Vergil, Aeneid IV 173-197

Extemplō Libyae magnās it Fāma per urbēs,

Fāma, malum quā nōn aliud vēlōcius ūllum:

mōbilitāte viget vīrēsque adquīrit eundō,175

parva metū prīmō, mox sēsē attollit in aurās

ingrediturque solō et caput inter nūbila condit.

Illam Terra parēns īrā inrītāta deōrum

extrēmam, ut perhibent, Coeō Enceladōque sorōrem

prōgenuit pedibus celerem et pernīcibus ālīs,180

mōnstrum horrendum, ingēns, cui quot sunt corpore plūmae,

tot vigilēs oculī subter (mīrābile dictū),

tot linguae, totidem ōra sonant, tot subrigit aurēs.

Nocte volat caelī mediō terraeque per umbram

strīdēns, nec dulcī dēclīnat lūmina somnō;185

lūce sedet custōs aut summī culmine tēctī

turribus aut altīs, et magnās territat urbēs,

tam fictī prāvīque tenāx quam nūntia vērī.

Haec tum multiplicī populōs sermōne replēbat

gaudēns, et pariter facta atque īnfecta canēbat:190

vēnisse Aenēān Trōiānō sanguine crētum,

cui sē pulchra virō dignētur iungere Dīdō;

nunc hiemem inter sē lūxū, quam longa, fovēre

rēgnōrum immemorēs turpīque cupīdine captōs.

Haec passim dea foeda virum diffundit in ōra.195

Prōtinus ad rēgem cursūs dētorquet Iarbān

incenditque animum dictīs atque aggerat īrās.

    转眼间流言蜚语就传遍利比亚各个大城——

    法玛女神,没有其他邪灵比她更迅捷:

    她通过流动变得健壮,旅途给予她力量,                        175

    一开始还小而胆怯,很快就高达天际,

    脚步在地上行走,头却直插入青云之间。

    她的母亲大地神出于对诸天的怨愤,才生下

    她、科欧斯和恩刻拉都斯排行最末的妹妹,

    人称她天生长着结实的翅膀,脚下健步如飞,                180

    硕大无朋、令人胆寒,遍体有多少根羽毛,

    下面就有多少颗警觉的眼睛(说来难以置信)

    和巧舌;有多少嘴出声,就有多少耳朵高翘。

    她彻夜飞行在中天,在笼盖大地的阴影中

    嘶鸣,温柔的睡梦从不曾使她的双眼合拢;                    185

    白昼时她则如守卫坐在屋脊最高的顶点,

    或在高耸入云的塔尖,震慑着伟大的都市,

    每报一句真相,就赶快编出同样多的谎言。

    就这样,她以给人心填满变幻多端的言辞

    为乐,同等地唱着一切成了和未成的事情:                    190

    来了一位特洛伊的血脉所生的埃涅阿斯,

    美貌的狄多都觉得他配得上将自己托付;

    如今他们尽享奢华,在漫漫冬日相拥取暖,

    家国之事抛在脑后,却被可耻的情欲擒获。

    那龌龊的女神把这些话倒入各地人的口中,                    195

    又立刻调转行程,朝着亚耳巴斯王而去,

    用言语使他怒火中烧、怨气在胸口集聚。

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