Quō mea sē mollī candida dīva pede 70
intulit et trītō fulgentem in līmine plantam
innīxa argūtā cōnstituit soleā,
coniugis ut quondam flagrāns advēnit amōre
Prōtesilāēam Lāodamīa domum
inceptam frūstrā, nōndum cum sanguine sacrō 75
hostia caelestīs pācificāsset erōs.
Nīl mihi tam valdē placeat, Ramnūsia virgō,
quod temere invītīs suscipiātur eris.
Quam iēiūna pium dēsīderat āra cruōrem,
docta est āmissō Lāodamīa virō, 80
coniugis ante coācta novī dīmittere collum,
quam veniēns ūna atque altera rūrsus hiems
noctibus in longīs avidum saturāsset amōrem,
posset ut abruptō vīvere coniugiō,
quod scībant Parcae nōn longō tempore abesse, 85
sī mīles mūrōs īsset ad Īliacōs.
Nam tum Helenae raptū prīmōrēs Argīvōrum
coeperat ad sēsē Troia ciēre virōs,
Troia (nefās!) commūne sepulcrum Asiae Eurōpaeque,
Troia virum et virtūtum omnium acerba cinis, 90
quaene etiam nostrō lētum miserābile frātrī
attulit. ei miserō frāter adēmpte mihī
ei miserō frātrī iūcundum lūmen adēmptum,
tēcum ūnā tōta est nostra sepulta domus,
omnia tēcum ūnā periērunt gaudia nostra, 95
quae tuus in vītā dulcis alēbat amor.
vocabulary
dīva –ae f.: goddess; any female immortal, e.g., the sea nymph Thetis 70
terō terere trīvī trītum: rub; tread, traverse repeatedly
fulgeō fulgēre fulsī: shine brightly, gleam
planta –ae f.: sole of the foot
innītor –nītī –nixus sum: lean on, put one's weight on, press
argūtus –a –um: clear-sounding, squeaking, creaking
solea –ae f.: sandal
flagrō flagrāre flagrāvī flagrāturus: burn
Prōtesilāēus –a –um: of or belonging to Protesilaus
Lāodamīa –ae f.: Laodamia, wife of Protesilaus
hostia –ae f.: a sacrificial animal 76
pācificō –āre –āvī –ātum: placate, appease
erus –ī m.: master
valdē (valdius valdissimē): vigorously; strongly, greatly; very
Ramnūsius –a –um: of or native to Ramnus, a district of Attica (epithet of Nemesis, the Ramnusia virgo)
temerē: recklessly; without good cause
invītus –a –um: unwilling
iēiūnus –a –um: fasting, hungry, starved
cruor cruōris m.: blood (usually that of a wound)
collum collī n.: neck 81
avidus –a –um: greedy; ardently desirous, passionate
saturō saturāre saturāvī saturātus: fill, satisfy, sate
abrumpō abrumpere abrūpī abruptum: break; break off, separate
coniugium –iī n.: marriage, union; spouse
Parca –ae f.: a Roman goddess of birth; one of the Fates or Moirai 85
Īliacus –a –um: of Ilium, Trojan
Helena –ae f.: daughter of Zeus and Leda, wife of Menelaus, cause of Trojan War when Paris took her to Troy
raptus –ūs m.: robbery, plunder; abduction
prīmōris –e: chiefs, captains, leading men
Argus (Argīvus or Argeus or Argius) –a –um: Argive; by metonymy, Greek
Troia Troiae f.: the city and territory of Troy
cieō ciēre cīvī citus: move, set in motion; rouse, raise, produce
Asia –ae: Asia, esp. Asia Minor; the East
Eurōpa –ae f.: daughter of Phoenician king Agenor, carried off by Zeus in the form of a bull; Europe
acerbus –a –um: bitter; cruel, harsh, painful 90
lētum letī n.: death
miserābilis –e: pitiable, pathetic
ei: interj., monosyllabic expression of anguish
adimō adimere adēmī adēmptus: remove, take
iūcundus –a –um: pleasant, delightful
ūnā: together; at the same time 95
sepeliō sepelīre sepeliī/sepelīvī sepultum: buried