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 Relief of the Amazons fighting the Greeks in the Trojan War: Achilles holds the body of Penthesilea Sarcophagus, 3rd century CE |
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Vergil's epic masterpiece, the Aeneid (Latin, study guide, Dryden's translation), which celebrates the events leading to the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus, offers compelling portraits of goddesses and legendary women. Among the most tragic of them is Camilla, leader of the Volscian army of women, a mortal maiden dedicated by her father to the huntress-goddess Artemis. Vergil's invention of Camilla suggests Penthesilea (see Aeneid I.490-3), queen of the Amazons and daughter of Ares, who fought beside the Trojans in the Trojan War. She was killed by the Greek hero Achilles, who fell in love with her at the moment of her death (see Propertius Elegiae 3.11.13-16). This passage introduces Camilla in the catalogue of troops opposed to Aeneas. The meter is dactylic hexameter. For an analysis of Camilla's character, see T.H. Becker's article; see archaeological discovery of Amazons in Scythia. |
| Hos super advenit Volsca de gente Camilla |  |
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| agmen agens equitum et florentis aere catervas, | ||
| 805 | bellatrix, non illa colo calathisve Minervae |   |
| femineas adsueta manus, sed proelia virgo |  |
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| dura pati cursuque pedum praevertere ventos. | ||
| illa vel intactae segetis per summa volaret | ||
| gramina nec teneras cursu laesisset aristas, | ||
| 810 | vel mare per medium fluctu suspensa tumenti | |
| ferret iter celeris nec tingeret aequore plantas. | ||
| illam omnis tectis agrisque effusa iuventus | ||
| turbaque miratur matrum et prospectat euntem, | ||
| attonitis inhians animis ut regius ostro | ||
| 815 | velet honos levis umeros, ut fibula crinem |  |
| auro internectat, Lyciam ut gerat ipsa pharetram |   |
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| et pastoralem praefixa cuspide myrtum. |  |
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