Vergil, Aeneid XII 216-237

At vērō Rutulīs impār ea pūgna vidērī

iamdūdum et variō miscērī pectora mōtū,

tum magis ut propius cernunt nōn vīribus aequōs.

adiuvat incessū tacitō prōgressus et āram

suppliciter venerāns dēmissō lūmine Turnus220

pūbentēsque genae et iuvenālī in corpore pallor.

Quem simul ac Iūturna soror crēbrēscere vīdit

sermōnem et vulgī variāre labantia corda,

in mediās aciēs fōrmam adsimulāta Camertī,

cui genus ā proavīs ingēns clārumque paternae225

nōmen erat virtūtis, et ipse ācerrimus armīs,

in mediās dat sēsē aciēs haud nescia rērum

rūmōrēsque serit variōs ac tālia fātur:

'Nōn pudet, ō Rutulī, prō cūnctīs tālibus ūnam

obiectāre animam? numerōne an vīribus aequī230

nōn sumus? ēn, omnēs et Trōes et Arcades hī sunt,

fātālīsque manūs, īnfēnsa Etrūria Turnō:

vix hostem, alternī sī congrediāmur, habēmus.

Ille quidem ad superōs, quōrum sē dēvovet ārīs,

succēdet fāmā vīvusque per ōra ferētur;235

nōs patriā āmissā dominīs pārēre superbīs

cōgēmur, quī nunc lentī cōnsēdimus arvīs.'

    CORE VOCABULARY

    Rutulī, ōrum, m.: the Rutulians, an ancient tribe of Latium dwelling south of the Tiber, 1.266, et al.

    impār, aris: (adj.), unequal, in unequal combat, 1.475; unequally matched.

    iam: (adv.), at that time, at this time; even then, even now; already, 1.437, et al.; with tum, even, 1.18; w. imperat., at length, at once, 3.41, et al.; soon, presently, immediately, 4.566; then, at length, 1.272; marking a transition, now, 2.567, et al.; iam iam, emphatic, now indeed, 4.371; now, now, 2.530; iam dūdum, iam prīdem, already for some time, long, 1.580, et al.; iam inde, iam ab illō tempore, even from then or that time, 1.623; iam tum, even then; iam — iam, at one time, at another time, now — now; nōn iam, no longer, 4.431; iamdūdum, at once.

    mōtus, ūs, m.: a moving, motion, freq.; swiftness, agility, 5.430; impetus, swift fury, 12.503; pl., movements, 4.297. (moveō)

    magis, and short form, mage: (adv.), in a greater measure; more, 5.94; 10.481; the more, 7.787; for potius, by preference, rather, 5.29; better, 4.452. (rel. to māgnus)

    adiuvō, iūvī, iūtus, 1, a.: to give aid to; to help, aid, support, 5, 345; encourage, stimulate, incite further, 12, 210.

    incessus, ūs, m.: a walking or advancing; a manner of walking; walk, gait, 1.405. (incēdō)

    prōgredior, gressus sum, 3 dep. n.: to go, come forward or forth, 4.136; advance, 3.300; move on, 12.219. (prō and gradior)

    suppliciter: (adv.), in a suppliant manner; suppliantly; as a suppliant or suppliants, 1.481. (supplex)

    veneror, ātus sum, 1, dep. a.: to venerate, reverence, revere, 3.79; adore, worship, 5.745; bow before, kneel at, 12.220; p., venerātus, a, um, (pass.), supplicated, entreated, 3.460.

    dēmittō, mīsī, missus, 3, a.: to send down, 1.297; shed, 6.455; let down into, receive, admit, (of the mind or the senses), 4.428; consign, condemn, 2.85; convey, conduct, 5.29; transmit, hand down, 1.288; dēmittere mentem, to lose heart, sink into despair, 12.609.

    Turnus, ī, m.: the chief of the Rutulians, 7.56, et al.

    pūbēns, entis: (adj.), pubescent; full of vigor; full of sap, juicy, 4.514.

    gena, ae, f.: the cheek, 4.644, et al.; eye, 6.686.

    iuvenālis, e: adj. (iuvenis), pertaining to youth; youthful, 2.518.

    pallor, ōris, m.: paleness, pallor, 4.499. (palleō)

    simul: (adv.), at once, together, at the same time, 1.144, et al.; w. abl. (cum being omitted), 5.357; simul ac or atque, as soon as, 4.90; without ac, as soon as, when; w. et, 1.144; simul — simul, and at the same time — and, 1.631; both — and, 1.513, et al.; as soon as — then, no sooner — than, 12.268.

    Iūturna, ae, f.: a Naiad, sister of Turnus, 12.154, et al.

    crēbrēscō, crēbuī, 3, inc. n.: to become frequent, prevail, 12.222; to increase, swell, 12.407; blow fresh, 3.530. (crēber)

    variō, āvī, ātus, 1, a. and n.: a., to diversify; exchange, relieve, 9.164; n., change, waver, 12.223. (varius)

    labō, āvī, ātus, 1, n.: to give way, begin to yield; totter, 2.492; of the mind, waver, 4.22; falter, flag, despond, 12.223.

    adsimulō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to make like; to counterfeit, feign, 10.639; (pass.), make one’s self like, 12.224.

    Camers, ertis, m.: Camertes or Camers, a follower of Turnus, 10.562.

    proavus, ī, m.: a great-grandfather; sire, ancestor, 3.129.

    paternus, a, um: adj. (pater), pertaining to a father; a father's, of a father, 5.81; derived from a father; paternal, ancestral, 3.121.

    nescius, a, um: adj. (nesciō), not knowing, unaware, ignorant, 1.299; that knows not how, that can not.

    rūmor, ōris, m.: report, rumor, 4.203; a cheer, shout, 8.90.

    serō, sēvī, satus, 3, a.: to sow or plant; with indefinite object omitted, 6.844; scatter, spread, disseminate, 12.228.

    atque, or ac: (conj.), and in addition, or and besides; and, as well, and indeed, and, 1.575; freq.; even, 2.626; in comparisons, as, 4.90; than, 3.561.

    pudeō, uī, itus, 2, a. and n.: to be ashamed; to make ashamed; impers., pudet, puditum est, w. acc. of person, it shames one; one is ashamed, 5.196.

    ō: (interj. expressing joy, grief, astonishment, desire, or indignation), O! oh! ah! w. voc., 2.281, et al.; w. sī and the subj., oh that, 11.415; sometimes placed after the word to which it relates, 2.281.

    obiectō, āvī, ātus, 1, intens. a.: to throw towards, before, or against; to expose to, 2.751. (obiciō)

    ēn: (interj.), lo! behold! with nom., 1.461; in indignation, 4.597.

    Trōes, m.: (subst.), the Trojans, 1.30, et al. (Tros, one of the kings of Troy)

    Arcas, adis, m.: an Arcadian, 10.452;(adj.), 11.835.

    fātālis, e: adj. (fātum), fated, 4.355; of fate or destiny, 2.165; sent by fate, 12.232; fraught with fate, destructive, calamitous, deadly, fatal, 12.919.

    manus, ūs, f.: the hand, 1.487; freq.; (meton.), action, movement of the hand; work, art, handiwork, 3.486; prowess, heroic deed, action, 2.434; force, violence, 2.645; a collection of persons; a band, crew, troop; an army, 2.29; forces, 5.623; multitude, 6.660; pl., manūs, workmen, 11.329; dare manūs, to yield, 11.558; extrēma manus, the finishing hand or touch, 7.572.

    īnfēnsus, a, um: hostile, inimical, 5.587; fatal, destructive, 5.641; angry, furious, 2.72.

    Etrūria, ae, f.: ancient Tuscany; Etruria.

    alternus, a, um: adj. (alter), one after the other; alternating, 6.121; by turns, in succession, 5.376; every second, 12.233.

    congredior, gressus sum, 3, dep. n.: to step, go together; encounter, 1.475; join battle; proceed to battle, 12.13. (com- and gradior)

    dēvoveō, vōvī, vōtus, 2, a.: to set apart by vows; devote, 12.234; p., dēvōtus, a, um, devoted, destined, doomed, 1.712.

    succēdō, cessī, cessus, 3, n. and a.: to go, come up to or under, with dat., or acc. and prep., or without a case, to go up to, visit, 8.507; ascend, 12.235; come up to, advance to, 2.478; approach, 7.214; encounter, 10.847; enter, 1.627; creep under, disappear beneath, 5.93; to descend into the earth, to be buried, 11.103; take up, take upon one's self, 2.723; go under, be yoked to, 3.541; to follow, 11.481; to turn out well; succeed, come to pass, 11.794. (sub and cēdō)

    vīvus, a, um: adj. (vīvō), alive, living, 6.531; lifelike, 6.848; immortal, 12.235; of water, living, running, pure, 2.719; of rock, natural, unquarried, living, 1.167.

    lentus, a, um: (adj.), adhesive, clammy, sticky, viscid; tough, 12.773; pliant, limber, 6.137; ductile, malleable, 7.634; slender, 3.31; 12.489; sluggish, creeping, 5.682; quiet, 7.28; inactive, 12.237.

    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.

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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/vergil-aeneid/vergil-aeneid-xii-216-237