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Ennius: translation of fragments (1)
Ennius: Annales (fragments)
Books 1-6
Quintus Ennius was born in Rudiae in southern Italy, in about 239 B.C. His "Annales" was a highly original poem , both in its form - it was was the first major epic poem in the Latin language - and in its subject matter, dealing with the whole of Roman history from mythological times to events of the poet's own lifetime. Up until the end of the first century B.C., the "Annales" was the most commonly read Latin poem. After the poem was superseded in popularity by the Aeneid, it remained of interest to grammarians for the large number of archaic words that it contained, and it is for this reason that many lines have been preserved from the poem, allowing us to reconstruct the outline of its 18 books.
This translation is by E.H.Warmington (1935), with a few changes. See key to translations for an explanation of the format; the suggested context for each fragment, shown in red, is often just a conjecture.
Click on the L symbols after the line numbers to go to the Latin text of the lines. The links to passages from other Latin authors will display the Latin text of these passages.
[2-3] L Exhortation to readers : Homer, seen by Ennius on Mount Helicon in a dream, was the source of inspiration
PROBUS : As for the neuter gender the syllable is short. . . . Ennius in the first book -
for my subject and my poem shall have renown among the peoples of Italy.
FRONTO : Homer's instructress was Calliope; Ennius' instructors were Homer and Sleep.
MARCUS AURELIUS, to Fronto : And now I pass to our poet Ennius, who you say began to write after sleeping and dreaming. But surely if he had not been roused out of his sleep he would never have told the tale of his dream.
as the poet says, I see you in dreams, there is no time when I do not embrace you and fondly kiss you . . . this is one proof of my love, which I take from the Annales, a poetic and dreamy one indeed.
DONATUS : I remember 'seeing' instead of 'having seen' : Ennius -
I remember becoming a peacock.
SCHOLIAST : Persius [ prol'2-3 ] alludes to Ennius, who states that in a dream he saw a vision of Homer on Parnassus [mistake for Helicon] ; Homer said that his soul was in Ennius' body.
[14] L Romans must remember the place where Ennius dreamed
Take note, ye citizens, of Luna's harbour - it is worth while.
Thus commanded Ennius in his senses after he had snored out his dream that he was the Maeonian [Homer] - Quintus at last out of a Pythagorean peacock.
SCHOLIAST : This line he took from the poems of Ennius to put into his own poem. It is well then that he says, ' thus commanded Ennius in his senses after he had snored out.' That is what Ennius says in the beginning of his Annales where he states that in the course of a dream he saw a vision of Homer who said that he was once a peacock and from it, according to a rule laid down by the philosopher Pythagoras, his soul had been conveyed into Ennius.
[15] L Beginning of the narrative. The Fall of Troy
PRISCIANUS : Veterrimus is as it were derived from a positive veter . . . Ennius has -
PROBUS : Ennius pictures to himself Anchises as having the power of soothsaying by bird-lore, and, through this, something of the prophet in him : thus -
and shrewd Anchises to whom Venus, loveliest of goddesses, granted power to foretell, and to have a godly heart [of prophecy].
PRISCIANUS : Laurentis for Laurens. Ennius in the Annales -
These men one day Laurentum's land received.
[31] L
Aeneas meets the King of Alba; the story of Ilia, the daughter of Aeneas:
ATILIUS : The shortest hexameter has 12 syllables like this of Ennius -
To him answer made the King of Alba Longa.
SERVIUS : According to Ennius, he [Romulus] will be reckoned with Aeneas among the gods.
SERVIUS : [Ennius] says that Ilia was a daughter of Aeneas.
[32-48] L
The dream of Ilia after the death of Aeneas; she gives birth to Romulus and Remus:
CICERO : in Ennius the famous vestal tells her story -
When the old woman roused up, had with limbs a-tremble brought a light, then the maid, frightened out of sleep, spoke thus in tears:- 'O daughter of Eurydica,- you whom our father loved, now strength and life too leave all my body. For a man of beautiful looks seemed to hurry me away among pleasant sallow-thickets and banks and places strange ; so, my own sister, after that did I seem to wander alone, and slow-footed to track and search for you, but to be unable to catch you to my heart: no path made sure my stepping. Then it was father who seemed to lift up his voice and speak to me in these words:- "O daughter, first there are hardships to be borne by you; but after that, your fortunes will rise again from a river." With these words, my own sister, did father suddenly withdraw, and no longer gave himself to my gaze though my heart longed for him ; no, even though many a time and with tears did I keep holding out my hands towards the blue precincts of the sky, and called and called him with caressing voice. Then did sleep scarcely leave me all sick at heart.
OVID : If a woman should take the Annales (there's no poem shaggier than they) she will perforce read how Ilia became a mother.
SERVIUS auctus : Naevius and Ennius record that the founder of the city was Romulus, grandson of Aeneas through his daughter.
CHARISIUS : The grammarians would have it that the form neptis should not be used . . . and Ennius is appealed to because he wrote nepos as a feminine, thus -
Ilia, godly granddaughter, the hardships you have borne . . .
Thus he spoke out ; and then the hireling warriors sprang to carry out his word.
PORPHYRIO : According to Ennius' account Ilia was thrown headlong into the river Tiber by order of Amulius, King of the Albans; but before this she was joined in marriage to the Anio.
MARTIANUS Capella : The colleagues of Jupiter himself amount to twice six in number, including the Thunderer just mentioned; whose names are contained in a pair of lines in Ennius -
SERVIUS : [on 'sancte deorum' in Vergilius, Aen_4'576] We must either put a comma after sancte or else he used the phrase 'sancte deorum' after Ennius -
Juno, hallowed among goddesses, daughter of Saturn, made answer,
[63-4] LJupiter foretells to Mars that only one of his sons shall be deified :
VARRO : In this book I shall speak of words which find a place in the poets . . . I will begin with this -
One there will be whom you shall raise up to the blue precincts of the sky
FRONTO : 'It was done.' This same verb is used by Ennius ... -
the broken places to be dammed up ;
he says -
it was done . . . the Tiber
. . . and a noteworthy act. Tiberis is in Tuscan dialect Tiber, which you order to be dammed up. The river Tiber is lord and ruler of all flowing waters round those parts. Ennius -
After the river which is chief over all settled down . . . for whose sake Ilia did sink beneath
[70] L
The trough holding Ilia's twins Romulus and Remus is cast up by a fig-tree which was later called the 'Fig-Tree of the Paps.'
MACROBIUS : 'And the dead of night held hid the moon in a black mist' [Vergilius, Aen_3'597]. Ennius in the first book -
When the dead of night held hid the light above,
[80-100] L
Romulus and Remus take the auspices ; Romulus founds the city of Rome.
CICERO : And thus Romulus, as augur with his brother, likewise as augur, as takes place in a passage of Ennius -
Then, careful with a great care, each in eagerness for royal rule, they are intent on the watching and soothsaying of birds . . . {on a hill} . . . Remus devotes himself to watching and apart looks out for a favourable bird. But handsome Romulus makes his search on high Aventine and so looks out for the soaring breed. Whether they should call the city Roma or Remora - this was their contest. Anxiety filled all the men as to which of the two should be ruler. As, when the consul means to give the signal, all men look eagerly at the barrier's bounds to see how soon he will send the chariots forth from the painted mouths - so they waited. Thus were the people waiting, and held their tongues, wondering to which of the two the victory of right royal rule should be given by the event. Meanwhile the white sun withdrew into depths of night. Then clear shot forth, struck out in rays, a light : just when, winging to the left, there flew from the height a bird, the luckiest far of flying prophets, just then all golden there rose up the sun. Thrice four hallowed forms of birds moved down from the sky, and betook themselves to places lucky and of happy omen. From this saw Romulus that to him, to be his own, were duly given the chair and throne of royalty, established firm by the watching of birds.
GLOSSARY : Of Rome there is no known founder common to tradition. . . . Ennius and others say it was founded by Romulus.
MACROBIUS : [quoting Vergilius, Aen_9'420] 'Meanwhile you shall none the less pay full recompense to me with your life-blood.' Ennius in the first book -
Neither you nor any man alive shall do this unpunished : no, you shall give recompense to me with your life-blood.
[104] L
A mediator {or Romulus ?) seeks to heal the quarrel :
GRAMMARIAN : When Romulus had built a temple to Jupiter Feretrius, be caused greased hides to be spread out and held games in such a manner that men fought with gauntlets and competed in running races; Ennius bears witness to this fact in the Annales.
SERVIUS auctus : And some think that lentandus is a coined word of Vergilius; but in the Annales we read -
Rubbed down with oil, supple and ready for taking arms.
PAULUS : 'Noise of War' was a term the Romans were wont to use of dancing when they danced with weapons; this was an institution of Romulus so that he should not suffer the like of what he himself did when he dragged off the maidens of the Sabines at their public games.
[107] L
Rape of the Sabine women. A Sabine speaks :
FESTUS : Sas. Verrius believes it means eas, his witness being Ennius on the ground that he says in the first book -
maidens ; for the Romans have each their own at home.
CICERO : Indeed when a people is bereaved of a just king, then even as Ennius says, after the passing of the best of kings, for many days longing filled their breasts -
And at the same time they talked thus among themselves - 'O Romulus, godly Romulus, what a guardian of your country did the gods beget you! O father and begetter, O blood sprung from the god!'
They used to call those whom they had lawfully obeyed not lords and masters, nor yet again kings, but guardians of their country, yes and fathers and gods. Nor was this without reason. For what do they say next ? -
You it was who brought us forth into the world of light.
He established the Tables, he also the Shields . . .
ancilia is a word derived from ambicisus, because those arms were indented on either edge like those of Thracians ; -
. . . and the Pancakes, the Bakers, the Rush-Dummies, and the cone-haired Priests.
liba are so called because they are made to be used at libations. The fictores are so called 'a fingendis libis' ; the term Argei is derived from Argos. . . . tutulati is a term used for those who at sacrifices are accustomed to wear a kind of cone on their heads.
VARRO : Ennius states that Pompilius also established the 'special priests' ; although all are surnamed from individual gods . . . there are special priests whose surnames remain obscure in origin . . . as is the case with most of the following which are enumerated in these verses -
He likewise established the priests of Volturnus, of Palatua, of Furina, of Flora, of Falacer, and of Pomona.
[130] LNuma asks for his institutions to be maintained ; War between Rome and Alba :
FESTUS : The ancients used to say me instead of mihi, as does Ennius when he says in the second book -
If something of man's fate should happen to me, do you keep my ordinances.
PROPERTIUS [ 3.3'5-7 ] : And I had already put puny lips to mighty fountains, whence once father Ennius did slake his thirst and sang of the brothers Curii, and of the Horatii and their spears. . , .
PRISCIANUS : In this way, therefore, ἐμοῦ σοῦ and οὗ correspond to mei tui and sui, ἐμοῦς σοῦς and οὗς to mis tis sis. . . . Ennius -
A great and strong anxiety is mine to do equal deeds with my heart-fellows.
[132] L
The fight : the surviving Horatius escapes a thrust :
FESTUS : Occasus, a passing away of the sun, for example, when it drops down from the heights to regions beneath the earth ; Ennius used this noun for occasio in the second book -
This chance was given him, but renowned Horatius with a leap . . .
[133] L
Horatius justifies himself to his sister, who loved one of the Curiatii :
PRISCIANUS : We find very ancient writers who even lengthened the penultimate (sc. of perfects in -ui) . . . -
He agreed that he would join issue with me by the sword.
FESTUS : Tuditantes means tundentes, that is, conducting an affair ... -
They spent the whole day threshing out this trial among themselves.
[139] L
The punishment of Mettius Fufetius by Tullus for refusing to help Rome :
QUINTILIAN : Tinga of Placentia ... by writing precula for pergula was guilty of two barbarisms in one noun. . . . But Ennius, arraigned on a like charge of a double mistake by saying -
SERVIUS , on clangor in Vergilius : States are generally overthrown to the sound of a trumpet, in the way in which Tullus Hostilius ordered Alba to be overthrown.
PRISCIANUS : In nominationes, that is in onomatopoeias whether nouns or verbs, of unusual structure, we must not look for all the turns of inflexion . . . taratantara. Ennius -
And the trumpet in terrible tones taratantara blared.
SERVIUS , on Vergilius [Aen_2'486] : 'And the dwelling within.' This passage is taken from the Sack of Alba.
[144] L
The reign of Ancus Marcius. His accession :
SERVIUS auctus , on reddita in Vergilius : Reddita must, as an archaic usage, be taken to mean data ... -
and that day when Ancus Marcius received the kingship,
Here recepit stands for accepit.
[145] L
The foundation of Ostia : fortifications and other works :
MACROBIUS : A most happy expression of Vergilius' [Georg_2'462] is ' belches forth a flood,' and archaic too, for Ennius says -
SERVIUS auctus : Some say that texamus is the right term to use because the places in which ships are made are called in Greek ναυπήγια, in Latin textrina. Ennius -
for them too the plain holds a workshop for their long ships.
PROBUS , on anima in Vergilius [Ecl_6'32] : 'Air' is here taken, by inductive reasoning, to mean 'winds' ; in proof of this we have taken an example of Ennius from the third book of the Annales -
and there came flying on thick-set wings an eagle, battling with the breeze which the Greek nation calls in its tongue aer.
MACROBIUS : We must notice that he used even qua noctu. And this he put in the seventh book of the Annales, in the third book of which he wrote the same sort of thing more clearly -
On this night all Etruria's fate will hang by a thread.
GELLIUS : We used to investigate the question whether superesse in the archaic writers was a term used for 'remain and be lacking for the completion of a thing ' . . . we find in the third book of Ennius' Annales this line -
Then she says that for herself one labour still waits over :
superesse, 'is left' and 'remains' undone ; this being the meaning, it must be spoken as two words.
BOOK IV - The Early Republic, probably to the Gallic Invasion of 390 B.C. L
PAULUS : The town which is now spoken of as Tarracina, belonging to the Volscian tribe, used to be called Anxur, as Ennius' words show -
The wretched Volscians lost Anxur.
[166] L
Eclipse of the sun, 21st of June, 400 B.C. :
CICERO , on the true cause of solar eclipses : In later times this did not escape the notice even of our Ennius, who writes that, about three hundred and fifty years after the foundation of Rome -
On June's fifth day the moon blocked out the sun in darkness.
MACROBIUS : It is not inelegant to put agmen in the sense of a certain actus and ductus ; for example, 'Thybris flows with gentle train' [Vergilius, Aen_2'782]. Indeed it is also an antique usage; for Ennius in the fifth book says -
because the river flows with gentle train through the pleasant town.
SERVIUS , on 'Unroll this great war from end to end,' in Vergilius [Aen_9'528] : that is . . . Tell not only the beginnings, but also he conclusions of these wars; for by orae is meant 'extremities.' An augmenter of Servius adds : It is further an expression of Ennius -
CICERO : Why should I take Herodotus to be more truthful than Ennius ? Surely he was quite as capable of inventing stories about Croesus as Ennius was about Pyrrhus. For who is there who could believe that Apollo's oracle gave this answer to Pyrrhus ? -
I say that you, O man sprung from Aeacus, the Romans can defeat.
In the first place, Latin is a tongue in which Apollo never spoke; again, that particular reply is not known among the Greeks; and moreover, in the time of Pyrrhus, Apollo had already ceased to make verses; and lastly, although it has always held good, as we find in Ennius, that -
That tribe of blockheads, stock of Aeacus, are war-strong more than wisdom-strong
still, Pyrrhus would have had the sense to see that the double meaning of the line 'you the Romans ... defeat' applied equally to himself and to the Romans.
MACROBIUS , quoting Vergilius [Aen_7'625] : 'Through the dust the horsemen raged ; all cried for weapons.' ... -
He harried the bleating sheep; all cried for weapons.
[181-5] L
Preparations for burning the dead after the battle of Heraclea, 280 B.C. :
MACROBIUS , quoting Vergilius [Aen_6'179] : 'They went into an old forest, deep dens of the wild ; forward fell pitch-pines, clattered holms under hatchet-blows, clattered beams of ash-trees against wedges; splitting oak-wood too they cleft, and rolled along lofty rowans of the mountains.' Ennius in the sixth book -
Then strode they through deep thicket-woods and hewed with hatchets ; mighty oaks they overturned ; down crashed the holm and the ash was shattered ; felled was the stately fir ; they wrenched right down the lofty pines ; and all the thicket-wood of leafy forest rang and roared and rustled.
CICERO : And of Pyrrhus too there is that illustrious speech on the restoration of prisoners -
Gold for myself I ask not ; no, to me ye shall not pay a price. Not bartering war but waging war, not with gold but with iron - thus let us of both sides make trial for our lives. To see what Fortune may bring, whether it be you or I she wishes to be king - let it be by bravery that we make the test. And withal hear this word of mine : of those warriors to whose bravery war's fortune has been kind, to the freedom of those same have I too planned to be kind. I give them to you, take them home - and with them I give you the blessing of the great gods.
CICERO : When Appius Claudius was in old age it happened that he was also blind; nevertheless, when the opinion of the Senate was inclined towards peace and alliance with Pyrrhus he did not hesitate to utter those famous thoughts which Ennius set forth in poetry -
Whither on your road have senseless turned your senses which hitherto were wont to stand upright ?
NONIUS : Prognariter, actively, valiantly and steadfastly. ... -
You gods, hear this my prayer a little while as from my body I breathe my last for the Roman people's sake, knowingly and steadfastly, in arms and in battle.
[203] LPyrrhus' mahouts cut the traces of the Roman chariot-horses ? :
FESTUS : Scitae is a term applied by poets sometimes to women of good looks, sometimes to women who are of good accomplishments. . . . Ennius in the sixth book -
