Tum vērō omne mihī vīsum cōnsīdere in ignīs
Īlium et ex īmō vertī Neptūnia Trōia:625
ac velutī summīs antīquam in montibus ornum
cum ferrō accīsam crēbrīsque bipennibus īnstant
ēruere agricolae certātim, illa usque minātur
et tremefacta comam concussō vertice nūtat,
vulneribus dōnec paulātim ēvicta suprēmum630
congemuit trāxitque iugīs āvulsa ruīnam.
Dēscendō ac dūcente deō flammam inter et hostēs
expedior: dant tēla locum flammaeque recēdunt.
notes
Troy falls like a mountain-ash (F-B).
624 tum vērō: i.e. when my eyes were thus opened (F-D).
624 visum (est) cōnsīdere in ignis: “seemed to sink into flames” (Pharr).
625 Neptūnia: because, according to the myth, Neptune had built the walls of Troy (Pharr).
625 ex īmō: “from its very foundation” (Comstock).
626-27 ac velutī … cum: “even as … when,” (Page). The fall of a hero is often compared to the fall of a tree (H-H). This simile is peculiarly vigorous and vivid. The quivering of the leafy top, the creak, groan, and final crash of the falling tree, are admirably drawn (Howson).
627 ferrō accīsam crēbrīsque bipennibus: “attacked with repeated blows of their iron axes” (Bennet). ferrō bipennibus is hendiadys for ferris bipennibus (Sidgwick), ablative of means (G-K) (AG 409).
628 ēruere: for the infinitive after instant (Austin).
628 illa (ornus) minātur: to fall (Knapp). The tree shifts from object of the sentence to its subject (Austin).
629 comam: accusative of respect with tremefacta, i.e. the foliage of trees (Pharr).
629 vertice: join with nutat as an ablative of manner (AG 412) (F-D).
630 vulneribus: “blows” (Comstock).
631 congemuit: the perfect of an instantaneous action can best be translated by the present in English (Carter).
631 (ā) iugīs (montis): “from the hilltops,” join with avulsa (F-D), ablative of separation (AG 400) (F-B).
631 trāxit ... ruīnam: falls with a crash, dragging down other objects with it (Pharr).
632 descendō: supply ex arce (Pharr); i.e. from the roof of Priam’s palace. (Knapp).
632 dūcente deō: ablative absolute (Pharr), note the alliteration with “d” (F-B).
632 flammam ... hostēs: objects of inter.
633 expedior: middle (Pharr), reflexive (Storr).
633 dant (mihi) locum: “give way before me” (Pharr).
vocabulary
cōnsīdō, sēdī, sessus, 3, n.: to sit or settle down together or completely; sink, 2.624; sit, 4.573; sit in mourning, 11.350; take a seat, 5.136; alight, 3.245; settle, 10.780; dwell, 1.572; abide, rest, 11.915; to lie at anchor, to anchor, 3.378; to be moored, stationed, 7.431.
Īlium, iī, n.: Troy, 1.68, et al.
Neptūnius, a, um: adj. (Neptūnus), pertaining to Neptune, built by Neptune, Neptunian, 2.625; son or descendant of Neptune, 7.691.
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.
ornus, ī, f.: a mountain-ash, 2.626, et al.
accīdō, cīdī, cīsus, 3, a.: to cut into, or up; cut, 2.627; eat into, devour, consume, 7.125. (ad and caedō)
crēber, bra, brum: (adj.), repeated, frequent, 2.731; coming thick and fast, 11.611; blowing fresh; fresh, 5.764; abounding in, full of, 1.85.
bipennis, e: adj. (bis and penna), two-winged; two-edged, 11.135; subst., f., a two-edged ax, 2.627; a battle-ax, 2.479.
īnstō, stitī, 1, n.: to stand on or upon; w. dat., acc., inf., or alone; w. dat., to stand on, 11.529; stand or hang over, 10.196; (w. acc.), to work at, ply work upon, 8.834; (w. inf.), urge on, press on, 1.423; persist, 10.118; (alone), to follow up, press on; pursue, 1.468; struggle, 12.783; be near at hand, approach, threaten, 12.916; to be urgent, important, incumbent, 4.115.
ēruō, ī, tus, 3, a.: to cast out or up; to overthrow, 2.5.
agricola, ae, m.: one who cultivates the land; a husbandman, 2.628. (ager and colō)
certātim: (adv.), with striving or contention; emulously, vying one with another; with every blow, 2.628; emulously, 3.290; impatiently, 11.486; as if in rivalry; fiercely, 11.209. (certō)
minor, ātus sum, 1, dep. n. and a.: to jut out, project; ascend, tower, 1.162; threaten, menace, 3.540. (minae)
tremefaciō, fēcī, factus, 3, a.: to cause to tremble or quake; to shake, 9.106; make to tremble with fear; cause to tremble, 6.803; p., tremefactus, a, um, trembling, 2.382; 10.102; quivering, 2.629. (tremō and faciō)
concutiō, cussī, cussus, 3, a.: to shake completely; shake, 2.629; push, 8.237; rouse, spur, 8.3; sift, examine, search, 7.338; agitate, strike with panic, terrify, 4.666; smite, afflict, 5.700. (com- and quatiō)
vertex, icis, m.: a whirl; whirlpool, 7.567; vortex, 1.117; whirling column of flame, 12.673; the top, crown of the head, the head, 1.403; summit, top, 1.163; mountain summit, height, 3.679; ā vertice, from on high, from above, 1.114. (vertō)
nūtō, āvī, ātus, 1, intens. n.: to nod; sway to and fro, 2.629; move, wave, 9.682. (nuō, nod)
paulātim: (adv.), little by little; gradually, 1.720. (paulum)
ēvincō, vīcī, victus, 3, a.: to conquer completely; overcome, 2.630; move, 4.548, et al.; bear down, sweep away, 2.497.
suprēmum: (adv.), for the last time, 3.68. (superus)
congemō, uī, 3, a. and n.: to groan deeply; send forth a sigh or groan; (fig.), to creak or crash, 2.631.
āvellō, vellī or vulsī, vulsus, 3, a.: to pluck, or tear off, or away from, with acc. and abl., take away, steal, 2.165; to force away, 11.201; p., avulsus, a, um, torn from, 2.608; torn, rent, 3.575.
ruīna, ae, f.: a falling down; fall, overthrow; convulsion, commotion, destructive force, 1.129; onset, shock, 11.613; pl., ruin, overthrow, destruction, 1.238; dare, trahere ruīnam, to fall in ruins, 2.310; bring destruction, 12.454. (ruō)
expediō, īvī or iī, ītus, 4, a.: to make the foot free; to extricate, disentangle; bring forth, get ready, 1.178; seize, use, 5.209; serve, 1.702; unfold, describe, disclose, 3.379, 460; declare, 11.315; pass. in middle sig., make one’s way out, escape, 2.633. (ex and pēs)