Ecce autem tēlīs Panthūs ēlapsus Achīvum,
Panthūs Othryadēs, arcis Phoebīque sacerdōs,
sacra manū victōsque deōs parvumque nepōtem320
ipse trahit cursūque āmēns ad līmina tendit.
'Quō rēs summa locō, Panthū? Quam prēndimus arcem?'
Vix ea fātus eram gemitū cum tālia reddit:
'Vēnit summa diēs et inēluctābile tempus
Dardaniae. Fuimus Trōës, fuit Īlium et ingēns325
glōria Teucrōrum; ferus omnia Iuppiter Argōs
trānstulit; incēnsā Danaī dominantur in urbe.
Arduus armātōs mediīs in moenibus astāns
fundit equus victorque Sinōn incendia miscet
īnsultāns. Portīs aliī bipatentibus adsunt,330
mīlia quot magnīs umquam vēnēre Mycēnīs;
obsēdēre aliī tēlīs angusta viārum
oppositīs; stat ferrī aciēs mūcrōne coruscō
stricta, parāta necī; vix prīmī proelia temptant
portārum vigilēs et caecō Mārte resistunt.'335
Tālibus Othryadae dictīs et nūmine dīvum
in flammās et in arma feror, quō trīstis Erīnys,
quō fremitus vocat et sublātus ad aethera clāmor.
Addunt sē sociōs Rhīpeus et maximus armīs
Ēpytus, oblātī per lūnam, Hypanisque Dymāsque340
et laterī adglomerant nostrō, iuvenisque Coroebus
Mygdonidēs—illīs ad Trōiam forte diēbus
vēnerat īnsānō Cassandrae incēnsus amōre
et gener auxilium Priamō Phrygibusque ferēbat,
īnfēlīx quī nōn spōnsae praecepta furentis345
audierit!
notes
Aeneas learns from Panthus that Troy is doomed, but with his comrades plunges into the fight (Bennett). Among the warriors is Coroebus, the loving fiancé of Cassandra.
318 Archīv(or)um. tēlīs: tēlīs is ablative of separation (AG 400).
319 arcis Phoebīque: i.e. of Phoebus's temple on the acropolis (Bennet); hendiadys (Storr).
320 sacra … victōs … deōs: i.e. the Penates (F-B), which he did not wish to let fall into the hands of the enemy (Carter); the gods are conceived as conquered along with the city (Bennett).
320 manū: with his own hand (Comstock).
321 cursū: ablative of manner (Pharr) (AG 412); “rapidly, hurriedly” (C-R).
321 līmina: supply nostra (Pharr).
321 trahit: zeugma, “he carries (the image) and hurries along (the boy)” (Howson).
322 quō (in) locō (est) rēs summa: “in what situation is the state (res summa)?” or “in what spot is the chief conflict” (Pharr), res summa = res publica (F-B).
322 quam prē(he)ndimus arcem: with a future sense (Pharr) or deliberative force (Bennett), “what place of defense are we to occupy?” (Page); perhaps best taken “what fortress are we seizing?” (Sidgwick).
323 talia: supply dicta (Pharr).
323 gemitū: ablative of manner (AG 412).
324 summa: “the last” (C-F).
324 inēluctābile tempus: “the inevitable hour” (C-F).
325 Trōes fuimus, fuit Ilium: the perfect of sum is often used euphemistically. He, who "has been," "is not" and so "is dead," (Page); “We have been (but we are no longer) Trojans; Troy is a thing of the past” (Pharr).
326 ferus: “in his anger” (Carter).
326 et ingens … gloria Teucrorum: the third, far more substantial member of the tricolon (Horsfall).
327 transtulit: possibly a hint of the literal sense, suggesting the removal of Troy’s great wealth to Greece (Horsfall).
328 armātōs: supply virōs.
328 mediīs in moenibus: “in the center of the city” (F-B).
329 incendia miscet: “scatters flames about” (F-B); “makes fiery turmoil” (Austin).
330 portīs bipatentibus: “through open-wide gates”; ablative of route (Pharr); “at the wide-open gates” (F-D); Greek reinforcements are still pouring in through the gates, which were opened at a very early stage (Horsfall).
330 aliī: as opposed to that portion of the Greeks who have descended from the horse (F-D).
331 vēnēre: = vēnērunt.
331 mīlia quot: “as many thousands as” (F-B); supply est the antecedent tot the subject of adsunt understood. (F-D); anastrophe (Horsfall).
332 angusta (loca) viārum: “the narrow streets,” lit. “the narrows of the streets”; a peculiar extension of the partitive gen (C-R).
332 obsēdēre: = obsēdērunt.
332 tēlīs … oppositīs: “weapons barring the way” (Comstock), ablative of means (AG 409).
333-4 stat ... necī: “there stands the line of steel with glittering point, drawn (and) ready for slaughter” (Comstock).
333 ferrī aciēs: “keen edge of the sword,” “the sharp steel” (C-R).
333 mucrōne coruscō: ablative of description (AG 415) (F-D).
334 prīmī: either of place “at the entrance” or of time, “first aroused” (Storr).
334 parāta necī: pugnaeque parent se (Horsfall); “ready for massacre,” not for a battle (F-B).
335 caecō Mārte: Marte = bellō or proeliō, “in blind warfare,” that is, fighting in the dark; ablative of place where (Storr) (AG 429); hardly a reference to night fighting …the resistance is “blind” with no plan (Austin).
336 dictīs: ablative of means or cause (Pharr) (AG 409).
336 nūmine div(ōr)um: "by divine will," i.e. that Troy shall perish (Knapp).
337 trīstis Erīnys: “the grim Fury of war” (Comstock); “the fell Fury,” i.e. of war (Storr); "the fury of despair" (Howson).
337 quō ... quō: “whither . . . whither” (F-B).
339-40 Rhipeus ... Epytus ... Hypanis ... Dymas: multiple subjects.
339 addunt sē sociōs: supply mihi.
339 armīs: ablative of respect with māximus, “mighty in battle” (Pharr).
340 oblātī per lūnam: supply mihi, “revealed to my eyes in the moonlight” (Knapp); “recognized in the moonlight” (Carter).
341 laterī nostrō (sē) adglomerant: “join the band at our side” (Page); nostro = meō (F-D).
342 illīs diēbus: ablative of time when (Pharr) (AG 423).
342 forte: “as it happened” (G-K).
342 Cassandrae: objective genitive (AG 347).
343 īnsānō: his love is called insanus because it drove all other considerations out of his mind (Carter).
344 gener: he was not yet married to Cassandra; but gener in Latin may denote the prospective as well as actual son-in-law (Bennet).
345-6: īnfēlīx, quī nōn … audierit: causal subjunctive (AG 539) with qui, "unhappy man, since he did not listen" (Sidgwick). The perfect subjunctive here is used as a historical tense (Bennet).
345 furentis: to the ancients a raving person was "touched by God" and their utterances were inspired by the divinity (Pharr).
vocabulary
Panthūs (Panthous), ī, m.: Panthus, son of Othrys and father of Euphorbus, slain at the capture of Troy, 2.318, et al.
ēlābor, lāpsus sum, 3, dep. n.: to slip or glide forth or away; escape from, 1.242; spring aside, dodge, 5.445.
Achīvī, ōrum or um: the Greeks, the Achaeans 2.102.
Ōthryadēs, ae, m.: Othryades, son of Othrys; Panthus, 2.319.
Phoebus, ī, m.: Phoebus or Apollo, 1.329, et al.
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.
nepōs, ōtis, m.: a grandson, 2.702; pl., nepōtēs, um, grandchildren; posterity, descendants, 2.194.
āmēns, entis: out of one’s mind or senses; amazed, beside one’s self, frantic, mad, furious, 2.314; 4.203; distracted, 3.307.
prehendō (prēndō), ī, ēnsus, 3, a.: to lay hold of; seize, 2.592; catch, 3.450; seize, hold for defense, 2.322; overtake, reach, 6.61.
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)
inēluctābilis, e: (adj.), that can not be averted by struggling; inevitable, 2.324; resistless, 8.334.
Dardania, ae, f.: Troy, 2.281.
Trōes, m.: (subst.), the Trojans, 1.30, et al. (Tros, one of the kings of Troy)
Īlium, iī, n.: Troy, 1.68, et al.
Teucrī, ōrum, m.: the Trojans, descendants of Teucer, 1.38, et al.; adj., Teucrian, Trojan, 9.779, et al. (Teucer)
Iuppiter, Iovis, m.: Jupiter, son of Saturn and Rhea, and king of the gods, 1.223; Iuppiter Stygius, Pluto, 4.638.
Argī, ōrum, m., and Argos, n.: Argos, the capital of Argolis, and a favorite abode of Juno, 1.24; Greece, 2.95. (nom. and acc.)
trānsferō, tulī, lātus, ferre, irreg. a.: to carry over; transfer, remove, 1.271; give over, 2.327.
incendō, cendī, cēnsus, 3, a.: to set fire to, burn, 2.353; kindle, 3.279; illuminate, 5.88; (fig.), of the mind, fire, inflame, 1.660; arouse, rouse to action, 5.719; excite, irritate, enrage, madden, provoke, 4.360; disturb, rend, fill, 10.895.
Danaī, ōrum, m.: the Greeks, 2.327.
dominor, ātus sum (pass. inf., dominārier, 7.70), 1, dep. n.: to be lord or master; rule, reign, be supreme, 2.363; foll. by abl. w. in, 2.327; by abl. without in, 6.766; and in 1.285; take possession, overrun, prevail. (dominus)
arduus, a, um: (adj.), steep; erect, high, raised high, 2.475; 5.480; lofty, towering, 2.328; rearing, 11.638.
armātī, ōrum, m.: armed men, warriors, 2.485. (armō)
adstō, stitī, 1, n.: to stand at, near, or upon; alight, 1.301; stand, 9.677; be present, 3.150; stand or be ready, 3.123; impend, 3.194.
Sinōn, ōnis, m.: a Greek, son of Aesimus, 2.79, et al.
incendium, iī, n.: a burning, conflagration; flame, fire, 2.706; desolation, 1.566; fiery material, firebrand, 9.71. (incendō)
īnsultō, āvī, ātus, 1, n. and a.: (w. dat.), to leap upon, bound upon, gallop over, trample on, 12.339; (w. acc.), bound, dance, rush through, 7.581; absol., prance, 11.600; insult, be insolent, mock, 2.330; exult, 10.20. (īnsiliō, leap upon)
bipatēns, entis: adj. (bis and pateō), with twofold opening; with twofold or double doors, 2.330.
Mycēnae, ārum, and Mycēna, ae, f.: Mycenae, an ancient city of Argolis; the abode of Danaus, Pelops, and Agamemnon, 1.284, et al.
obsideō, sēdī, sessus, 2, n. and a.: to sit in or on; abide; hold, occupy, 3.421; besiege, beset, 2.441; throng, 12.133; obstruct, fill up, choke. (ob and sedeō)
angustus, a, um: adj. (angō), strait, narrow, 3.411; straitened, perilous, 11.309; subst., angustum, ī, n., a narrow place, passage, 2.332.
oppōnō, posuī, positus, 3, a.: to place or put before or against, 5.335; oppose, 7.300; present, expose, 2.127; p., oppositus, a, um, placed in the way, opposed, 12.292; opposing, 2.333. (ob and pōnō)
mūcrō, ōnis, m.: a sharp point or edge, esp. of a weapon, 2.333; point of a spear, 11.817; a sword, blade, 2.449.
coruscus, a, um: adj. (coruscō), vibrating, tremulous, waving, 12.701; flashing, 1.164; gleaming, 2.172.
stringō, strīnxī, strīctus, 3, a.: to draw tight, bind; of a sword, draw out, draw, 2.334; graze, touch lightly, go near, 5.163; trim up, cut, 1.552; (fig.), touch the mind, 9.294.
nex, necis, f.: murder, slaughter, violent death, destruction, death, 2.85, et al. (necō)
vigil, ilis: adj. (vigeō), awake, on the watch; sleepless, 4.182; perpetual, 4.200; subst., vigil, ilis, m., a watchman, guard, sentinel, 2.266, et al.
Mārs (archaic form, Māvors), Mārtis: Mars, son of Jupiter and Juno; the patron of war and tutelar god of the Romans, 1.274, et al.; (meton.), martial spirit, courage, warlike fury, 6.165; battle, conflict, 2.335, et al.
resistō, stitī, 3, n.: to remain standing; stand revealed, 1.588; oppose, withstand, resist, 2.335; interpose, 2.599; halt, stop, falter, 4.76.
dictum, ī, n.: a thing said; word, 1.197; command, precept, injunction, 1.695; promise, 8.643. (dīcō)
Erīnys, yos, f.: a fury, 2.337; pest, scourge, curse, 2.573.
fremitus, ūs, m.: a murmuring, an uproar, din; tumult, shouting, 2.338, et al.; buzzing, humming; neighing, 11.607. (fremō)
Rīpheus (dissyll.), eī, m.: a Trojan slain in the sack of Troy, 2.339.
Ēpytus, ī, m.: a Trojan, 2.340.
Hypanis, is, m.: a Trojan, 2.340.
Dymās, antis, m.: Dymas, a Trojan warrior, 2.340.
agglomerō, āvī, ātus, 1, a. and n.: to gather, assemble, crowd to, 2.341; sē agglomerāre, to join themselves to, 12.458. (ad and glomerō)
Coroebus, ī, m.: Coroebus, a Phrygian chief, son of Mygdon, lover of Cassandra, 2.341.
Mygdonidēs, ae, m.: Mygdonides or Coroebus, a son of Mygdon, king of Phrygia, and ally of the Trojans, 2.342.
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.
īnsānus, a, um: (adj.), unsound; mad, insane, 6.135; inspired, 3.443.
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.
gener, erī: a son-in-law, 2.344, 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.
Phryges, um, m.: Phrygians; the inhabitants of Phrygia, which originally included the Troad; hence, also, Trojans, 1.468, et al.; sing., Phryx, ygis, m., a Phrygian or Trojan, 12.99.
īnfēlīx, īcis: (adj.), unlucky; unfortunate, luckless, unhappy, 1.475, et al.; sad, miserable, 2.772; of ill omen, ill-starred, ill-boding, fatal, 2.245; unfruitful.
spōnsa, ae, f.: one promised as a bride; the betrothed, 2.345. (spondeō)
furō, uī, 3, n.: to be mad; freq., to rave, be frantic, rage, 1.491; to be furious, burn, storm (for war), 7.625; to be burning or mad with love, 1.659; to be frenzied, in a frenzy, 6.100; inspired, 2.345; distracted with grief, 3.313; plunge madly, 9.552; boil, 7.464; with cognate acc., give vent to one's fury, 12.680.
