Aeneas scopulum interea conscendit et omnem

prospectum late pelago petit Anthea si quem

iactatum vento uideat Phrygiasque biremis

aut Capyn aut celsis in puppibus arma Caici

 

 

navem in conspectu nullam tris litore cervos

prospicit errantis hos tota armenta sequuntur

a tergo et longum per vallis pascitur agmen

constitit hic arcumque manu celerisque sagittas

corripuit fidus quae tela gerebat Achates

ductoresque ipsos primum capita alta ferentis

cornibus arboreis sternit tum vulgus et omnem

miscet agens telis nemora inter frondea turbam

nec prius absistit quam septem ingentia victor

corpora fundat humi et numerum cum navibus aequet

 

 

 

hinc portum petit et socios partitur in omnis

vina bonus quae deinde cadis onerarat Acestes

litore Trinacrio dederatque abeuntibus heros

dividit et dictis maerentia pectora mulcet

 

 

 

o socii neque enim ignari sumus ante malorum

o passi graviora dabit deus his quoque finem

vos et Scyllaeam rabiem penitusque sonantis

accestis scopulos vos et Cyclopia saxa

experti revocate animos maestumque timorem

mittite forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit

per varios casus per tot discrimina rerum 

tendimus in Latium sedes ubi fata quietas

ostendunt illic fas regna resurgere Troiae

durate et vosmet rebus seruate secundis

 

 

 

 

talia voce refert curisque ingentibus aeger

spem vultu simulat premit altum corde dolorem

illi se praedae accingunt dapibusque futuris

tergora diripiunt costis et viscera nudant

pars in frusta secant veribusque trementia figunt

litore aena locant alii flammasque ministrant

tum victu revocant viris fusique per herbam

implentur veteris Bacchi pinguisque ferinae

 

 

Meanwhile Aeneas ascends a craig and he seeks an entire view far and wide over the sea; if he may see any (sign of) Antheus tossed about by the wind, and the Phrygian biremes or Capys or the arms of Caicus high on the deck.

 

No ship in sight, he catches sight of three deer wandering on the beach; the whole heard follows these from the back and the long line grazes through the valley.  He stopped here and took in hand his bow and swift arrows, weapons which faithful Achates was carrying, and first he strews the leaders themselves, holding their heads high with branching antlers, then he sends the whole heard into confusion, driving the crowd among the leafy groves with his weapons, and he does not stop before he lies out seven mighty bodies as victor on the beach and equates the number with the ships.

 

From here he seeks the port and he divides them among all the men; the hero divides wines which good Achestes had loaded into jars on the shore of Sicily (lit. “Three Sides”), and hero had given to them about to leave, and he soothes their grieving hearts with these words:

 

“O comrades, for indeed we are not unfamiliar of the troubles before, O you who have endured even more difficult things, god will give an end to these too.  You approached the rabid rage of Scylla, and the resounding rocks deep within, and you experienced the cliffs of the cyclopses.  Recall your courage and lose your gloomy fear.  Maybe one day it will even be pleasing (help) to remember these things.  Through various falls, through so many crises of affairs, we’re heading into Latium, where the fates promise peaceful homes; there it is right to restore the kingdom of Troy.  Endure and save yourselves for better times.”

 

He says such things with his voice sick with great cares; he fakes hope on his face and he presses grief deep in his heart.  They gird themselves for the prey and for the upcoming feasts.  They strip the hides from the ribs and lay bare the flesh.  Part cut it into pieces and stick it quivering onto spits.  Others set up bronze (cauldrons) on the beach and tend the flames.  Then they bring back their strength with food and having spread out on the grass they are filled with the old Bacchus (wine) and rich meat.