aeneid 2.228-249

P. Vergilius Maro, Aeneid 2.228–249

The Trojans' fatal decision to bring the wooden horse inside the walls is the catastrophic hinge of Book 2. Vergil emphasizes the role of misread omens, ignored prophecy from Cassandra, and collective blindness, framing the Trojans' final day with profound pathos.

Tier 1

tum omnēs Trōiānī novum terrōrem habent. Lāocoōn dedit poenās. Lāocoōn hoc meruit. Lāocoōn hastam in sacrum equum iēcit. Lāocoōn equum sacrum laesit.

omnēs volunt dūcere equum ad sēdēs dīvae. omnēs volunt ōrāre nūmina dīvae. dīvidimus mūrōs urbis. aperīmus moenia urbis.

omnēs sē parant operī. omnēs pōnunt rotās sub pedibus equī. et pōnunt vincula in collō equī. equus fātālis ascendit mūrōs. equus est plēnus armīs.

puerī puellaeque circum equum stant. canunt sacra et fūnem manū contingunt. equus subit et venit in mediam urbem.

ō patria! ō Īlium, domus deōrum! ō moenia Trōiānōrum, nōta bellō! in līmine portae equus quater stetit. arma in equō quater sonāvērunt. sed nōs prōcēdimus. nōs sumus caecī furōre. pōnimus mōnstrum īnfēlīx in sacrā arce.

tunc etiam Cassandra dē futūrīs fātīs loquitur. sed deus voluit hoc: Trōiānī Cassandram numquam audiunt.

nōs miserī Trōiānī vēlāmus templa deōrum per urbem fēstīs frondibus. sed ille diēs erat noster ultimus diēs.

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4 - Carmen Ipsum

Tier 4 - Carmen Ipsum (AP Core Vocabulary)

tum vērō tremefacta novus per pectora cūnctīs
īnsinuat pavor, et scelus expendisse merentem
Lāocoōnta ferunt, sacrum quī cuspide rōbur
laeserit et tergō scelerātam intorserit hastam.
dūcendum ad sēdēs simulācrum ōrandaque dīvae
nūmina conclāmant.

AP Core Vocabulary

tum=then, at that time

vērō=indeed, in truth; tum vērō, then indeed

novus, -a, -um=new, fresh

per=through (+ acc.)

pectus, -oris (n.)=breast, heart

cūnctus, -a, -um=all, all together

scelus, -eris (n.)=crime, wicked deed

mereō, -ēre, -uī, -itum=deserve, earn; merentem, (Laocoön) deserving (it)

Lāocoōn, -ontis (m.)=Laocoön; Lāocoōnta = Greek acc. sg.

ferō, ferre, tulī, lātum=bear, carry; ferunt, they say (+ acc. + inf.)

sacer, -cra, -crum=sacred, holy

quī, quae, quod=who, which

laedō, -ere, -sī, -sum=harm, injure, violate

tergum, -ī (n.)=back; tergō, into its back (dat.)

hasta, -ae (f.)=spear

dūcō, -ere, -xī, -ctum=lead, draw; dūcendum (esse), must be led

ad=to (+ acc.)

sēdēs, -is (f.)=seat, abode, sanctuary

ōrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum=beg, entreat, pray to

-que=and (enclitic)

dīva, -ae (f.)=goddess

nūmen, -inis (n.)=divine power, divine will

dīvidimus mūrōs et moenia pandimus urbis.
Accingunt omnēs operī pedibusque rotārum
subiciunt lāpsūs, et stuppea vincula collō
intendunt; scandit fātālis māchina mūrōs
fēta armīs. puerī circum innūptaeque puellae
sacra canunt fūnemque manū contingere gaudent;
illa subit mediaeque mināns inlābitur urbī.

mūrus, -ī (m.)=wall

moenia, -ium (n. pl.)=walls, fortifications

urbs, urbis (f.)=city

omnis, -e=all, every

opus, -eris (n.)=work, task

pēs, pedis (m.)=foot

-que=and (enclitic)

vinculum (vinclum), -ī (n.)=bond, chain, rope

intendō, -ere, -dī, -tum=stretch, fasten

fātālis, -e=of fate, fated, deadly

māchina, -ae (f.)=machine, contrivance

arma, -ōrum (n. pl.)=arms, weapons

puer, -erī (m.)=boy

circum=around (adv. and prep. + acc.)

puella, -ae (f.)=girl

sacer, -cra, -crum=sacred; sacra (n. pl.), sacred rites, hymns

canō, -ere, cecinī, cantum=sing, chant

manus, -ūs (f.)=hand

contingō, -ere, -tigī, -tactum=touch

gaudeō, -ēre, gāvīsus sum=rejoice, be glad (+ inf.)

ille, illa, illud=that, it; illa, the horse

medius, -a, -um=middle of; mediae urbī, into the middle of the city

ō patria, ō dīvum domus Īlium et incluta bellō
moenia Dardanidum! quater ipsō in līmine portae
substitit atque uterō sonitum quater arma dedēre;
īnstāmus tamen immemorēs caecīque furōre
et mōnstrum īnfēlīx sacrātā sistimus arce.

ō=O! oh! (interj.)

patria, -ae (f.)=fatherland, homeland

dīvus, -ī (m.)=god; dīvum = dīvōrum (gen. pl.)

domus, -ūs (or -ī) (f.)=house, home

bellum, -ī (n.)=war; incluta bellō, famed in war

moenia, -ium (n. pl.)=walls, fortifications

quater=four times

līmen, -inis (n.)=threshold

subsistō, -ere, -stitī=halt, stop, stand still

atque, ac=and

arma, -ōrum (n. pl.)=arms, weapons

dō, dare, dedī, datum=give; sonitum dedēre = dedērunt, gave forth a sound

tamen=nevertheless, yet

-que=and (enclitic)

furor, -ōris (m.)=madness, frenzy

mōnstrum, -ī (n.)=portent, monstrous thing

īnfēlīx, -īcis=unlucky, ill-omened

arx, arcis (f.)=citadel

tunc etiam fātīs aperit Cassandra futūrīs
ōra deī iussū non umquam crēdita Teucrīs.
nōs dēlūbra deum miserī, quibus ultimus esset
ille diēs, fēstā vēlāmus fronde per urbem.

tunc=then, at that time

fātum, -ī (n.)=fate, destiny

futūrus, -a, -um=future, coming, going to be

ōs, ōris (n.)=mouth

deus, -ī (m.)=god; deum = deōrum (gen. pl.)

umquam=ever, at any time

crēdō, -ere, -didī, -ditum=believe, trust; crēdita (sunt), were believed

Teucrī, -ōrum (m. pl.)=Teucrians, Trojans

miser, -era, -erum=wretched, pitiable

quī, quae, quod=who, which

ultimus, -a, -um=last, final

sum, esse, fuī=be; esset, was to be (impf. subj. in rel. char. clause)

ille, illa, illud=that

diēs, -ēī (m. or f.)=day

per=through (+ acc.)

urbs, urbis (f.)=city

P. Vergilius Maro, Aeneid 2.228–249

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4 - Carmen Ipsum

Tier 4 - Carmen Ipsum (AP Core Vocabulary)

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