The Aeneid (Book 4, lines 279-319)

at vero Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens,
But indeed Aeneas, out of his mind, was dumbstruck at the sight

arrectaeque horrore comae et vox faucibus haesit.
and his hair stood up in fear and his voice stuck in his throat.

ardet abire fuga dulcesque relinquere terras,
He burns to depart in flight and to leave the sweet lands,

attonitus tanto monitu imperioque deorum.
astonished by such a great warning and command of the gods.

heu quid agat? quo nunc reginam ambire furentem
Alas, what should he do? By what method of address dare he to

audeat adfatu? quae prima exordia sumat?
approach the raging queen now? What first introduction should he take up?

atque animum nunc huc celerem nunc dividit illuc
And he divides his quick thoughts now this way now that way,

in partesque rapit varias perque omnia versat.
he whirls them in various directions and turns everything over

haec alternanti potior sententia visa est:
To him wavering this idea is seen as preferable:

Mnesthea Sergestumque vocat fortemque Serestum,
he calls Mnesthea, Sergestus and brave Serestus,

classem aptent taciti sociosque ad litora cogant,
they are to get ready the fleet quietly and to gather together the allies at the shore,

arma parent et quae rebus sit causa novandis,
to prepare their equipment and to hide what the reason is for their affairs being altered;
dissimulent; sese interea, quando optima Dido
meanwhile, since excellent Dido is unaware

nesciat et tantos rumpi non speret amores,
and not expecting such great loves to be broken,

temptaturum aditus et quae mollissima fandi
he is going to try an approach and (to find) the most gentle times of speaking,

tempora, quis rebus dexter modus. ocius omnes
what method (would be) best for the situation. Swiftly,

imperio laeti parent et iussa facessunt.
all happily obey the command and carry out their orders.

at regina dolos (quis fallere possit amantem?)
But the queen (who is able to deceive a lover?)

praesensit, motusque excepit prima futuros
sensed in advance a trick, first found out their future movements

omnia tuta timens. eadem impia Fama furenti
fearing all things safe. The same unholy/wicked Rumour brought

detulit armari classem cursumque parari.
word to her in her furious state that the fleet was being fitted out and the voyage was being prepared.


saevit ions animi totamque incensa per urbam
She rages, helpless of mind, and on fire she runs wild

Bacchatur, quali commotis excita sacris
Through the whole city, like a Bacchant stirred by the sacred emblems being shaken

Thyias, ubi audito stimulant trieterica Baccho
when, with Bacchus having been heard, the biennial

orgia nocturnusque vocat clamore Cithaeron.
orgies rouse her to frenzy and the nightly Mount Cithaeron calls with a shout.


tandem his Aenean compelled vocibus ultro:
At last she rebukes Aeneas with these words of her own accord:

‘dissimulare etiam sperasti, perfide, tantum
“Traitor, did you even expect that you would be able to

posse nears tacitusque mea decedere terra?
hide such a great crime and to slip away from my land, without saying anything?

nec te noster amor nec te data dextera quondam
Does neither our love have any hold on your nor your right hand

nec moritura tenet crudeli funere Dido?
given once to me, nor Dido, who is about to die in a cruel death?

quin etiam hiberno moliri sidere classem
Why indeed are you hastening to move your fleet in wintry weather

et mediis properas Aquilonibus ire per altum,
and to go through the deep in the midst of the winter winds,

crudelis? quid, si non arva aliena domosque
cruel one? If you were not seeking foreign fields or unknown homes

ignotas peteras, et Troia antiqua maneret,
and ancient Troy remained,

Troia per undosum peteretur classibus aequor?
why would Troy be sought with fleets through a stormy sea?

mene fugis? per ego has lacrimas dextramque tuam te
are you running away from me? By these tears and by your right hand

(quando aliud mihi iam miserae nihil ipsa reliqui),
(Since to me now miserable I myself have nothing else left) ,

per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos,
by our union, by the marriage just begun,

si bene quid de te merci, fuit aut tibi quicquam
if I have deserved something good from you, or if anything of mine has been

dulce mum, miserere Domus labentis et istam,
wweet to you, have pity on my home that is slipping away from me and,

oro, si quis adhuc precibus locus, exue mentem.”
I beg you, if (there is) still a place for prayers, put away that plan of yours.”