Original Latin Text + Notes
Text
Hic tamen accessit delubris advena nostris: 745
Caesar in urbe sua deus est; quem Marte togaque
praecipuum non bella magis finita triumphis
resque domi gestae properataque gloria rerum
in sidus vertere novum stellamque comantem,
quam sua progenies; neque enim de Caesaris actis 750
ullum maius opus, quam quod pater exstitit huius:
scilicet aequoreos plus est domuisse Britannos
perque papyriferi septemflua flumina Nili
victrices egisse rates Numidasque rebelles
Cinyphiumque Iubam Mithridateisque tumentem 755
nominibus Pontum populo adiecisse Quirini
et multos meruisse, aliquos egisse triumphos,
quam tantum genuisse virum, quo praeside rerum
humano generi, superi, favistis abunde!
ne foret hic igitur mortali semine cretus, 760
ille deus faciendus erat; quod ut aurea vidit
Aeneae genetrix, vidit quoque triste parari
pontifici letum et coniurata arma moveri,
palluit et cunctis, ut cuique erat obvia, divis
'adspice,' dicebat 'quanta mihi mole parentur 765
insidiae, quantaque caput cum fraude petatur,
quod de Dardanio solum mihi restat Iulo.
solane semper ero iustis exercita curis,
quam modo Tydidae Calydonia vulneret hasta,
nunc male defensae confundant moenia Troiae, 770
quae videam natum longis erroribus actum
iactarique freto sedesque intrare silentum
bellaque cum Turno gerere, aut, si vera fatemur,
cum Iunone magis? quid nunc antiqua recordor
damna mei generis? timor hic meminisse priorum 775
non sinit; en acui sceleratos cernitis enses.
quos prohibete, precor, facinusque repellite neve
caede sacerdotis flammas exstinguite Vestae!'
Talia nequiquam toto Venus anxia caelo
verba iacit superosque movet, qui rumpere quamquam 780
ferrea non possunt veterum decreta sororum,
signa tamen luctus dant haut incerta futuri;
Notes
Line 745
delubrum, delubri, n. “shrine”
advena, advenae, m./f. “stranger”
746 - “Marte” and “toga(que)” refer to peace and war respectively
praecipuus, praecipua, praecipuum, “particular, excellent”
propero, properare, properavi, properatus, “to speed up, hurry, be quick”
stella, stellae, f. “star”
como, comare, [no 3rd and 4th PP] , “to be covered with hair”
749 - the “stellamque comantem” [hairy star] phrase means “comet”
Line 750
progenies, progeniei n. “family”
ullus, ulla, ullum, “any”
scilicet, “certainly”
aequoreus, aequorea, aequoreum, “of the sea, connected to the sea”
papyrifer, papyrifera, papyriferum, “papyrus-bearing”
septemfluus, septemflua, septemfluum, “flowing in seven streams”
752 - scilicet “certainly” is the beginning of a rhetorical question about whether Caesar’s diplomatic and military accomplishments or his position as Augustus’s father are important
Line 755
758 - Subjunctive (ne…foret)
759 - “superi” is vocative (this could be translated as “O’ gods”)
praesideo, praesidere, praesedi, praesessum, “to guard”
Line 760
760-761 - Ovid refers to two men using the words “hic” and “ille”. These words refer to Augustus and Julius Caesar respectively
761 - “faciendus” is a gerundive, “must be made”
genetrix, genetricis, f. “Mother”
762 - context Caesar claimed that he was directly descended from Aeneas, the legendary son of Venus.
pontifex, pontificis, m. “high priest” [Caesar]
letum, leti, n. “(violent) death”
Line 765
moles, molis, f. “mass”
insidia, insidiae, f. “ambush, treachery”
769 - context the “son of Tydeus” is Diomedes, who wounded Venus using his spear while she was trying to rescue her son, Aeneas
Line 770
fretum, freti, n. “narrow sea, strait”
Line 775
777 - many of these words (prohibete, repellite, etc) are imperative, due to the fact that Venus is speaking them as commands
778 - context the sacred flames of Vesta were considered to be very important to Rome’s safety and survival
memini, meminisse, [no 3rd and 4th PP] , “to remember”
sacerdos, sacerdotis, m./f. “high priest”
Line 780
decretum, decreti, n. “rule, decree, law”
781 - "veterum sororum" (ancient sisters) refers to the fates
Place/Historical Names
Troia, Troiae, f. “Troy”
Britannus, Britanni, n. “Britons”
Calydonius, Calydonia, Calydonium, “Calydonian”
Numida, Numidae, m. “Numidian”
Cinyphes, Cinyphis, n. “Libya”
Pontus, Ponti, n. “Pontus”