Corobeus & Cassandra
Context
In scenes that we skipped, Aeneas is visited by the ghost of Hector (ooooo, spooky!!) who urges him to flee and entrusts the Penates, the household gods of Troy, to him. Then, Aeneas gets swept up in the chaos of battle. He finds some other Trojans, and they put on the armor of fallen Greeks to help them blend in as they pass through the fighting. Now Aeneas and his men are in front of the temple of Minerva and are witness to the fate of Cassandra, daughter of Priam. Among this band of warriors is Coroebus, a suitor of Cassandra.
NOTE - this passage contains depictions of rape, which is a sensitive topic. Sexual assault is an all too common and brutal practice in war, and Vergil condemns the act by showing the harm and distress that it causes. Please reach out to me if this material is upsetting or concerning for you, for any reason.
Introducing Corobeus
addunt se socios Rhipeus et maximus armis
Epytus, oblati per lunam, Hypanisque Dymasque 340
et lateri adglomerant nostro, iuvenisque Coroebus
Mygdonides—illis ad Troiam forte diebus
venerat insano Cassandrae incensus amore
et gener auxilium Priamo Phrygibusque ferebat,
infelix qui non sponsae praecepta furentis 345
audierit!
The Fate of Cassandra
Heu nihil inuitis fas quemquam fidere divis!
ecce trahebatur passis Priameia virgo
crinibus a templo Cassandra adytisque Minervae
ad caelum tendens ardentia lumina frustra, 405
lumina, nam teneras arcebant vincula palmas.
non tulit hanc speciem furiata mente Coroebus
et sese medium iniecit periturus in agmen;
consequimur cuncti et densis incurrimus armis.
hic primum ex alto delubri culmine telis 410
nostrorum obruimur oriturque miserrima caedes
armorum facie et Graiarum errore iubarum.
tum Danai gemitu atque ereptae virginis ira
undique collecti invadunt, acerrimus Aiax
et gemini Atridae Dolopumque exercitus omnis: 415
adversi rupto ceu quondam turbine venti
confligunt, Zephyrusque Notusque et laetus Eois
Eurus equis; stridunt silvae saevitque tridenti
spumeus atque imo Nereus ciet aequora fundo.
illi etiam, si quos obscura nocte per umbram 420
fudimus insidiis totaque agitavimus urbe,
apparent; primi clipeos mentitaque tela
agnoscunt atque ora sono discordia signant.
ilicet obruimur numero, primusque Coroebus
Penelei dextra divae armipotentis ad aram 425
procumbit; cadit et Rhipeus, iustissimus unus
qui fuit in Teucris et servantissimus aequi
(dis aliter visum); pereunt Hypanisque Dymasque
confixi a sociis; nec te tua plurima, Panthu,
labentem pietas nec Apollinis infula texit. 430
Iliaci cineres et flamma extrema meorum,
testor, in occasu vestro nec tela nec ullas
vitavisse vices Danaum et, si fata fuissent
ut caderem, meruisse manu. divellimur inde,
Iphitus et Pelias mecum (quorum Iphitus aevo 435
iam gravior, Pelias et vulnere tardus Ulixi),
protinus ad sedes Priami clamore vocati.