Nisus and Euryalus - Virgil's 'Aeneid' Quiz

Answer: Love

'Nisus erat portae custos, acerrimus armis,
et iuxta comes Euryalus, quo pulchrior alter
non fuit Aeneadum* Troiana neque induit arma,
his amor unus erat pariterque in bella ruebant'

*this form of the genitive had stopped being used by Virgil's time, but he used it in the way we would use 'thou'

- 'Nisus was the guard of the gate, very fierce in arms,
and nearby his comrade, Euryalus, and none of the followers of' Aeneas
was more handsome than he, nor did a more handsome man put on Trojan armour
To these men there was a single love and they used to charge into war side
by side'

Answer: having a council

'cetera per terras omnes animalia somno
laxabant curas et corda oblita laborum:
ductores Teucrum primi, delecta iuventus,
consilium summis regni de rebus habebant,
quid facerent quisve Aeneae iam nuntius esset.'

- 'other creatures throughout all the lands were easing their
cares and their hearts, forgetting their labours, in sleep:
the foremost leaders of the Trojans, a select group of young warriors,
were having a council about important matters of state,
what they should do or who might now be a messenger to Aeneas.'

Answer: at a fork in the road

'locum insidiis conspeximus ipsi,
qui patet in bivio portae quae proxima ponto'

- 'we have ourselves noticed a place for an ambush
which lies open at a fork in the road from the gate which is nearest to the
sea'

Answer: from their frequent hunting

'nec nos via fallet euntes:
vidimus obscuris primam sub vallibus urbem
venatu adsiduo et totum cognovimus amnem.'

- 'Nor will the road deceive us as we go:
we have seen the outskirts of the city from down in the dark valleys
in (our) frequent hunting and we have got to know the whole river'

Answer: Iulus

'nec non et pulcher Iulus,
ante annos animumque gerens curamque virilem,
multa patri mandata dabat portanda; sed aurae
omnia discerpunt et nubibus irrita donant'

- 'And also handsome Iulus,
displaying the spirit and responsibility of a man,
was giving many instructions to be carried to his father; but the breezes
scatter them all and give them, useless, to the clouds.'

Answer: Kill many

'castra inimica petunt, multis tamen ante futuri
exitio.'

- 'they make for the enemy camp, yet destined to kill many
first.'

Answer: with his sword

'.. simul ense superbum
Rhamnetem aggreditur, qui forte tapetibus altis
extructus toto proflabat pectore somnum.'

- 'at the same time with his sword
he attacks the proud Rhamnes, who, by chance, propped up on high
pillows, was snoring deeply as he slept.'

Answer: Volcens

'interea praemissi equites ex urbe Latina
cetera dum legio campis instructa moratur,
ibant et Turno regi responsa ferebant,
ter centum, scutati omnes, Volcente magistro.'

- 'meanwhile cavalry, sent ahead from the city of the Latini,
while the rest of the army waits, drawn up on the plains,
were on the move and were taking replies to King Turnus,
three hundred, all carrying shields, with Volcens as their commander.'

Answer: Both

'tum vero exterritus, amens,
conclamat Nisus nec se celare tenebris
amplius aut tantum potuit perferre dolorem:'

- 'Then indeed, Nisus, terrified and out of his mind,
shouted out and he was not able to hide himself away in the shadow
any longer nor was he able to endure such great grief:'

Answer: Catullus

The idea Virgil uses is:

'volvitur Euryalus leto, pulchrosque per artus
it cruor inque umeros cervix collapsa recumbit:
purpureus veluti cum flos succisus aratro
languescit moriens, lassove papavera collo
demisere caput pluvia cum forte gravantur.'

- 'Euryalus rolled over in death and blood travelled along
his handsome limbs, and his neck having collapsed, sank down onto his shoulders:
just like when a crimson flower, cut down by the plough,
dying, begins to droop, or the poppies with a weary neck
when, by chance, they are weighed down by the rain, hang their head down.'

This idea is found in Catullus poem XI and is used to increase the pathos of the moment.