Vergil’s Aeneid

From Troy to Italy

Publius Vergilius Maro70 BC – 19 BC

Aeneas, legendary founderof the Roman race

arma virumque canō…

I sing about armsand a man…

Juno sent a horrible storm for Aeneas.

forsan et haec ōlim meminisse iuvābit.

Perhaps one day it will be pleasing to remember even

these things.

Aeneas meets his mother, Venus.

sum pius Aenēas. Ītaliam quaerō pātriam et genus ab

Iove summō.

I am pious Aeneas. I seekthe country Italy and a race

descended from highest Jupiter.

Aeneas meets Dido,the Queen of Carthage.

dux fēmina factī.

The leader of the deedwas a woman.

Dido wants to hear all aboutthe fall of Troy and Aeneas’ escape.

The Trojans and the Greeks foughtfor many years.

The Greeks built a giant wooden horse.Some Greeks hid inside.

timeō Danaōset dōna ferentēs.

I fear the Greeks,even when they bear gifts.

The Greeks take over and burn

the city.

Aeneas leads his son Ascanius and carrieshis father Anchises from the city.

nōn haec sine nūminedīvum ēveniunt.

These things do not happen without the divine will

of the gods.

Carthage is Dido’s city. Aeneas is destinedto go to Italy and find a new home

for his people.

hīc amor, haec pātria est.

This is my love,this is my country.

Aeneas and his men sail away.

Dido had fallen in love with Aeneas. When he

left, she was heartbroken and killed herself.

The Sibyl helps Aeneas go to the Underworld to speak to his father, Achates.

regere imperiō populōs, pācisque impōnere mōrem, parcere

sūbiectīs et dēbellāre superbōs.

To rule the people by your command and to establish a

custom of peace, to sparethe fallen and subdue

the proud.

Lavinia is to be wed to Turnus.

Aeneas meets with Evander.

sub tē tolerāre magistrō mīlitiam et grave Martis opus.

to learn from you aboutthe military and the grave

nature of war.

Venus gives Aeneasa great shield.

attollēns umerō fāmamqueet fāta nepōtum.

He lifted it onto his shoulder along with the fame and fate

of his descendants.

War breaks out between the Trojans

and the Rutuli.

sed fāmam extendere factīs, hōc virtūtis opus.

But the power of virtue isto preserve glory

through one’s deeds.

iamque magis cunctantem flectere sermō coeperat.

Even now, the speech beganto win him over.