Vergil 4 - The Cave & Fama

Context

Just before this passage, Juno talks to Venus and convinces her that, rather than stopping this growing love, they should conspire for Aeneas and Dido to be married and join together. Venus is suspicious, since she knows this goes against Jupiter and fate, but agrees, saying that Juno could only do this with Jupiter’s consent. Juno then decides that they will create a storm while Dido and Aeneas are out hunting, forcing them into a nearby cave, alone and together. Then, Fama, the personification of rumor, spreads the message that they are married throughout North Africa, in spite of Aeneas not quite sharing the same opinion

• Steadman Commentaries for Pliny/Vergil.
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The Cave & Fama

speluncam Dido dux et Troianus eandem 165

deveniunt. prima et Tellus et pronuba Iuno

dant signum; fulsere ignes et conscius aether

conubiis summoque ulularunt vertice Nymphae.

ille dies primus leti primusque malorum

causa fuit; neque enim specie famave movetur 170

nec iam furtivum Dido meditatur amorem:

coniugium vocat, hoc praetexit nomine culpam.

Extemplo Libyae magnas it Fama per urbes,

Fama, malum qua non aliud velocius ullum:

mobilitate viget virisque adquirit eundo, 175

parva metu primo, mox sese attollit in auras

ingrediturque solo et caput inter nubila condit.

illam Terra parens ira inritata deorum

extremam, ut perhibent, Coeo Enceladoque sororem

progenuit pedibus celerem et pernicibus alis, 180

monstrum horrendum, ingens, cui quot sunt corpore plumae,

tot vigiles oculi subter (mirabile dictu),

tot linguae, totidem ora sonant, tot subrigit auris.

nocte volat caeli medio terraeque per umbram

stridens, nec dulci declinat lumina somno; 185

luce sedet custos aut summi culmine tecti

turribus aut altis, et magnas territat urbes,

tam ficti pravique tenax quam nuntia veri.

haec tum multiplici populos sermone replebat

gaudens, et pariter facta atque infecta canebat: 190

venisse Aenean Troiano sanguine cretum,

cui se pulchra viro dignetur iungere Dido;

nunc hiemem inter se luxu, quam longa, fovere

regnorum immemores turpique cupidine captos.

haec passim dea foeda virum diffundit in ora. 195

protinus ad regem cursus detorquet Iarban

incenditque animum dictis atque aggerat iras.