Heu nihil invītīs fās quemquam fīdere dīvīs!
Ecce trahēbātur passīs Priamēïa virgō
crīnibus ā templō Cassandra adytīsque Minervae
ad caelum tendēns ārdentia lūmina frūstrā,405
lūmina, nam tenerās arcēbant vincula palmās.
Nōn tulit hanc speciem furiātā mente Coroebus
et sēsē medium iniēcit peritūrus in agmen;
cōnsequimur cūnctī et dēnsīs incurrimus armīs.
Hīc prīmum ex altō dēlūbrī culmine tēlīs410
nostrōrum obruimur oriturque miserrima caedēs
armōrum faciē et Grāiārum errōre iubārum.
tum Danaī gemitū atque ēreptae virginis īrā
undique collēctī invādunt, ācerrimus Āiāx
et geminī Atrīdae Dolopumque exercitus omnis:415
adversī ruptō ceu quondam turbine ventī
cōnflīgunt, Zephyrusque Notusque et laetus Eōīs
Eurus equīs; strīdunt silvae saevitque tridentī
spūmeus atque īmō Nēreus ciet aequora fundō.
Illī etiam, sī quōs obscūrā nocte per umbram420
fūdimus īnsidiīs tōtāque agitāvimus urbe,
appārent; prīmī clipeōs mentītaque tēla
agnōscunt atque ōra sonō discordia signant.
Īlicet obruimur numerō, prīmusque Coroebus
Pēneleī dextrā dīvae armipotentis ad āram425
prōcumbit; cadit et Rhīpeus, iūstissimus ūnus
quī fuit in Teucrīs et servantissimus aequī
(dīs aliter vīsum); pereunt Hypanisque Dymāsque
cōnfīxī ā sociīs; nec tē tua plūrima, Panthū,
lābentem pietās nec Apollinis īnfula tēxit.430
Īliacī cinerēs et flamma extrēma meōrum,
testor, in occāsū vestrō nec tēla nec ūllās
vītāvisse vicēs, Danaüm et, sī Fāta fuissent
ut caderem, meruisse manū. Dīvellimur inde,
Īphitus et Peliās mēcum (quōrum Īphitus aevō435
iam gravior, Peliās et vulnere tardus Ulixī),
prōtinus ad sēdēs Priamī clāmōre vocātī.
notes
Coroebus attempts to rescue Cassandra (Storr). Their disguise is discovered and many Trojans fall. Aeneas makes his way to Priam's palace (Bennet).
402 Heu nihil fās (est) ... dīvīs: “alas, men may not put their trust in unwilling gods,” i.e. the Trojans, in putting on Greek armor, placed themselves under the protection of the divinities who were unfavorable to them (F-D). nihil is an inner object with fidere (F-B).
403 trahēbātur: i.e. by Ajax the Lesser (Ajax Oileus), who dragged her with the statue of Pallas to which she clung (G-K). She is now seen as she is being dragged off to the Greek ships, bound and manhandled, after a peculiarly sacrilegious rape (Horsfall).
403 passīs crīnibus: either the abl. of description, "with her tresses all loose” (AG 415) or the abl. of means, "by her loosened tresses" (AG 409) (F-B). passis may imply supplication and so may another indirect allusion to the story, not a conventional picture of Cassandra as prophetess (Austin).
403 Priamēïa virgō: “Priam’s maiden daughter” (Knapp); "the daughter of Priam," the adjective being equivalent to the genitive, as often (Pharr).
404 ā templō Minervae: she had fled to the shrine of Minerva for refuge.
404 adytīs: “from the inner sanctuary” (F-D).
405 tendēns: “straining” (C-R).
405 lūmina: metonymy for "eyes."
406 arcēbant: "confined," so that hands could not be raised in prayer (H-H).
406 palmās: in supplication, the hands were extended with open palms (F-B).
407 nōn tulit: because he was her lover (Comstock).
407 furiātā mente: abl. of description (AG 415) (H-H).
408 et: “but,” as in line 94 (Knapp).
408 peritūrus: “prepared to die” (Storr).
409 dēnsīs armīs: ablative of manner (F-D) (AG 412); ablative of means (Pharr); armīs is probably a dative (Storr), “into the thick of the fight” (G-K).
410 dēlūbrī ex culmine: delubri is the temple mentioned in 404 (Knapp). A party of Trojans was hurling down missiles from the top of the temple of Minerva on the citadel (F-D).
411 miserrima: i.e. because they were slain by their own fellow-citizens (G-K).
412 faciē ... errōre: ablative of cause (AG 404) (F-B).
412 errōre iubārum: “the mistake arising from the crests” (Storr); iubārum is objective gen (AG 347).
413 gemitū … īrā: "with a cry of rage at the rescue of the maiden" (Knapp); ablative of cause (Pharr). Another case of hendiadys (C-R). ēreptae virginis: “the rescue of the maiden,” subjective genitive (AG 343) (F-D).
414 collēctī: middle voice (Pharr).
414 invādunt: supply nōs (Pharr).
414 ācerrimus: "most fiercely" (H-H).
415: geminī: = duo. They were not twins (Pharr).
415 Atrīdae: the brothers Agamemnon and Menaleus, sons of Atreus.
416 adversī: "face to face" (G-K), “opposed (to each other),” and hence “opposing.”
416 quondam: “at times” (P-H).
416 ruptō ... turbine: “when a whirlwind bursts forth,” ablative absolute, expressing time (F-D). (AG 419)
417 Zephyrus … Notus … Eurus: Greek names for West, South, East winds. The accompaniment of horses was common with the imaginative representation of the winds: originally a natural symbol of strength and speed (Sidgwick).
418 mark the alliteration (Howson).
418 tridentī: ablative of means (Pharr).
419 spūmeus: "all foaming," applying to the sea-god and the sea (Comstock).
419 fundō: supply ex (Pharr).
420 Illī (Danai) appārent (Pharr). sī quōs: quōscumque (Knapp).
421 fūdimus īnsidiīs: “we routed with our [trickery]” (Page).
421 tōtā urbe: “throughout the city” (F-B); ablative of extension (P-H).
422-23 Illī (Danai) prīmī … agnōscunt atque … signant.
422 mentīta: "false” not deceptive (Howson).
423 (nostra) ōra sonō discordia signant: “mark our speech as differing in tone (from theirs).” The Greeks and Trojans are supposed to speak the same language, but with a difference in accent (F-B).
423 sonō: ablative of respect with discordia (Pharr).
424 Īlicet: "immediately," "straightaway," īre + liect. The word was used as a formula of dismissal by the priest after the sacrifice, by the consul after an assembly ,etc. Then it came from its interjectional use to bear an adverbial sense (Howson).
424 obruimur: the final syllable is long here (G-K).
425: dīvae armipotentis = Minervae (Pharr).
426: iūstissimus ūnus: “most righteous of all,” unus is often used to strengthen a superlative (F-B).
427: servantissimus aequī: “most devoted to justice”; aequi is used substantively as an objective genitive (Pharr).
428: dīs aliter vīsum (est): the gods decreed otherwise, lit., “it seemed otherwise to the gods” (Pharr). Hypanisque Dymāsque: the double -que joins them as companions in death (Austin).
429: ā (suīs) sociīs: ' by their friends ' on the summit of the temple (F-D).
430: īnfula: It was the sign of his holy office and so might have been expected to defend him (Sidgwick).
431: flamma meōrum: Aeneas speaks as if burning Troy were a funeral pile, in which his slain countrymen had been consumed (F-D).
432: (vos) testor (Pharr). ūllās vicēs: “any chances” (Bennet).
433:(me) vītāvisse: supply me as accusative subject of the indirect statement (Knapp). Danaüm: with both tela and vices (C-R). With manu (Carter).
434: ut caderem: These words are very carefully placed : they must be taken with si fata fuissent (which needs something to complete its meaning and cannot by itself = “had fate so willed”), but they also are mentally carried on to meruisse manū. “Had fate been that I should fall by my deeds I earned it {i.e. the right to fall),” (Page). dīvellimur: “we tear ourselves.” middle or reflexive use (C-R).
435: quōrum Īphitus (est) gravior, et Peliās (est) tardus (Pharr). aevō: aetate (Carter).
436: gravior: i.e. rather slowly in movement (Knapp); “somewhat burdened” (F-B). Ulixī: subjective genitive with vulnere (AG 343); “inflicted by, Ulysses” (F-D).
437: prōtinus: again stressing the urgency of the summons (Austin). sēdēs: “palace” (Carter). vocātī: supply sumus (Knapp), take vocati as a finite verb, rather than as a participle dependent on divellimur (P-H).
vocabulary
heu: (interj.), alas! ah! oh! 2.289, et al.
invītus, a, um: (adj.), unwilling, 6.460; unfriendly, 2.402.
fās, indecl. n.: divine right or law; duty, justice, 3.55; privilege, 9.96; as predicate with esse, permitted, lawful, proper, incumbent, 1.77, et al. (rel. to for)
fīdō, fīsus sum, 3, n.: to confide, trust, rely; freq., w. dat., 7.290; w. abl., 5.398; w. inf., dare, 5.69; p., fīdēns, entis, trusting, bold, confident, w. abl., dat., or gen., freq. (rel. to πείθω, persuade)
pandō, pandī, passus or pānsus, 3, a.: to spread out or open, 7.641; unfurl, 3.520; extend, expose, 6.740; break through, open, 2.234; unbind, dishevel, 1.480; (fig.), disclose, declare, explain, reveal, 3.179.
Priamēius, a, um: adj. (Priamus), of Priam, 2.403; Priam's, 7.252.
crīnis, is, m.: the hair, 1.480; train of meteors, 5.528; (often in the pl.), the hairs of the head, the hair.
Cassandra, ae, f.: a daughter of Priam, beloved of Apollo, and inspired by him with prophecy; but because she did not requite his love, condemned to foretell the destruction of Troy without being believed by her countrymen, 2.246.
adytum, ī, n.: the inaccessible; the innermost part of a temple, accessible only to the priest; a shrine, sanctuary, oracle, 2.115; the interior of a tomb, or shrine of the dead, 5.84.
Minerva, ae, f.: an Italian goddess, understood to be the same as the Greek Athena; the goddess of wisdom, of the liberal and industrial arts, and of systematic or strategic warfare, 2.31, et al.; (meton.), wisdom, wit; household work, spinning, the loom, etc., 5.284, et al.
ārdēns, entis: burning, hot, sparkling, flaming, 5.637; bright, 4.482; impassioned, ardent, eager, 1.423; spirited, fiery, 1.472; glowing, lofty, 6.130; fierce, furious, 2.529; angry, 6.467. (ardeo)
arceō, uī, 2, a.: to inclose, shut in; restrain, bind, 2.406; debar, keep off, repel, 1.435; protect, save from, 8.73.
palma, ae, f.: the palm of the hand, 8.69; the hand, 1.93; palm branch, 5.111; a palm branch or wreath as the symbol of victory; reward, prize, 5.349; victory; a victor, 5.339.
furiō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to madden, enrage, infuriate, 2.407. (furiae)
Coroebus, ī, m.: Coroebus, a Phrygian chief, son of Mygdon, lover of Cassandra, 2.341.
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)
dēnsus, a, um: (adj.), thick, dense, crowded, compact, in close array, serried, 2.383; frequent, 5.459.
incurrō, currī or cucurrī, cursus, 3, n.: to run into or against; rush upon, charge, 2.409; 11.759.
dēlūbrum, ī, n.: the place for sacrificial cleansings; a shrine, temple, sanctuary, 2.225, et al. (dēluō, cleanse)
culmen, inis, n.: a top, summit, height, 2.290; house top, ridge, roof, 2.458. (cf. columna)
nostrī, ōrum, m.: our friends, kindred, allies, etc., 2.411. (noster)
obruō, uī, utus, 3, a.: to cover over; bury; overwhelm, 1.69; overpower, 2.424; destroy, 5.692.
Grāius, a, um (dissyl.): (adj.), Greek, Greek, 2.598; subs., Grāius, iī, m., a Greek, 3.594.
iuba, ae, f.: the mane of a horse; of a serpent, 2.206; of a helmet, plume, crest, 2.412.
Danaī, ōrum, m.: the Greeks, 2.327.
gemitus, ūs, m.: a groaning; a groan, 3.39, et al.; sigh, 1.485; lamentation, 2.486; cry, 2.413; noise, roaring, 3.555. (gemō)
invādō, vāsī, vāsus, 3, a. and n.: to go into; enter, 3.382; enter upon, 6.260; invade, violate, 6.623; rush into, 12.712; attack, assail, 2.414; address, accost, 4.265; undertake, adventure, 9.186.
Aiāx, ācis, m.: 1. Ajax, the son of Telamon. 2. Ajax, the son of Oileus, called also Ajax the Lesser, 1.41; 2.414.
geminus, a, um: (adj.), twin, 1.274, et al.; twofold, 6.203; double, two, 4.470; pl., geminī, ae, a, twin, 2.500; two, 1.162.
Atrīdēs, ae, m.: a son or descendant of Atreus; pl., Atrīdae, ārum, the Atridae (Agamemnon and Menelaus), 2.104.
Dolopes, um, m.: the Dolopians, a warlike tribe of Thessaly, followers of Pyrrhus at Troy, 2.7.
ceu: (adv. and conj.), as, just as, 5.88; as if, 2.438, et al. (ce-ve)
turbō, inis, m.: a tornado, whirlwind; storm, tempest, 1.442; whirling cloud, 3.573; wind accompanying the lightning; lightning-blast, 1.45; 6.594; whirling or stormy force, 11.284, et al.; a whirling top, a child's top, 7.378. (cf. turba)
cōnflīgō, flīxī, flīctus, 3, a. and n.: to strike against; fight, contend, 2.417.
Zephyrus, ī, m.: Zephyrus or Favonius, the god of the west wind, 2.417, et al.; west wind, 4.562; wind, 10.103.
Notus, ī, m.: identical in meaning with auster; the south-wind, 1.85; wind, 6.355; storm, 1.575.
eōus, a, um: (adj.), belonging to the dawn, eastern, 1.489.
Eurus, ī, m.: the southeast wind, 1.85, et al.; wind, 1.383, et al.
strīdeō, 2, n., and strīdō, strīdī, 3: to produce a grating or shrill sound; to creak, 1.449; gurgle, 4.689; rustle, 1.397; whiz, roar, 1.102; hiss, 8.420; twang, 5.502.
saeviō, iī, ītus, 4, n.: to be fierce; to be furious, rage; be angry, 6.544. (saevus)
tridēns, entis: adj. (trēs and dēns), three-pronged, trident, 5.143; subst., tridēns, entis, m., a triple-pointed spear; trident, 1.138.
spūmeus, a, um: adj. (spūma), foamy, frothy, foaming, 2.419.
Nēreus (dissyll.), eī or eos, m.: Nereus, a sea-god, son of Oceanus and Tethys, and father of the Nereids, 2.419, et al.; (meton.), the sea, 10.764.
cieō, cīvī, citus, 2, a.: to cause, to move; stir, 2.419; agitate, move, 4.122; excite, kindle, rouse, 6.165; raise, 12.104; call upon, invoke, 3.68; call up, exhibit, 5.585; of tears, shed, 6.468.
fundus, ī, m.: the bottom, 2.419; depth, abyss, 6.581; the ground; a farm; fundō, from the foundation, 10.88.
quis, qua or quae, quid or quod: (indef. pron., adj., and subst.), any, some, 2.94, et al.; some one, any one, any body, anything, something, 1.413, et al.; sī quis, nē quis, etc., if any, lest any, etc., freq.; (adv.), quid, as to anything, in anything, at all, freq.; sī quid, if at all, freq.
obscūrus, a, um: (adj.), dim, dark, dusky, obscure, 1.411; uncertain; of persons, unseen, 2.135; in the darkness, 6.268; pl., obscūra, ōrum, dim places; obscurity, uncertainty, 6.100.
īnsidiae, ārum, f.: a sitting down, or lying in ambuscade; an ambush, 11.783; snare, toil; plot, treachery, wile, 2.36; stealthy journey or enterprise, 9.237; artifice, stratagem, 2.421; personif. pl., Īnsidiae, ārum, Stratagem, 12.336. (īnsideō)
clipeus, ī, m., and clipeum, ī, n.: a round shield; a shield, 2.227, et al.
mentior, ītus sum, 4, dep. n. and a.: to devise; falsify, lie, pretend, 2.540; feign, counterfeit; p., mentītus, a, um; (pass.), 2.422. (mēns)
adgnoscō, nōvī, nitus, 3, a.: to recognize, 1.470.
sonus, ī, m.: a sound, noise, 2.728. (sonō)
discors, cordis: adj. (dis- and cor), disagreeing, 2.423; hostile, 9.688; opposing, contending, 10.356.
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)
īlicet: (adv.), straightway, immediately, at once, instantly, 2.424. (īre and licet)
Pēneleus (trisyll.), eī or eos, m.: Peneleus, a Greek warrior, said to have been one of the suitors of Helen, 2.425.
dīva, ae, f.: a goddess, 1.632, et al.
armipotēns, entis: adj. (arma and potēns), powerful in arms; valiant, brave, warlike, 2.425.
prōcumbō, cubuī, cubitus, 3, n.: to lie down; to bend, lean forward, lie along, 8.83; bend down, lie prostrate; fall upon, 11.150; bend to, ply the oars, 5.198; to fall in death or battle, 2.426; fall down, sink in ruins, 2.505.
Rīpheus (dissyll.), eī, m.: a Trojan slain in the sack of Troy, 2.339.
Teucrī, ōrum, m.: the Trojans, descendants of Teucer, 1.38, et al.; adj., Teucrian, Trojan, 9.779, et al. (Teucer)
servāns, antis (superl., servantissimus, a, um): observant, w. gen., 2.427.
aequum, ī, n.: that which is even; right, justice, 2.427; in aequum, to the open field, 9.68.
Hypanis, is, m.: a Trojan, 2.340.
Dymās, antis, m.: Dymas, a Trojan warrior, 2.340.
cōnfīgō, fīxī, fīxus, 3, a.: to fasten together or firmly; transfix, pierce, 2.429, et al.
nec or neque: (adv. and conj.), and not; neither, nor, 1.643, et al.; in prohibition, 3.394, et al.; neque (nec) — neque (nec), neither — nor, 5.21, et al.; nec — et, or -que, may be rendered neither — nor, 12.801; 2.534; nec nōn, and also, nor less, 6.183; nec nōn et, and also, 1.707.
Panthūs (Panthous), ī, m.: Panthus, son of Othrys and father of Euphorbus, slain at the capture of Troy, 2.318, et al.
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.
Apollō, inis, m.: Apollo, son of Jupiter and Latona; the god of prophecy, medicine, music, poetry, and archery, 2.430; met., a temple of Apollo, 3.275.
īnfula, ae, f.: a bandage, miter; a fillet of red and white wool, twisted together, worn by priests, 2.430.
Īliacus, a, um: (adj.), belonging to Ilium; Ilian, Trojan, 1.97, et al.
meī, m. pl.: my kindred, friends, countrymen, descendants, etc., 2.587, et al.; mea, ōrum, n., my possessions, enjoyments, 12.882. (mē)
testor, ātus sum, 1, dep. a.: to testify, bear witness to, with acc. of object witnessed, 3.487; to call to witness, appeal to, with acc. of witness called upon, 2.155; invoke, 12.496; w. object omitted, adjure, implore, 3.599; declare, proclaim, 6.619; beseech (call to witness the offering), 11.559. (testis)
occāsus, ūs, m.: a going down; setting; the west, 11.317; fall, ruin, destruction, 1.238. (1. occidō)
vicis, gen. f.: a change, turn in affairs; stage, interchange, 6.535; vicissitude, event, 3.376; combat, encounter, peril, 2.433, part, place, post, 3.634; watch, guard, 9.175. (nom. sing. wanting)
dīvellō, vellī, vulsus, 3, a.: to tear asunder; tear in pieces, 4.600; tear away, 8.568; separate, scatter (others, drive away), 2.434; loosen, uncoil, 2.220.
Īphitus, ī, m.: a Trojan warrior, 2.435.
Peliās, ae, m.: a Trojan, 2.436.
Ulixēs, is, eī or ī, m.: Ulysses, son of Laertes, king of Ithaca, and one of the Greek chiefs at Troy, distinguished for shrewdness and cunning, 2.44, et al.
Priamus, ī, m.: 1. Priam, son of Laomedon, king of Troy, 1.458, et al. 2. A Trojan youth, son of Polites and grandson of King Priam, 5.564.
