Quōs ubi cōnfertōs ārdēre in proelia vīdī,
incipiō super hīs: 'Iuvenēs, fortissima frūstrā
pectora, sī vōbīs audentem extrēma cupīdō
certa sequī, quae sit rēbus fortūna vidētis:350
excessēre omnēs adytīs ārīsque relictīs
dī quibus imperium hoc steterat; succurritis urbī
incēnsae. moriāmur et in media arma ruāmus.
Ūna salūs victīs nūllam spērāre salūtem.'
Sīc animīs iuvenum furor additus. Inde, lupī ceu355
raptōrēs ātrā in nebulā, quōs improba ventris
exēgit caecōs rabiēs catulīque relictī
faucibus exspectant siccīs, per tēla, per hostīs
vādimus haud dubiam in mortem mediaeque tenēmus
urbis iter; nox ātra cavā circumvolat umbrā.360
Quis clādem illīus noctis, quis fūnera fandō
explicet aut possit lacrimīs aequāre labōrēs?
Urbs antīqua ruit multōs domināta per annōs;
plūrima perque viās sternuntur inertia passim
corpora perque domōs et rēligiōsa deōrum365
līmina. Nec sōlī poenās dant sanguine Teucrī;
quondam etiam victīs redit in praecordia virtūs
victōrēsque cadunt Danaī. crūdēlis ubīque
lūctus, ubīque pavōr et plūrima mortis imāgō.