Vix ea fātus erat senior, subitōque fragōre
intonuit laevum, et dē caelō lāpsa per umbrās
stella facem dūcēns multā cum lūce cucurrit.
Illam summa super lābentem culmina tēctī695
cernimus Īdaeā clāram sē condere silvā
signantemque viās; tum longō līmite sulcus
dat lūcem et lātē circum loca sulphure fūmant.
Hīc vērō victus genitor sē tollit ad aurās
adfāturque deōs et sānctum sīdus adōrat.700
'Iam iam nūlla mora est; sequor et quā dūcitis adsum,
Dī patriī; servāte domum, servāte nepōtem.
Vestrum hoc augurium, vestrōque in nūmine Trōia est.
Cēdō equidem nec, nāte, tibī comes īre recūsō.'
Dīxerat ille, et iam per moenia clārior ignis705
audītur, propiusque aestūs incendia volvunt.
'Ergō age, cāre pater, cervīcī impōnere nostrae;
ipse subībō umerīs nec mē labor iste gravābit;
Quō rēs cumque cadent, ūnum et commūne perīclum,
ūna salūs ambōbus erit. Mihi parvus Iǖlus710
sit comes, et longē servet vēstīgia coniūnx.
Vōs, famulī, quae dīcam animīs advertite vestrīs.
Est urbe ēgressīs tumulus templumque vetustum
dēsertae Cereris, iūxtāque antīqua cupressus
rēligiōne patrum multōs servāta per annōs;715
hanc ex dīversō sēdem veniēmus in ūnam.
Tū, genitor, cape sacra manū patriōsque Penātēs;
mē bellō ē tantō dīgressum et caede recentī
attrectāre nefās, dōnec mē flūmine vīvō
abluerō.'720
Haec fātus lātōs umerōs subiectaque colla
veste super fulvīque īnsternor pelle leōnis,
succēdōque onerī; dextrae sē parvus Iǖlus
implicuit sequiturque patrem nōn passibus aequīs;
pōne subit coniūnx. Ferimur per opāca locōrum,725
et mē, quem dūdum nōn ūlla iniecta movēbant
tēla neque adversō glomerātī exāmine Grāī,
nunc omnēs terrent aurae, sonus excitat omnis
suspēnsum et pariter comitīque onerīque timentem.
notes
All leave the house (F-B). Anchises’ prayer is answered: there is thunder on the left, and a star falls down through the sky. He recognizes the will of heaven, and cries that he no longer resists leaving Troy (Austin).
692 vix … subitōque: parataxis (Knapp). -que has the force of “when” (Bennet).
693 intonuit laevum: "it thundered on the left.” Thunder on the left was a good sign according to Roman augury (H-H).laevum is a neuter adjective being used as a noun in an accusative of effect construction (Knapp) (AG 386). Intonuit is impersonal (F-D).
694 facem: i.e. a torch-like trail (Knapp).
694 stella: i.e. a shooting-star or meteor, a phenomenon always regarded with superstition by the ancients (G-K). See Livy, History of Rome 29.14, 30.2, 41.21.
696 clāram: i.e. still bright (G-K).
696 Īdaeā ... silvā: perhaps to indicate that Mt. Ida was the point for which they should aim (Howson).
697 signantemque viās: "and marking out its way" (in the heaven) (H-H), indicating that they should flee to the forests of Mt. Ida for protection (Pharr).
697 longō līmite: "in a long track." The descriptive ablative acts for a compound epithet (Austin).
697 sulcus: “its track,” “like a furrow in the air” (F-D).
699 victus: he yields to the gods (F-B); not merely overcome, but altogether transformed, mentally and indeed physically (Horsfall).
699 sē tollit ad aurās: arises, i.e. from his couch (Pharr).
700 adfātur: “prays to” (Carter).
701 quā: supply viā (Carter).
702 nepōtem: Ascanius, upon whom depends the future of the Trojan race (F-B).
702 domum: “family," "household,” metonymy (Pharr).
703 vestrō in nūmine: “under your protection” (F-B). The portent showed that the gods had taken Troy into their charge, and did not design the entire destruction of the race (Howson).
703 vestrum (est) ... vestrō: rhetorical repetition (Pharr).
703 Trōia: Anchises considered all that remained of Troy was this one family (Pharr).
704 cēdō: "I yield," "I resist no more” (H-H).
705 per moenia: “through the city” (F-B).
705 clārior: refers to the roaring of the conflagration (F-D).
706 aestūs: accusative, “the surging flames” (Storr); it seems best to take aestus as subject rather than incendia (G-K).
706 aestūs incendia volvunt: "the conflagration rolls a fiery flood" (Page).
706 propius: adverbial, "nearer," indicating the onset of danger (Horsfall). LS proprior I.A.1.
707 Ergō age: “Come then!” (Bennet).
707 impōnere: “place yourself” (Storr); the middle voice is not often used, as here, in the imperative mood (Howson).
707 cervīcī: “on my shoulders,” dative with a compound verb (Pharr).
708 subībō: supply te, “I will support you” (F-B).
708 umerīs : ablative of means (F-D) (AG 409 ).
708 labor iste: "the burden you cause” (H-H).
709 quō ... cumque: tmesis; “however” (F-B).
709 periclum: perīc(u)lum erit (Pharr).
710 nobis ambobus: the picture of father and son united (Austin).
710 mihi: dative of possession or reference (Pharr).
711 sit ... servet: volitive subjunctive (Pharr).
711 longē: Vergil puts in this word to prepare us for the account of Creusa's loss in 735; we must suppose that the object of Creusa's following “at a distance” is to avoid attracting attention to the party by their numbers (Page).
711 vēstīgia: supply mea (Knapp).
712 advertite: with the ablative of animus instead of the accusative is very rare (F-D), hypallage (Horsfall).
(ea) quae dīcam: governed by advertite; dicam is future indicative (F-B).
713 urbe ēgressīs: “as you go out of the city” (G-K); dative of reference (AG 376); ethical dative (AG 380) (P-H).
714 dēsertae Cereris: "of lonely Ceres." Temples of Ceres were usually built outside the walls in unfrequented spots (Page).
715 rēligiōne patrum: "thanks to the religious devotion of our ancestors.”
716 ex dīversō: “from different directions” (Page).
717 sacra ... Penātēs: i.e. given to Aeneas by Hector (Knapp). In normal Roman households the Di Penates were the gods of the larder, regarded as controlling the destiny of the household. The Penates of the State were supposed to be those originally brought from Troy. See Varro, On the Latin Language 5.54 (a temple to the deified Penates on the Velian hill) and 5.144 (Aeneas' placement of the Penates at Lavinium).
718-19: mē ... nefās: nefās (est) mē, dīgressum ē tantō bellō et caede recentī, attrectāre (sacra patriōsque penātēs) (Pharr).
719 attrectāre: As object understand ea, with reference to sacra (Bennet).
719 vīvō: Running water was held indispensable for purification (Howson).
720 abluerō: to engage in religious rites, or to touch the sacred things, without first washing the hands in the ‘living’ i.e. running, water, was deemed impious (F-D); the verb has a purificatory sense (Austin). This line is incomplete in the manuscripts.
721-22 lātōs umerōs ... leōnis: “over my broad shoulders and bowed neck I spread the covering of a tawny lion's pelt.” veste is defined by pelle, so that -que is explanatory, super is an adverb, insternor is used as a middle voice, and therefore governs a direct accusative (F-B).
722 veste: with pelle, a hendiadys (G-K).
723 succēdō onerī: “I shoulder the burden” (Howson). onerī is dative with a compound verb (Pharr).
723-24 dextrae sē ... / implicuit: “took firm clasp of my hand.” dextrae is an indirect object (AG 362) (F-B).
725 opāca locōrum: “the darkest quarters” (Knapp).
725 Ferimur: “we hasten” (Bennet), LS fero I.B.1.β.
726 movēbant: “could alarm” (G-K).
726 dūdum: “a moment ago” (Austin).
727 adversō glomerātī exāmine: “crowded together in an opposing phalanx" (F-D), "thronging in an opposing mass" (Fairclough).
728 excitat: "stirs (me)" "rouses (me) into activity" (OLD excito 5), perhaps "makes me jump."
729 suspēnsum ... timentem: "anxious ... afraid," supply mē.
729 comitī: Ascanius (Knapp).
vocabulary
subitus, a, um: having come up suddenly; unexpected, sudden, 2.692; suddenly, 3.225. (subeō)
fragor, ōris, m.: breaking, the noise of breaking; a crash; noise; a burst or clap of thunder, 2.692; roaring, uproar, 1.154; shout, 5.228; noise of lamentation, 11.214. (frangō)
intonō, uī, ātus 1, n. and a.: to thunder, 1.90; (impers.), intonat, it thunders, 2.693.
laevum: (adv.), on the left, 2.693.
lābor, lapsus sum, 3, dep. n.: to slide, glide down, or slip, freq.; fall down, 2.465; ebb, 11.628; pass away, 2.14; descend, 2.262; glide, sail, skim along, 8.91; flow, 3.281; fall, perish, 2.430; decline, 4.318; faint, 3.309.
culmen, inis, n.: a top, summit, height, 2.290; house top, ridge, roof, 2.458. (cf. columna)
Īdaeus, a, um: (adj.), of Mount Ida (either in Crete or in the Troad), Idaean, 3.105; 2.696, et al.; pertaining to Cybele, goddess of the Trojan Ida, 9.112.
sīgnō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to distinguish by a mark or symbol, 6.780; mark, mark out; indicate, designate, 2.697; inscribe, record, 3.287; of the mind, observe, mark, notice, 2.423. (sīgnum)
līmes, itis, m.: a cross path bounding two fields; border, boundary, train, 2.697; track, passage, 10.514. (rel. to līmen)
sulcus, ī, m.: a furrow, 6.844; furrow, 1.425; track, train, 2.697.
lātē: (adv.), widely; far and wide, 1.21; on all sides, far around, 1.163; all over, 12.308. (lātus)
circum: (adv.), about, around; (prep. with acc.), around, about.
sulphur, uris, n.: sulphur, 2.698.
fūmō, āvī, ātus, 1, n.: to smoke, 3.3, et al.; send up vapor; fume, reek, 2.698; foam, 12.338. (fūmus)
genitor, ōris, m.: he who begets; father, sire, 1.155, et al. (gignō)
adfor, fātus sum, 1, dep. a.: to speak to; address, 1.663; beseech, supplicate, 2.700; bid adieu, farewell to, 2.644.
adōrō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to pray to; supplicate, worship, adore, 1.48.
patrius, a, um: adj. (pater), pertaining to one's father or ancestors; a father's, 2.658; paternal, natural to a father, 1.643; exacted by a father, 7.766; due to, felt for a father or parent, 9.294; ancestral, hereditary, 3.249; of one's country, native, 3.281; belonging to the nation, of the country, 11.374.
nepōs, ōtis, m.: a grandson, 2.702; pl., nepōtēs, um, grandchildren; posterity, descendants, 2.194.
augurium, iī, n.: the business of the augur; augury, divination, 1.392; an augury, omen, portent, 2.703; oracle, 3.89; presage, 5.523. (augur)
Trōia, ae, f.: 1. Troy, the capital of the Troad, 2.625, et al. 2. A city built by Helenus in Epirus, 3.349. 3. A part of the city of Acesta in Sicily, 5.756. 4. The name of an equestrian game of Roman boys, 5.602.
equidem: (adv.), indeed, at least, certainly, surely; w. first person, for my part, 1.238. (demonstr. e or ec and quidem)
recūsō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to bring a reason against; object; reject, decline, 5.417; refuse, 2.607; shrink back, recoil, 5.406. (re- and causa)
aestus, ūs, m.: glowing heat; summer; a boiling; a billowy motion; waves of flame, flames, 2.706; wave, surge, 1.107; tide, sea, flood, 3.419; tide (of feeling), agitation, 4.532.
incendium, iī, n.: a burning, conflagration; flame, fire, 2.706; desolation, 1.566; fiery material, firebrand, 9.71. (incendō)
volvō, volvī, volūtus, 3, a.: to roll, 1.86; roll along or down, 1.101; roll or cast up, 3.206; toss, hurl, 12.906; roll over, roll in the dust, 12.329; cast, hurl down, 1.116; 9.512; roll, wheel, 1.163; of books, open, unroll, 1.262; of the Fates, fix the circle of events, decree, ordain, dispose, 1.22; 3.376; of the mind, revolve, meditate, reflect upon, 1.305; pass, continue, live through, experience, endure, suffer, 1.9; rotam volvere, to complete a cycle, period; (pass.), volvī, roll over, roll, 10.590; turn or wind about, 7.350; to be shed, to flow, 4.449; roll on, revolve, 1.269.
cervīx, īcis, f.: the neck, including the back or nape of the neck, 1.477, et al.
umerus, ī, m.: the upper bone of the arm; the shoulder, 1.501, and freq.
gravō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to weigh down, 9.437; oppress, burden, 2.708; (pass.), to resist, yield reluctantly, 10.628. (gravis)
quōcumque: (adv.), indef., to whatever place, whithersoever, wherever; however, 12.203; separated by tmesis, 2.709.
ambō, ae, ō: (adj.), both, 1.458.
Iūlus, ī, m.: Iulus or Ascanius, son of Aeneas, 1.267, et freq.
famulus, ī, m.: pertaining to the house; a house servant or slave; manservant, 1.701; attendant, 5.95.
tumulus, ī, m.: a rising ground; a low hill, 9.195; a mound, 2.713; sepulchral mound, sepulcher, tomb, 3.304; 11.103. (tumeō)
vetustus, a, um: old, ancient, 2.713. (vetus)
dēsertus, a, um: desolate; abandoned, 12.664; uninhabited, solitary, lonely, 3.646.
Cerēs, eris, f.: daughter of Saturn and Ops, and goddess of agriculture; (meton.), corn, grain, 1.177; bread, 1.701; cake, loaf, 7.113; Cerēs labōrāta, bread, 8.181.
iūxtā: (adv. and prep. w. acc.), near, close, near by, 2.513; at the same time, 2.666; near to, 3.506.
cupressus, ī, f.: the cypress; a branch of cypress, 2.714.
religiō, ōnis, f.: reverence for divine things; piety, devotion, 2.715; sanctity, 8.349; worship, sacred ceremonial, observance, 3.409; sacred thing, symbol, token, 2.151; object of worship; divinity, 12.182; augury, 3.363.
sacrum, ī, n.: a holy thing; pl., sacra, ōrum, n., sacred symbols, rites, 12.13; sacred rites, ceremonies, sacrifices, 2.132; sacred things, utensils, symbols, 2.293; mysteries, 3.112.
Penātēs, ium, m.: gods of the household; hearth-, fireside gods, 2.514, et al.; tutelary gods of the state as a national family, 1.68; (fig.), fireside, hearth, dwelling-house, abode, 1.527. (penus)
dīgredior, gressus sum, 3, dep. n.: to walk or go apart, aside, or away; depart, 3.410; separate, 4.80; come from, 2.718. (di- and gradior)
attrectō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to handle or touch, with the notion of violating, 2.719. (ad and tractō)
vīvus, a, um: adj. (vīvō), alive, living, 6.531; lifelike, 6.848; immortal, 12.235; of water, living, running, pure, 2.719; of rock, natural, unquarried, living, 1.167.
abluō, luī, lūtus, 3, a.: to wash away, 9.818; cleanse, purify, wash, 2.720.
subiciō, iēcī, iectus, 3, a.: to cast, throw, place or put under, 2.236; (fig.), to excite, kindle, 12.66; to subjoin, utter in reply, answer, 3.314; p., subiectus, a, um, cast under, put under, 6.223; situated under, bowed, bending, 2.721; put down, subdued, conquered, 6.853. (sub and iaciō)
collum, ī, n.: the neck of men and animals, 1.654, et al.; of a plant, 9.436; pl., the neck, 11.692.
fulvus, a, um: (adj.), reddish or tawny yellow; yellow, 5.374; tawny, 2.722; brown, 11.751; glowing, bright, 12.792.
īnsternō, strāvī, strātus, 3, a.: to spread over; cover, 2.722; saddle, 7.277; extend over, 12.675.
pellis, is, f.: a skin, hide, 2.722, et al.
leō, leōnis, m.: a lion, 2.722, et al.
succēdō, cessī, cessus, 3, n. and a.: to go, come up to or under, with dat., or acc. and prep., or without a case, to go up to, visit, 8.507; ascend, 12.235; come up to, advance to, 2.478; approach, 7.214; encounter, 10.847; enter, 1.627; creep under, disappear beneath, 5.93; to descend into the earth, to be buried, 11.103; take up, take upon one's self, 2.723; go under, be yoked to, 3.541; to follow, 11.481; to turn out well; succeed, come to pass, 11.794. (sub and cēdō)
implicō, āvī or uī, ātus or itus, 1, a.,: to fold in; involve, entangle, entwine, 2.215; to wheel, 12.743; (w. dat.), bind to, 11.555; infuse, 1.660; insinuate, mingle, 7.355; sē implicāre, cling to, 2.724.
passus, ūs, m.: a spreading or stretching; a step, pace, 2.724. (pandō)
pōne: (adv. of place), behind, after, 2.208.
opācus, a, um: (adj.), shady, 6.283; obscure, dark, 3.619; subst., opāca, ōrum, n., partitive; opāca viārum, dark pathways, roads, 6.633.
dūdum: (adv.), a while ago; some time ago; lately, not long ago; just now, 2.726, et al. (diū and dum)
īniciō, iēcī, iectus, 3, a.: to cast or throw into, or upon, 6.366; hurl, 2.726; lay on, of the hand of Fate, 10.419. (1. in and iaciō)
glomerō, āvī, atus, 1, a.: to gather into a ball or mass; roll, whirl, 3.577; collect; assemble, gather, 2.315; (pass.), glomerārī, in mid. signif., to throng, gather; troop, flock, 1.500. (glomus, ball)
Grāī (Grāiī) (dissyll.), ōrum, m.: the Greeks, 1.467, et al.
sonus, ī, m.: a sound, noise, 2.728. (sonō)
excitō, āvī, ātus, 1, intens. a.: to rouse up completely; excite, awaken, arouse, 2.594; alarm, 2.728; stimulate, impel, 3.343. (exciō)
suspēnsus, a, um: in suspense, uncertain, doubtful, in doubt, 6.722; anxious, 2.729; filled with awe, 3.372.
pariter: (adv.), equally, 2.729; also, in like manner, in the same manner, on equal terms, 1.572; side by side, 2.205; at the same time, 10.865; pariter — pariter, 8.545. (pār)