1
Vēlōcem intereā superīs in sēdibus Ōpim,
Meanwhile, in heaven’s halls, Diana, Latona’s daughter, spoke to swift Opis, one of her sacred band of virgin followers, and gave voice to these sorrowful words: ‘O girl, Camilla, is going to the cruel war, and takes up my weapons in vain.
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ūnam ex virginibus sociīs sacrāque catervā,
She’s dearer to me than all others, and this is no new love that comes to Diana, or moves my spirit with sudden sweetness.
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compellābat et hās trīstis Lātōnia vōcēs
When Metabus was driven from
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ōre dabat: “Graditur bellum ad crūdēle Camilla,
his throne by
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Ō virgō, et nostrīs nēquīquam cingitur armīs,
hatred of his
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cāra mihi ante aliās. Neque enim novus iste Diānae
tyrannical power, and was leaving
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vēnit amor subitāque animum dulcēdine mōvit.
Privernum, his ancient city, fleeing amidst
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Pulsus ob invidiam rēgnō vīrēsque superbās
the conflict of war, he
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Prīvernō antīquā Metabus cum excēderet urbe,
took his child to share his
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īnfantem fugiēns media inter proelia bellī
exile, and, slightly altering her
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sustulit exsiliō comitem mātrisque vocāvit
mother’s name Casmilla, called her Camilla.
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nōmine Casmillae mūtātā parte Camillam.
Carrying her in front of him at his breast he sought a long ridge of lonely forests: fierce weapons threatened him on every side, and the Volscians hovered round him with their troops.
13
Ipse sinū prae sē portāns iuga longa petēbat
While they were still in mid-flight, see, the Ausenus overflowed, foaming to the top of its banks, so great a downpour burst from the clouds.
14
sōlōrum nemorum: tēla undique saeva premēbant
He, preparing to swim across, was held back by love of his child, and fear for his dear burden.
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et circumfūsō volitābant mīlite Volscī.
Quickly, debating all options with himself, he settled reluctantly on this idea: the
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Ecce fugae mediō summīs Amasēnus abundāns
warrior fastened his daughter to the giant spear, solid with knots and of
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spūmābat rīpīs: tantus sē nūbibus imber
seasoned oak, he chanced to be carrying in his strong hand, wrapping her
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rūperat. Ille, innāre parāns, īnfantis amōre
in the bark of a cork-tree from the woods, and tying her wisely
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tardātur cārōque onerī timet. Omnia sēcum
to the middle of the shaft: then balancing it in his mighty hand
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versantī subitō vix haec sententia sēdit.
he cried out to the heavens: ‘Kind virgin daughter of Latona, dweller in
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Tēlum immāne manū validā quod forte gerēbat
the woods, I her father dedicate this child to your service: fleeing the
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bellātor, solidum nōdīs et rōbore coctō,
enemy through the air, yours is the first weapon she clasps as a suppliant.
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huic nātam, librō et silvestrī sūbere clausam,
Goddess I beg you to accept as your own this that I now commit to the uncertain breeze.’ He spoke, and drawing back his arm hurled the spinning shaft: the waters roared, and the wretched Camilla flew over the rushing river on the hissing steel.
24
implicat atque habilem mediae circumligat hastae;
And Metabus, with a great crowd of his enemies pressing him closely, gave himself to the flood, and victoriously snatched his gift to Diana from the grassy turf, the spear and the little maid.
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quam dextrā ingentī lībrāns ita ad aethera fātur:
No city would accept him within their houses or their walls, (nor would he in his savagery have given himself up to them) he passed his life among shepherds on the lonely mountains.
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‘Alma, tibi hanc, nemorum cultrīx, Lātōnia virgō,
Here, among the thickets
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ipse pater famulam voveō; tua prīma per aurās
of savage lairs, he
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tēla tenēns supplex hostem fugit. Accipe, testor,
nourished his child at
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dīva tuam, quae nunc dubiīs committitur aurīs.’
the udders of a
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Dīxit et adductō contortum hastīle lacertō
mare from the herd,
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Hic nātam in dūmīs interque horrentia lustra
and milk from wild
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armentālis equae mammīs et lacte ferīnō
creatures, squeezing the teats
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nūtrībat, tenerīs immulgēns ūbera labrīs.
into her delicate mouth.
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Utque pedum prīmīs īnfāns vestīgia plantīs
As soon as the infant had taken her first steps, he placed a sharp lance in her hands, and hung bow and quiver from the little one’s shoulder.
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īnstiterat, iaculō palmās armāvit acūtō
A tiger’s pelt hung over head and down her back instead of a gold clasp for her hair, and a long trailing robe.
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spīculaque ex umerō parvae suspendit et arcum.
Even then she was hurling childish spears with tender hand, whirling a smooth-thonged sling round her head, bringing down Strymonian cranes and snowy swans.
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Prō crīnālī aurō, prō longae tegmine pallae
Many a mother
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tigridis exuviae per dorsum ā vertice pendent.
in Etruscan fortresses wished
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Tēla manū iam tum tenerā puerīlia torsit
for her as
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et fundam teretī circum caput ēgit habēnā
a daughter-in-law in vain:
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Strȳmoniamque gruem aut album dēiēcit olōrem.
she, pure, content
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Multae illam frūstrā Tyrrhēna per oppida mātrēs
with Diana alone, cherished
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optāvēre nurum: sōlā contenta Diānā
her love of
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aeternum tēlōrum et virginitātis amōrem
her weapons and maidenhood.
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intemerāta colit. Vellem haud correpta fuisset
I wish she had not been swept up into such warfare, trying to challenge the Trojans: she would be my darling, and one of my company still.
46
mīlitiā tālī, cōnāta lacessere Teucrōs:
Come now, nymph, since bitter fate drives her on, slip from the sky and seek out the Latin borders, where with evil omen they join in sad battle.
47
cāra mihī comitumque foret nunc ūna meārum.
Take these weapons and draw an avenging arrow from the quiver, and if anyone violates her sacred flesh by wounding her, Trojan or Italian, pay me with their equal punishment in blood.
48
Vērum age, quandōquidem fātīs urgētur acerbīs,
Then I’ll carry the body
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lābere, nympha, polō fīnēsque invīse Latīnōs,
and untouched weapons of the poor
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trīstis ubi īnfaustō committitur ōmine pugna.
girl in a cavernous cloud to
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Haec cape et ultrīcem pharetrā dēprōme sagittam:
a sepulchre, and bury her in
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hāc quīcumque sacrum violārit vulnere corpus,
her own land.’
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Trōs Italusque, mihī pariter det sanguine poenās.
She spoke, and Opis slid
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Post ego nūbe cavā miserandae corpus et arma
down with a sound through
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īnspoliāta feram tumulō patriaeque repōnam.”
heaven’s light air, her body veiled in a dark whirlwind.