filius, anne aliquis magna de stirpe nepotum ? qui strepitus circa comitum! quantum instar in ipso! sed nox atra caput tristi circumvolat umbra." tum pater Anchises lacrimis ingressus obortis : 66 865 870 o gnate, ingentem luctum ne quaere tuorum. ostendent terris hunc tantum fata, nec ultra esse sinent. nimium vobis Romana propago visa potens, superi, propria haec si dona fuissent. quantos ille virum magnam Mavortis ad urbem [MPR campus aget gemitus! vel quae, Tiberine, videbis funera, cum tumulum praeterlabere recentem! nec puer Iliaca quisquam de gente Latinos 875 FMPR 880 in tantum spe tollet avos, nec Romula quondam ullo se tantum tellus iactabit alumno. heu pietas, heu prisca fides, invictaque bello dextera! non illi se quisquam impune tulisset obvius armato, seu cum pedes iret in hostem, seu spumantis equi foderet calcaribus armos. heu! miserande puer, si qua fata aspera rumpas, tu Marcellus eris! manibus date lilia plenis, purpureos spargam flores animamque nepotis his saltem accumulem donis et fungar inani 885 865 quis FMR. 885 inanis FM. 1 i.e. the Campus Martius, in which the Mausoleum of Augustus was built in 27 B,C, 2 Marcellus, while yet a boy, will reflect glory on his Latin ancestors; spe means the promise shown by the youth, the way? A son, or one of the mighty stock of his children's children? What whispers in the encircling crowd! What noble presence in himself! But black night hovers about his head with its mournful shade." 867 Then father Anchises with upwelling tears began: "O my son, ask not of the vast sorrow of thy people. Him the fates shall but show to earth, nor longer suffer him to stay. Too mighty, O gods, ye deemed the Roman stock would be, were these gifts lasting. What wailing of men shall that famous Field 1 waft to Mavors' mighty city! What funeral-state, O Tiber, shalt thou see, as thou glidest past the newbuilt tomb! No youth of Ilian stock shall exalt so greatly with his promise his Latin forefathers,2 nor shall the land of Romulus ever take such pride in any of her sons. Alas for goodness! alas for old-world honour, and the hand invincible in war! Against him in arms would none have advanced unscathed, whether on foot he met the foe, or dug his spurs into the flanks of his foaming horse. Ah! child of pity, if haply thou couldst burst the harsh bonds of fate, thou shalt be Marcellus! 3 Give me lilies with full hand; let me scatter purple flowers; let me heap o'er my offspring's shade at least these gifts and fulfil an unavailing service." promise of what he is likely to become. raise so high in hope." Some render, "shall 3 To "burst the harsh bonds of fate means to escape the early death to which he is doomed, The conditional sentence is mixed in form, because Anchises expresses a wish as well as a condition, for even as he utters the thought he realizes its hopelessness. Page (after Wagner) treats si qua fata aspera rumpas as an exclamation, and makes tu Marcellus eris an independent sentence. While there is much to be said for this view, I cannot accept it. 890 munere." sic tota passim regione vagantur sed falsa ad caelum mittunt insomnia Manes. 889 venientis] melioris M. 897 his ubi] hibi P1 : his ibi FP2R. 895 900 886 Thus, through the whole region, they freely range, in the broad, misty plains, surveying all. And when Anchises had led his son over every scene, and fired his soul with love of fame that was to be, he tells him then of the wars he must thereafter wage, and instructs him of the Laurentine peoples and the city of Latinus, and how he is to flee or face each toil. 893 Two gates of Sleep there are, whereof the one is said to be of horn, and thereby an easy outlet is given to true shades; the other gleaming with the sheen of polished ivory, but false are the dreams sent by the spirits to the world above. There then with these words Anchises attends both his son and the Sibyl, and dismisses them by the ivory gate. Aeneas speeds his way to the ships and revisits his comrades; then straight along the shore sails for Caieta's haven. The anchor is cast from the prow; the sterns rest upon the beach. PRINTED AT THE BALLANTYNE PRESS, LONDON |