DanaidsANCIENT_Vergil



In these two passages Vergil subtly connects the death of Turnus to the myth of the Danaïds. See OGCMA s.v. "Danaids" for more detail. But for now bear in mind that Hypermnestra's filial disobedience saved Lynceus' life and represents the last, bleak hope of Argos."

Vergil Aen., 10.488-512
Pallas' baldric bears an image of the Danaids' murder of the sons of Aegyptus

"Pallas hit the hostile earth with a bloody face. And Turnus standing over him said, "Sons of Arcadia! Take careful note and report my words to Evander: I send him the Pallas that he deserved. Whatever honor his burial has, whatever solace there is in burial I willingly grant. The price of receiving Aeneas as a guest shall occur to him very high indeed." After saying this, Turnus placed his left foot upon lifeless boy and tore the prodigious weight of the baldric, even that engraved sacrilege — how on one wedding night a band of youth were slaughtered by pact, their bridal chambers running with blood. Clonus the son of Eurytus had once embossed these details with abundant gold. Turnus in this moment vaunts and rejoices in this spoil he has snatched. — The minds of men are unaware of Fate, their life's lot coming due, and they know not how to retain temperance when carried away by prosperity. For mighty Turnus will encounter a time when he will wish that Pallas had been left untouched, a moment when he will come to despise this very trophy and this day. But at this moment Pallas' comrades teem around and with mighty grief and tears they place him on his shield and carry him off. O Pallas, the lamentation and the great glory — returning to your father! This day was the first that led you into combat; the same day takes you from it, even if you did leave behind numerous throngs of Rutulians! — The report of this tremendous evil did reach Aeneas directly; rather, a more reliable messenger raced to Aeneas with the news that his men were on the narrow brink of death, that the Teucrians had been beaten and that time was critical."

Verg. Aen.. 12.940-50 "The last moment in Aeneid"

Aeneas turned his eyes round about and stayed his sword-hand. Again and again Turnus' words had started to abate his wrath, when high upon Turnus' shoulder the unhappy baldric caught Aeneas' eye and the boy Pallas' belt with its familiar bosses — the belt which Turnus had ripped from the mortally wounded body and was now wearing upon his shoulders, a despised image. The hero, after he drank in with his eyes the reminder of savage grief that this trophy represented, was inflamed with madness and terrifying with wrath. "Are you going to escape my hand, clothed like this in the spoils of my friends? With this wound does Pallas take your life. From this guilty blood does Pallas exact your punishment." As he says this, Aeneas violently plants (condit) his sword in the enemy's breast.'
     
     — translation RTMacfarlane


Verg. Aen., 10.488-512
et terram hostilem moriens petit ore cruento. quem Turnus super adsistens: 490
'Arcades, haec' inquit 'memores mea dicta referte
Euandro: qualem meruit, Pallanta remitto.
quisquis honos tumuli, quidquid solamen humandi est,
largior. haud illi stabunt Aeneia paruo
hospitia.' et laeuo pressit pede talia fatus 495
exanimem rapiens immania pondera baltei
impressumque nefas: una sub nocte iugali
caesa manus iuuenum foede thalamique cruenti,
quae Clonus Eurytides multo caelauerat auro;
quo nunc Turnus ouat spolio gaudetque potitus. 500
nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae
et seruare modum rebus sublata secundis!
Turno tempus erit magno cum optauerit emptum
intactum Pallanta, et cum spolia ista diemque
oderit. at socii multo gemitu lacrimisque 505
impositum scuto referunt Pallanta frequentes.
o dolor atque decus magnum rediture parenti,
haec te prima dies bello dedit, haec eadem aufert,
cum tamen ingentis Rutulorum linquis aceruos!
Nec iam fama mali tanti, sed certior auctor 510
aduolat Aeneae tenui discrimine leti
esse suos, tempus uersis succurrere Teucris.

Aen. 12.940-50

Aeneas uoluens oculos dextramque repressit;
et iam iamque magis cunctantem flectere sermo 940
coeperat, infelix umero cum apparuit alto
balteus et notis fulserunt cingula bullis
Pallantis pueri, uictum quem uulnere Turnus
strauerat atque umeris inimicum insigne gerebat.
ille, oculis postquam saeui monimenta doloris 945
exuuiasque hausit, furiis accensus et ira
terribilis: 'tune hinc spoliis indute meorum
eripiare mihi? Pallas te hoc uulnere, Pallas
immolat et poenam scelerato ex sanguine sumit.'
hoc dicens ferrum aduerso sub pectore condit 950
feruidus; ast illi soluuntur frigore membra
uitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras.