The Aeneid IV (279-287)
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Toggle Latin/EnglishAt vero Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens,
arrectaeque horrore comae et vox faucibus haesit.
ardet abire fuga dulcisque relinquere terras,
attonitus tanto monitu imperioque deorum.
heu quid agat? quo nunc reginam ambire furentem
audeat adfatu? quae prima exordia sumat?
atque animum nunc huc celerem nunc dividit illuc
in partisque rapit varias perque omnia versat.
haec alternanti potior sententia visa est:
Indeed, Aeneas was struck down by the sight
his hair stood up in terror and his voice stuck in his throat.
He burns to leave in flight and to leave the sweet lands
So grave a warning by the power of the gods - struck him like a thunder bolt.
Alas, what was he to do? With what form of address is he to approach the frenzied queen?
What beginnings was he to assume?
And now, he divided his swift mind, now here, not there,
he darting in different directions and considering all the possibilities
alternating, this opinion seemed preferable to him:
The voice ('vox') and the hair ('comae') are both affected, and this is emphasised with the balanced structure as they are surrounded by their verbs
Emphasises Aeneas' burning desire ('ardet') to leave and his frantic thinking in this time
The 'a' letter connects Aeneas' desire ('ardet') to the leaving ('abire')
Connects the queen ('reginam') to the approach ('ambire') emphasising the immediacy of said approach
Tricolon of questions shows Aeneas' uncertainty
Virgil emphasises the tentative nature of Aeneas with this unnecessary emphasis
Aeneas' thoughts are divided by 'dividit' and, emphasising the division of his thoughts he has made
Continued use of 'nunc' (now) shows Aeneas' chaotic thought