14
dūctōrēsDānaūm,tōtiāmlābēntĭbŭsānnīs,
2
Displacementductores
Displacementannis
15
īnstārmōntĭsĕquūmdīvīnāPāllădĭsārtē
2
NoteHyperbaton/Encapsulation divina arte
NoteTraditionally, Athena helped to build the horse or advised its construction
16
aēdĭfĭcānt,sēctāque͜īntēxūntābiĕtĕcōstās:
2
Enjambementaedificant The horse is of such a size that its construction bursts over the line
Hyperbatonsecta abiete
17
vōtūmprōrĕdĭtūsĭmŭlānt;eāfāmăvăgātūr.
2
Vivid presentsimulant
Vivid presentvagatur
18
hūcdēlēctāvīrūmsōrtĭtĭcōrpŏrăfīrtĭm
1
Interwoven word orderdelecta, virum, sortiti, corpora
19
īnclūdūntcaēcōlătĕrī,pĕnĭtūsquĕcăvērnās
4
Vivid presentincludunt
Notecaeco lateri suggests the dark vastness of the hidden recesses in the horse.
Notecavernas a ship building term
NoteHarsh consonants dominate these lines, perhaps suggesting the clatter of the climbers into the horse
20
īngēntīsŭtĕrūmque͜ārmātōmīlĭtĕcōmplēnt.
5
Noteingentis Virgil’s favourite adjective
Chiasmuspenitus, cavernas, ingentis, uterum
Pregnancy vocabularyuterum
Notearmato milite used as a collective for the soldiers
Vivid presentcomplent
21
ēstīncōnspēctūTĕnĕdōs,nōtīssĭmăfāmă
3
Noteconspectu mainly a prose term
Superlativenotissima
Notegenitive may be one of content
22
īnsŭlă,dīvĕsŏpūm,Prīāmĭdŭmrēgnămănēbānt,
23
nūnctāntūmsĭnŭsētstătĭōmălĕfīdăcărīnĭs:
2
NoteLitotes male fida
Notemale with negative force is a colloquial term promoted to epic by Virgil
24
hūcsēprōvēctīdēsērto͜īnlītŏrĕcōndūnt.
1
NoteNote the simple manner of these lines, like a prose historical narrative. This line and the next are end-stopped units, each complete in itself, which adds to the effect of a report
14
the leaders of the Danaans, when so many years had already slipped by,
15
built a horse like a mountain with the divine skill of Athena
16
and they wove the ribs from cut down fir:
17
They pretend it is a votive for their return; that is the rumour that is spread.
18
In this they secretly enclose a body of men chosen by lot
19
within its dark sides, and they fill the cavernous insides
20
and its huge belly with armed soldiers.
21
There is, within sight of Tenedos, the island famous
22
in stories, rich in wealth, while the kingdoms of Priam were standing,
23
now it is only a bay and a not-so-good standing for boats:
24
Here they settled themsleves, having been carried onto the deserted shore.