Translation II 199-267 Flashcards
(14 cards)
Hic aliud maius miseris multoque tremendum
obicitur magis atque improvida pectora turbat.
Laocoon, ductus Neptuno sorte sacardos,
sollemnis taurum ingentem mactabat ad aras.
Here another greater and much more terrible thing is presented to us miserable ones and agitates our unforseeing hearts. Laocoon, a priest chosen by lot for Neptune, was sacrificing a huge bull at the solemn altars.
Ecce autem gemini a Tenedo tranquilla per alta
(horresco referens) immensis orbibus angues
incumbunt pelago pariterque ad litora tendunt;
pectora quorum inter fluctus arrecta iubaeque
sanguinae superant undas, pars cetera pontum
pone legit sinuatque immensa volumine terga.
Look however twin serpents from Tenedos through the tranquil deep (I shudder relating) with huge coils they lean upon the sea and side by side stretch toward the shores; the chests of which having been raised between the tides and their bloody crests overcome the waves, the other part skims the sea behind and winds the immense backs in a coil.
Fit sonitus spumante salo; iamque arva tenebant
ardentisque oculos suffecti sanguine et igni
sibila lambebant linguis vibrantibus ora.
diffugimus visu exsangues.
A sound is made the salt sea foaming; and now they were holding the ploughed lands having had suffused their blazing eyes with blood and fire they were licking their hissing mouths with quivering tongues. We flee bloodless at the sight.
Ille agmine certo
Laocoonta petunt; et primum parva duorum
corpora natorum serpens amplexus uterque
implicat et miseros morsu depascitur artus;
post ipsum auxilio subeuntem ac tela ferentem
corripiunt spirisque ligant ingentibus; et iam
bis medium amplexi, bis collo squamea circum
terga dati superant capite et cervicibus altis.
Those ones in a fixed line seek Laocoon; and first each serpent of the two enfolds the small bodies of his sons having enfolded them and feeds upon the miserable limbs with its bite; afterwards they snatch up he himself entering for help and bearing weapons and bind him in their huge coils; and now having enfolded him twice in the middle, twice having had given around his neck their scaly backs they overcome with head and high necks.
Ille simul manibus tendit divellere nodos
perfusus sanie vittas atroque veneno,
clamores simul horrendos ad sidera tollit;
qualis mugitus, fugit cum saucius aram
taurus et incertam excussit cervice securim.
That one strives at one time to tear apart the knots with his hands having had the fillets drenched with blood and dark venom, he raised horrible shouts to the stars at the same time: of a sort of the bellowing, when a wounded bull has fled from the altar and shaken the ill armed axe from its neck.
At gemini lapsu delubra ad summa dracones
effugiunt saevaeque petunt Tritonidis arcem,
sub pedibusque deae clipeique sub orbe teguntur.
But the twin serpents in a glide flee away to the top shrine and they seek the citadel of the savage Minerva, both under the feet of the goddess and under the orb of the shield they are hidden.
Tum vero tremefacta novus per pectora cunctis
insinuat pavor, et scelus expendisse merentem
Laocoonta ferunt, sacrum qui cuspide robur
laeserit et tergo sceleratam intorserit hastam.
ducendum ad sedes simulacrum orandaque divae
numina conclamant.
Then indeed a new terror creeps on through the hearts made to tremble for all, and they say Laocoon deserving has paid for his crime, who struck the sacred oak with his spear and hurled the criminal spear in its back. They shout that the image must be led to the seats and that the divinity of the goddess must be beseeched.
Dividimus muros et moenia pandimus urbis.
accingunt omnes operi pedibusque rotarum
subiciunt lapsus, et stuppea vincula collo
intendunt; scandit fatalis machina muros
feta armis. pueri circum innuptaeque puellae
sacra canunt funemque manu contingere gaudent;
illa dubit mediaeque minans inlabitur urbi.
We separate the outer walls and lay open the walls of the city. They all gird themselves for the task and they place under the feet glidings of wheels, and they stretch chains of tow from the neck: the fatal machine mounts the walls teeming with arms. Boys around and an unmarried girl sing sacred songs and rejoice to touch the rope with a hand: that one enters and towering glides into the middle of the city.
O patria, o divum domus Ilium et incluta bello
moenia Dardanidum! quater ipso in limine portae
substitit atque utero sonitum quater arma dedere;
instamus tamen immemores caecique furore
et monstrum infelix sacrata sistimus arce.
Oh fatherland, oh Troy home of the gods and the walls of the Dardanians renowned in war! Four times it halted on the threshold itself of the gate and four times the arms gave a sound from the belly; we nevertheless unmindful and blind with madness press on and we stand the unlucky monster on the sacred citadel.
Tunc etiam fatis aperit Cassandra futuris
ora dei iussu non umquam credita Teucris.
nos delubra deum miseri, quibus ultimus esset
ille dies, festa velamus fronde per urbem.
Then also Cassandra opens her lips by the future fates to not ever be believed by the Trojans by the order of the God. We retched ones, for whom that day was the last, deck the shrines of the gods with festive garland throughout the city.
Vertitur interea caelum et ruit Oceano nox
involvens umbra magna terramque polumque
Myrmidonumque dolos; fusi per moenia Teucri
conticuere; sopor fessos complectitur artus.
Meanwhile the sky is turned and the night rushes from the ocean wrapping both the land and the sky and the deceits of the Myrmidons with its great shadow; the Trojans spread through the walls become silent; sleep enfolds their tired limbs.
Et iam Argiva phalanx instructis navibus ibat
a Tenedo tacitae per amica silentia lunae
litora nota petens, flammas cum regia puppis
extulerat, fatisque deum defensus iniquis
inclusos utero Danaos et pinea furtim
laxat claustra Sinon.
And now the Greek phalanx was going from the ships drawn up from Tenedos through the friendly stillness of the silent moon seeking known shores, when the royal ship had raised the flames, and Sinon having been defended by the fates of the gods loosened the hostile Greeks having been shut in the belly and the pine bolts secretly.
Illos patefractus ad auras
reddit equus, laetique cavo se robore promunt
Thessandrus Sthenelusque duces et dirus Ulixes,
demissum lapsi per funem, Acamasque Thoasque
Pelidesque Neoptolemus primusque Machaon
et Menelaus et ipse doli fabricator Epeos.
The horse having been laid open returns those ones to the air and happy they bring forth themselves from hollow oak Thessandrus and Sthenelus the leaders and baleful Ulysses slip through the dropped rope, both Acamas and Thoas and the descendent of Peleus Neoptolemus and first Machaon and Menelaus and the fabricator of the deed himself Epeos.
Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam;
caeduntur vigiles, portisque patentibus omnis
accipiunt socios atque agmina conscia iungunt.
They invade the city having been buried in sleep and wine; the watchmen are cut down, and by the gates being open they receive all their comrades and they join conferderate lines.
