Level

The Aeneid IV (313-319)

By Virgil

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Troia per undosum peteretur classibus aequor
Mene fugis? Per ego has lacrimas dextramque tuam te
quando aliud mihi iam miserae nihil ipsa reliqui
per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos,
si bene quid de te merui, fuit aut tibi quicquam
dulce meum, miserere domus labentis, et istam—-
oro, si quis adhuc precibus locus—-exue mentem.

Would Troy be sought with fleets through the stormy sea
Are you fleeing me? I beg through these tears and your right hand
Since I myself have left nothing else to wretched me
by our marriage, by the nuptial rites begun
if I deserved anything well from you, or if anything of mine was sweet to you
take misery on my fallen house
and get rid of that intention if there is any place still for prayers

Summary of analyses

undosum peteretur classibus aequor

Enclosing Word Order:

Dido tries (again) to trap the Trojans' voyage within a power greater than herself (the stormy sea - 'undosum ... aequor')

mene fugis

Interjected Interrogative:

This is sudden, reminding the read of Dido's great furor in this matter

per conubia nostra | per inceptos hymenaeos

Tautology:

Highlights Dido's elevated view of the "marriage" that she had with Aeneas

oro

Interjection:

Extremely late verb makes this a surprise, and is places as though Dido forgot - in her furor - to use a verb, and is only using it now to aid her persuasion

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