Jacobi Sadoleti Carmen de Statua Laocoontis
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- Et paene audimus gemitus/we almost hear the groans
"Jacobi Sadoleti Carmen de Statua Laocoontis" is a poem by Jacopo Sadoleto.
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- Ecce alto terrae e cumulo, ingentisque ruinae
- Visceribus, iterum reducem longinqua reduxit
- Laocoonta dies; aulis regalibus olim
- Qui stetit, atque tuos ornabat, Tite, penates.
- Divinae simulacrum artis, nec docta vetustas
- Nobilius spectabat opus, nunc celsa revisit
- Exemptum tenebris redivivae moenia Romae.
- Quid primum summumve loquar? miserumne parentem
- Et prolem geminam? an sinuatos flexibus angues
- Terribili aspectu? caudasque irasque draconum
- Vulneraque et veros, saxo moriente, dolores?
- Horret ad haec animus, mutaque ab imagine pulsat
- Pectora non parvo pietas commixta tremori.
- Prolixum bini spiris glomerantur in orbem
- Ardentes colubri, et sinuosis orbibus errant
- Ternaque multiplici constringunt corpora nexu.
- Vix oculi sufferre valent, crudele tuendo
- Exitium, casusque feros: micat alter, et ipsum
- Laocoonta petit, totumque infraque supraque
- Implicat er rabido tandem ferit ilia morsu.
- Connexum refugit corpus, torquentia sese
- Membra, latusque retro sinuatum a vulnere cernas
- Ille dolore acri, et laniatu impulsus acerbo,
- Dat gemitum ingentem, crudosque evellere dentes
- Connixus, laevam impatiens ad terga Chelydri
- Objicit: intendunt nervi, collectaque ab omni
- Corpore vis frustra summis conatibus instat.
- Ferre nequit rabiem, et de vulnere murmur anhelum est.
- At serpens lapsu crebro redeunte subintrat
- Lubricus, intortoque ligat genua infima nodo.
- Absistunt surae, spirisque prementibus arctum
- Crus tumet, obsepto turgent vitalia pulsu,
- Liventesque atro distendunt sanguine venas.
- Nec minus in natos eadem vis effera saevit
- Implexuque angit rapido, miserandaque membra
- Dilacerat: jamque alterius depasta cruentum
- Pectus, suprema genitorem voce cientis,
- Circumjectu orbis, validoque volumine fulcit.
- Alter adhuc nullo violatus corpora morsu,
- Dum parat adducta caudam divellere planta,
- Horret ad adspectum miseri patris, haeret in illo,
- Er jam jam ingentes fletus, lacrimasque cadentes
- Anceps in dubio retinet timor. Ergo perenni
- Qui tantum statuistis opus jam laude nitentes,
- Artifices magni (quanquam et melioribus actis
- Quaeritur aeternum nomen, multoque licebat
- Clarius ingenium venturae tradere famae)
- Attamen ad laudem quaecunque oblata facultas
- Egregium hanc rapere, et summa ad fastigia niti.
- Vos rigidum lapidem vivis animare figuris
- Eximii, et vivos spiranti in marmore sensus
- Inserere, aspicimus motumque iramque doloremque,
- Et paene audimus gemitus: vos extulit olim
- Clara Rhodos, vestrac jacuerunt artis honores
- Tempore ab immenso, quos rursum in luce secunda
- Roma videt, celebratque frequens: operisque vetusti
- Gratia parta recens. Quanto praestantius ergo est
- Ingenio, aut quovis extendere fata labore,
- Quam fastus et opes et inanem extendere luxum.
Unidentified English translation
Lo, rising from the bosom of the tomb, Dragged from the ruins of devoted Kome, LaocoSn lives, who once adorn'd the hearth, Whence the good Titus rul'd and bless'd the earth. Model of Art — the choicest genius gave To swell Rome's glory, or to deck ber grave. What tongue the wonders of the work can tell, The serpents, vast, voluminous and fell, Their monstrous size, their giant strength display, Their rage, their triumph, as they crush their prey, The fathers' sufferings, the childreus' cries. And all the dying marble's agonies ? Shock'd by the sight, in vain we chide the tear, Yet while we melt in pity, start for fear. Scarce can our eyes the cruel scene sustain, Support their struggles, or endure their pain. Look ! how these ministers of wrath divine In iron volumes round their victims twine, See this in fury to the father glide, Curl round his arms, and rend his bleeding side. Observe his body bending ft om the foe, Writhing and shrinking to avoid the blow, That piteous look to heaven despairing thrown, And the keen anguish of that harrowing groan, Hasting to tear the reeking fangs away, He grasps the monster's throat with frantick sway, Their utmost force his nerves convulsive strain, Struggling with all their strength — but all in vain.
The other Serpent in relentless folds,
Fixed to the spot, the victim prophet holds ;