Aeneid 12.614-671

Who is less and less happy?

Interea extremo bellator in aequore Turnus 614

palantis sequitur paucos iam segnior atque

iam minus atque minus successu laetus equorum.

• Turnus

• the wandering soldiers

• the cavalry

• the Trojans

Why does Turnus suddenly stop?

attulit hunc illi caecis terroribus aura

commixtum clamorem, arrectasque impulit auris

confusae sonus urbis et inlaetabile murmur.

'ei mihi! quid tanto turbantur moenia luctu? 620

quisve ruit tantus diversa clamor ab urbe?'

sic ait, adductisque amens subsistit habenis.

• A terrible sound comes from the city

• He sees the walls of the city fall

• The breeze knocks him blind

What does his sister, disguised as Metiscus, tell Turnus to do?

atque huic, in faciem soror ut conversa Metisci

aurigae currumque et equos et lora regebat,

talibus occurrit dictis: 'hac, Turne, sequamur 625

Troiugenas, qua prima viam victoria pandit;

sunt alii qui tecta manu defendere possint.

ingruit Aeneas Italis et proelia miscet,

et nos saeva manu mittamus funera Teucris.

nec numero inferior pugnae neque honore recedes.'

• To follow where the Trojans lead and not go back to the city

• To defend the city with his bare hands if he has to

• To face Aeneas in one-on-one combat

• To retreat from the fight and forget about honor

What does Turnus say in the first part of his response to his sister:

'o soror, et dudum agnovi, cum prima per artem

foedera turbasti teque haec in bella dedisti,

et nunc nequiquam fallis dea. sed quis Olympo

demissam tantos volvit te ferre labores? 635

an fratris miseri letum ut crudele videres?

nam quid ago? aut quae iam spondet Fortuna salutem?

• That she's not fooling him and he asks who caused her to endure seeing him die

• That she's not fooling the gods and asks why he has to undergo such hardships

• That he is mad she broke the treaty and asks what can he do about it

Why does Turnus talk about the wounded and dead soldiers in the rest of his speech?

vidi oculos ante ipse meos me voce vocantem

Murranum, quo non superat mihi carior alter,

oppetere ingentem atque ingenti vulnere victum. 640

occidit infelix ne nostrum dedecus Ufens

aspiceret; Teucri potiuntur corpore et armis.

• He is explaining the sacrifices of others and how he can't do what she asks

• He is explaining what happened to others who fought Aeneas and thus why he is scared

• He is convincing her that he is the only warrior left and must fight

How does Turnus end his speech to his sister?

terga dabo et Turnum fugientem haec terra videbit? 645

usque adeone mori miserum est? vos o mihi, Manes,

este boni, quoniam superis aversa voluntas.

sancta ad vos anima atque istius inscia culpae

descendam magnorum haud umquam indignus avorum.'

• He asks rhetorical questions emphasizing what he must do

• He asks for advice on how to proceed

• He begs the gods to save him

What happens after Turnus' speech?

Vix ea fatus erat: medios volat ecce per hostis 650

vectus equo spumante Saces, adversa sagitta

saucius ora, ruitque implorans nomine Turnum:

• A wounded Latin warrior shows up to tell Turnus something

• Turnus' friend Saces is wounded by the enemy in front of Turnus

• Turnus sends a spear against the enemy

What does Saces tell Turnus?

'Turne, in te suprema salus, miserere tuorum.

fulminat Aeneas armis summasque minatur

deiecturum arces Italum excidioque daturum, 655

iamque faces ad tecta volant. in te ora Latini,

in te oculos referunt; mussat rex ipse Latinus

quos generos vocet aut quae sese ad foedera flectat.

• Aeneas is at the city and the Latins are looking to Turnus for help

• King Latinus is crying because the treaty has been broken

• Aeneas is coming to face Turnus

What else does Saces tell Turnus?

praeterea regina, tui fidissima, dextra

occidit ipsa sua lucemque exterrita fugit. 660

soli pro portis Messapus et acer Atinas

sustentant acies. circum hos utrimque phalanges

stant densae strictisque seges mucronibus horret

ferrea; tu currum deserto in gramine versas.'

• That the queen has killed herself and there are two heroes guarding the city

• That Messapus and Atinas have been killed

• That the queen left the city and Messapus and Atinas are guarding her

How does Turnus react to this speech?

obstipuit varia confusus imagine rerum 665

Turnus et obtutu tacito stetit; aestuat ingens

uno in corde pudor mixtoque insania luctu

et furiis agitatus amor et conscia virtus.

ut primum discussae umbrae et lux reddita menti,

ardentis oculorum orbis ad moenia torsit 670

turbidus eque rotis magnam respexit ad urbem.

• He's shocked, ashamed, and sad

• He's afraid and unsure what to do

• He's enraged and reinvigorated