shuts in Turnus, 717-733. Pandarus attacks Turnus, who slays him, 734-755. Consternation of the Trojans, 756-759. Turnus foolishly rushes to the slaughter, 760-777. The Trojan chiefs unite against him, 778-786. Overpowered by the enemy, and reluctantly forsaken by Juno at Jupiter's command, he plunges from the battlements into the Tiber, and rejoins his friends, 787-818.

ATQUE, ea diversa penitus dum parte geruntur,
Irim de coelo misit Saturnia Juno

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Audacem ad Turnum. Luco tum forte parentis
Pilumni Turnus sacrata valle sedebat.
Ad quem sic roseo Thaumantias ore locuta est:
'Turne, quod optanti divom promittere nemo
Auderet, volvenda dies, en, attulit ultro.
Aeneas, urbe et sociis et classe relicta,
Sceptra Palatini sedemque petit Evandri.
Nec satis: extremas Corythi penetravit ad urbes,
Lydorumque manum collectos armat agrestis.
Quid dubitas? nunc tempus equos, nunc poscere currus.
Rumpe moras omnis et turbata arripe castra.'
Dixit, et in coelum paribus se sustulit alis,
Ingentemque fuga secuit sub nubibus arcum.
Agnovit juvenis, duplicisque ad sidera palmas
Sustulit, ac tali fugientem est voce secutus :
'Iri, decus coeli, quis te mihi nubibus actam
Detulit in terras? unde haec tam clara repente
Tempestas? medium video discedere coelum,
Palantisque polo stellas. Sequor omina tanta,
Quisquis in arma vocas.' Et sic effatus ad undam
Processit, summoque hausit de gurgite lymphas,
Multa deos orans, oneravitque aethera votis.

Jamque omnis campis exercitus ibat apertis,
Dives equum, dives pictäi vestis et auri;
Messapus primas acies, postrema coërcent
Tyrrhidae juvenes; medio dux agmine Turnus

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Vertitur arma tenens, et toto vertice supra est.
Ceu septem surgens sedatis amnibus altus
Per tacitum Ganges, aut pingui flumine Nilus
Cum refluit campis et jam se condidit alveo.
Hic subitam nigro glomerari pulvere nubem
Prospiciunt Teucri, ac tenebras insurgere campis.
Primus ab adversa conclamat mole Caïcus:
'Quis globus, o cives, caligine volvitur atra!
Ferte citi ferrum, date tela, ascendite muros,
Hostis adest; eia!' Ingenti clamore per omnis
Condunt se Teucri portas, et moenia complent.
Namque ita discedens praeceperat optimus armis
Aeneas: si qua interea fortuna fuisset,

Neu struere auderent aciem, neu credere campo;
Castra modo et tutos servarent aggere muros.
Ergo, etsi conferre manum pudor iraque monstrat,
Objiciunt portas tamen et praecepta facessunt,
Armatique cavis exspectant turribus hostem.
Turnus, ut ante volans tardum praecesserat agmen,

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Viginti lectis equitum comitatus et urbi

Improvisus adest; maculis quem Thracius albis
Portat equus, cristaque tegit galea aurea rubra.
'Ecquis erit,' mecum, juvenes, 'qui primus in hostem-?
En,' ait. Et jaculum attorquens emittit in auras,

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Principium pugnae, et campo sese arduus infert.

Clamore excipiunt socii, fremituque sequuntur
Horrisono; Teucrum mirantur inertia corda:

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Non aequo dare se campo, non obvia ferre

Arma viros, sed castra fovere. Huc turbidus atque huc
Lustrat equo muros, aditumque per avia quaerit.

Ac, veluti pleno lupus insidiatus ovili

Cum fremit ad caulas, ventos perpessus et imbris,
Nocte super media; tuti sub matribus agni
Balatum exercent; ille asper et improbus ira

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Saevit in absentis; collecta fatigat edendi

Ex longo rabies, et siccae sanguine fauces:

29. This line is justly regarded as here spurious, and borrowed from vii. 784.-30, &c. The steady march of the army is compared to the majestic course of the Ganges or the Nile, when not overflowing their banks.-32. Alveo, a dissyllable.-37. Ascendite. Some read scandite, the a of tela being made long, it is said, before sc. -57. Fovere castra, to keep close within the camp.

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Haud aliter Rutulo muros et castra tuenti
Ignescunt irae; duris dolor ossibus ardet,
Qua tentet ratione aditus, et quae via clausos
Excutiat Teucros vallo atque effundat in aequum.
Classem, quae lateri castrorum adjuncta latebat,
Aggeribus septam circum et fluvialibus undis,
Invadit, sociosque incendia poscit ovantis,
Atque manum pinu flagranti fervidus implet.
Tum vero incumbunt; urguet praesentia Turni;
Atque omnis facibus pubes accingitur atris.
Diripuere focos; piceum fert fumida lumen
Taeda et commixtam Volcanus ad astra favillam.
Quis deus, o Musae, tam saeva incendia Teucris
Avertit? tantos ratibus quis depulit ignis?
Dicite. Prisca fides facto, sed fama perennis.
Tempore quo primum Phrygia formabat in Ida
Aeneas classem, et pelagi petere alta parabat,
Ipsa deum fertur genetrix Berecyntia magnum
Vocibus his affata Jovem: 'Da, nate, petenti,
Quod tua cara parens domito te poscit Olympo.
Pinea silva mihi, multos dilecta per annos,
Lucus in arce fuit summa, quo sacra ferebant,
Nigranti picea trabibusque obscurus acernis :
Has ego Dardanio juveni, cum classis egeret,
Laeta dedi; nunc sollicitam timor anxius angit.
Solve metus, atque hoc precibus sine posse parentem, 90

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Neu cursu quassatae ullo neu turbine venti

Vincantur; prosit nostris in montibus ortas.'

Filius huic contra, torquet qui sidera mundi:
'O genetrix, quo fata vocas? aut quid petis istis?
Mortaline manu factae immortale carinae

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Fas habeant, certusque incerta pericula lustret
Aeneas? Cui tanta deo permissa potestas?

Immo, ubi defunctae finem portusque tenebunt

69. Turnus came from the south-east. The camp was between him and the Tiber, and on one side the ships formed a naval camp.-74. Accingitur. See at vi. 184. 80. Ida. See at ii. 694; and for the building of the fleet, iii. 5, &c.-82. Berecyntia. See at vi. 785. As identical with Cybele, and worshipped on Mount Ida, see at iii. 111.-85. The construction seems to be, Pinea silva fuit mihi.-86. Lucus, &c.; lucus (a sacred grove) being in apposition with, and explanatory of, sylva. Arce. See at ii. 322.

Ausonios olim, quaecumque evaserit undis
Dardaniumque ducem Laurentia vexerit arva,
Mortalem eripiam formam, magnique jubebo
Aequoris esse deas, qualis Nereïa Doto
Et Galatea secant spumantem pectore pontum.
Dixerat, idque ratum Stygii per flumina fratris,
Per pice torrentis atraque voragine ripas
Adnuit, et totum nutu tremefecit Olympum.

Ergo aderat promissa dies, et tempora Parcae
Debita complerant: cum Turni injuria Matrem
Admonuit ratibus sacris depellere taedas.
Hic primum nova lux oculis offulsit, et ingens
Visus ab Aurora coelum transcurrere nimbus,
Idaeique chori; tum vox horrenda per auras
Excidit et Troum Rutulorumque agmina complet:
'Ne trepidate meas, Teucri, defendere navis,
Neve armate manus; maria ante exurere Turno,
Quam sacras dabitur pinus. Vos ite solutae,
Ite deae pelagi; genetrix jubet.' Et sua quaeque
Continuo puppes abrumpunt vincula ripis,
Delphinumque modo demersis aequora rostris
Ima petunt. Hinc virgineae, mirabile monstrum,
Quot prius aeratae steterant ad litora prorae
Reddunt se totidem facies, pontoque feruntur.
Obstupuere animi Rutulis; conterritus ipse
Turbatis Messapus equis; cunctatur et amnis
Rauca sonans, revocatque pedem Tiberinus ab alto.

At non audaci Turno fiducia cessit;

Ultro animos tollit dictis, atque increpat ultro:
'Trojanos haec monstra petunt; his Jupiter ipse
Auxilium solitum eripuit, non tela neque ignis
Exspectant Rutulos. Ergo maria invia Teucris,

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99. Ausonios. See p. 188, line 28.-100. Dardanium ducem, Aeneas was so called. See at vi. 648. Laurentia. See at vi. 893. Arva. See at i. 2.-102. Nereïa. See at Ecl. vi. 35; Aen. iii. 74. Doto, the Homerie Nereid, Δωτώ. -103. Galatea. See at Ecl. vii. 37.-104. Stygii. See at vi. 295, 324.-106. Olympum. See at Ecl. v. 56.-107. Parcae. See at Ecl. iv. 47.-108. Turni injuria. The wrong done by Turnus, the subjective genitive. Compare with spretae injuria formae (i 27), the objective genitive. See Zumpt, § 423.-117. Abrumpunt, quaeque sua vincula. 125. Rauca. See at Ecl. iii. 8. Tiberinus. The river-god.126, &c. See at vii. 435.-130. Rutulos. Turnus himself was a Rutulian. The terms Rutuli and Latini are often interchanged by Virgil.