Nescius adsumptis Priamus pater Aesacon alis
vivere lugebat: tumulo quoque nomen habenti
inferias dederat cum fratribus Hector inanes;
defuit officio Paridis praesentia tristi,
postmodo qui rapta longum cum coniuge bellum 5
attulit in patriam: coniurataeque sequuntur
mille rates gentisque simul commune Pelasgae;
nec dilata foret vindicta, nisi aequora saevi
invia fecissent venti, Boeotaque tellus
Aulide piscosa puppes tenuisset ituras. 10
hic patrio de more Iovi cum sacra parassent,
ut vetus accensis incanduit ignibus ara,
serpere caeruleum Danai videre draconem
in platanum, coeptis quae stabat proxima sacris.
nidus erat volucrum bis quattuor arbore summa: 15
quas simul et matrem circum sua damna volantem
corripuit serpens avidoque recondidit ore,
obstipuere omnes, at veri providus augur
Thestorides ‘vincemus’; ait, ‘gaudete, Pelasgi!
Troia cadet, sed erit nostri mora longa laboris,’ 20
atque novem volucres in belli digerit annos.
ille, ut erat virides amplexus in arbore ramos,
fit lapis et signat serpentis imagine saxum.
Permanet Aoniis Boreas violentus in undis
bellaque non transfert, et sunt, qui parcere Troiae 25
Neptunum credant, quia moenia fecerat urbi;
at non Thestorides: nec enim nescitve tacetve
sanguine virgineo placandam virginis iram
esse deae. postquam pietatem publica causa
rexque patrem vicit, castumque datura cruorem 30
flentibus ante aram stetit Iphigenia ministris,
victa dea est nubemque oculis obiecit et inter
officium turbamque sacri vocesque precantum
supposita fertur mutasse Mycenida cerva.
ergo ubi, qua decuit, lenita est caede Diana, 35
et pariter Phoebes, pariter maris ira recessit,
accipiunt ventos a tergo mille carinae
multaque perpessae Phrygia potiuntur harena.
Orbe locus medio est inter terrasque fretumque
caelestesque plagas, triplicis confinia mundi; 40
unde quod est usquam, quamvis regionibus absit,
inspicitur, penetratque cavas vox omnis ad aures:
Fama tenet summaque domum sibi legit in arce,
innumerosque aditus ac mille foramina tectis
addidit et nullis inclusit limina portis; 45
nocte dieque patet: tota est ex aere sonanti,
tota fremit vocesque refert iteratque quod audit;
nulla quies intus nullaque silentia parte,
nec tamen est clamor, sed parvae murmura vocis,
qualia de pelagi, siquis procul audiat, undis 50
esse solent, qualemve sonum, cum Iuppiter atras
increpuit nubes, extrema tonitrua reddunt.
atria turba tenet: veniunt, leve vulgus, euntque
mixtaque cum veris passim commenta vagantur
milia rumorum confusaque verba volutant; 55
e quibus hi vacuas inplent sermonibus aures,
hi narrata ferunt alio, mensuraque ficti
crescit, et auditis aliquid novus adicit auctor.
illic Credulitas, illic temerarius Error
vanaque Laetitia est consternatique Timores 60
Seditioque repens dubioque auctore Susurri;
ipsa, quid in caelo rerum pelagoque geratur
et tellure, videt totumque inquirit in orbem.
Fecerat haec notum, Graias cum milite forti
adventare rates, neque inexspectatus in armis 65
hostis adest: prohibent aditus litusque tuentur
Troes, et Hectorea primus fataliter hasta,
Protesilae, cadis, commissaque proelia magno
stant Danais, fortisque animae nece cognitus Hector.
nec Phryges exiguo, quid Achaica dextera posset, 70
sanguine senserunt, et iam Sigea rubebant
litora, iam leto proles Neptunia, Cycnus,
mille viros dederat, iam curru instabat Achilles
totaque Peliacae sternebat cuspidis ictu
agmina perque acies aut Cycnum aut Hectora quaerens 75
congreditur Cycno (decimum dilatus in annum
Hector erat): tum colla iugo candentia pressos
exhortatus equos currum derexit in hostem
concutiensque suis vibrantia tela lacertis
‘quisquis es, o iuvenis,’ dixit ‘solamen habeto 80
mortis, ab Haemonio quod sis iugulatus Achille!’
hactenus Aeacides: vocem gravis hasta secuta est,
sed quamquam certa nullus fuit error in hasta,
nil tamen emissi profecit acumine ferri
utque hebeti pectus tantummodo contudit ictu. 85
‘nate dea, nam te fama praenovimus,’ inquit
ille ‘quid a nobis vulnus miraris abesse?’
(mirabatur enim.) ‘non haec, quam cernis, equinis
fulva iubis cassis neque onus, cava parma, sinistrae
auxilio mihi sunt: decor est quaesitus ab istis; 90
Father Priam, not knowing that Aesacus was still alive in feathered form, mourned for his son. At a tomb inscribed with the lost one’s name Hector with his brothers had pointlessly offered sacrifices in honour of the dead. Paris was not present at the sad rite, Paris, who a little later brought a long-continued war upon his country with his stolen wife. A thousand ships and the whole Pelasgian race, banded together, pursued him, nor would vengeance have been postponed had not stormy winds made the sea impassable, and had not the land of Boeotia kept the ships, though ready to set sail, at fish-haunted Aulis. When here, after their country’s fashion, they had prepared to sacrifice to Jove, and just as the ancient altar was glowing with the lighted fires, the Greeks saw a dark-green serpent crawling up a plane-tree which stood near the place where they had begun their sacrifices. There was a nest with eight young birds in the top of the tree, and these, together with the mother, who was flying around her doomed nestlings, the serpent seized and swallowed in his greedy maw. They all looked on in amazement. But Thestorides, the augur, who saw clearly the meaning of the portent, said: “We shall conquer. Rejoice, ye Greeks, Troy shall fall, but our task will be of long duration”; and he interpreted the nine birds as nine years of war. Meanwhile the serpent, just as he was, coiled round the green branches of the tree, was changed to stone, and imposed on the stone a serpent’s form.
But the North Wind continued boisterous over the Aonian waters, and refused to transport the war. And there were some who held that Neptune was sparing Troy because he had built its walls. But not so the son of Thestor. For he was neither ignorant of the truth nor did he withhold it, that the wrath of the virgin goddess1 must be appeased with a virgin’s blood. After consideration for the public weal had overcome affection, and the father had been vanquished by the king, and just as midst the weeping attendants Iphigenia was standing before the altar ready to shed her innocent blood, the goddess was moved to pity and spread a cloud before their eyes; and there, while the sacred rites went on, midst the confusion of the sacrifice and the cries of suppliants, she is said to have substituted a hind for the maiden of Mycenae. When therefore, as ’twas fitting, Diana had been appeased by the sacrifice of blood, when Phoebe’s and the ocean’s wrath had subsided together, the thousand ships found the winds blowing astern and, after suffering many adventures, they reached the shores of Phrygia.
There is a place in the middle of the world, ’twixt land and sea and sky, the meeting-point of the threefold universe. From this place, whatever is, however far away, is seen, and every word penetrates to these hollow ears. Rumour dwells here, having chosen her house upon a high mountain-top; and she gave the house countless entrances, a thousand apertures, but with no doors to close them. Night and day the house stands open. It is built all of echoing brass. The whole place resounds with confused noises, repeats all words and doubles what it hears. There is no quiet, no silence anywhere within. And yet there is no loud clamour, but only the subdued murmur of voices, like the murmur of the waves of the sea if you listen afar off, or like the last rumblings of thunder when Jove has made the dark clouds crash together. Crowds fill the hall, shifting throngs come and go, and everywhere wander thousands of rumours, falsehoods mingled with the truth, and confused reports flit about. Some of these fill their idle ears with talk, and others go and tell elsewhere what they have heard; while the story grows in size, and each new teller makes contribution to what he has heard. Here is Credulity, here is heedless Error, unfounded Joy and panic Fear; here sudden Sedition and unauthentic Whisperings. Rumour herself beholds all that is done in heaven, on sea and land, and searches throughout the world for news.
Now she had spread the tidings that the Greek fleet was approaching full of brave soldiery; and so not unlooked for did the invading army come. The Trojans were ready to prevent the enemy’s landing and to protect their shores. You first fell, Protesilaiis, before Hector’s deadly spear. Those early battles proved costly to the Greeks and they soon learned Hector’s warlike mettle by the slaughter that he dealt. And the Phrygians learned too, at no slight cost of blood, how puissant was the Grecian hand. And now the Sigean shores grew red; now Neptune’s son, Cycnus, had given a thousand men to death; now was Achilles pressing on in his chariot and laying low whole ranks with the stroke of his spear that grew on Pelion; and, as he sought through the battle’s press either Cycnus or Hector, he met with Cycnus. (Hector’s fate had been postponed until the tenth year.) Then Achilles, shouting to his horses whose snowy necks were straining at the yoke, drove his chariot full at the enemy and, brandishing his spear with his strong arm, cried: “Whoever you are, O youth, have it for solace of your death that you were slain by Achilles of Thessaly.” So spoke Aeacides. His heavy spear followed on the word; but, although there was no swerving in the well-aimed spear, the flying weapon struck with its sharp point without effect, and only bruised his breast as by a blunt stroke. Then Cycnus said: “O son of Thetis, for rumour has already made you known to me, why do you marvel that I am unscathed?” for he was amazed. “Neither this helmet which you behold yellow, with its horse-hair crest, nor yet this hollow shield which burdens my left arm is intended for a protection; ’tis ornament that is sought from them.
Diana.