Hinc ferrō accingor rūrsus clipeōque sinistram

īnsertābam aptāns mēque extrā tēcta ferēbam.

Ecce autem complexa pedēs in līmine coniūnx

haerēbat, parvumque patrī tendēbat Iǖlum:

'Sī peritūrus abīs, et nōs rape in omnia tēcum;675

sīn aliquam expertus sūmptīs spem pōnis in armīs,

hanc prīmum tūtāre domum. Cui parvus Iǖlus,

cui pater et coniūnx quondam tua dicta relinquor?'

Creusa implores Aeneas not to leave her and their son (F-B). 

The voice of family solidarity: they will leave all together, or Aeneas will stay to defend them all (Horsfall).

671  clipeō: dative (F-D).

672  īnsertābam: possibly the imperfect is meant to convey the reluctance which Aeneas felt to leave his home and plunge into the fight (Howson); the tense, like ferebam, marks incipient action (Austin). 

672  aptāns: “fitting it on,” the left hand, took hold of a leather handle in the center of the shield (F-B). 

674  patrī: i.e. mihi, but more touching, also alliterative with parvum (F-B).

675  et: “also” (F-D); with nos: “us too” (G-K). 

675  in omnia: “for any fate” (F-B). 

675  rape: “snatch up/carry off unceremoniously, even violently” (Horsfall).

676  expertus: “taught by experience.” 

676  sūmptīs in armīs“in taking up arms” (F-D); supply arma, "having tried them" (F-B).

677-78  Iūlus ... pater: understand relinquitur from relinquor (Bennet).

678  coniūnx quondam tua dicta: “once called your wife” (Sidgwick); a bitter reproach (F-B). 

678  relinquor: passive voice emphasizes the helplessness of Creusa (Knapp). 

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Suggested Citation

Christopher Francese and Meghan Reedy, Vergil: Aeneid Selections. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-947822-08-5. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/ro/vergil-aeneid/vergil-aeneid-ii-671-678