In this passage I translated into the simplest English Aeneas addressing his followers. It is a running thread of text.
–Patriam Olim amavimus, ubi in patria habitabamus:
Once upon a time, we loved our nation when we were living in the country:
–Hodie procul a Phrygia erramus. Advenae Troiam expugnaverunt et nos e patria fugaverunt:
Today, we wander far from Phrygia. The strangers have expunged the Trojans and we have fled out of the country:
–Nos patriam in terra advenarum exploramus, et Troiam iterum aedificabimus.
We are exploring our nation in the land of strangers, and again we will build Troy.
–Ad Italiam tandem navigavimus. Incolae Italiae contra nos coniurant et copias parant: cras oppugnabunt.
At last we sailed to Italy. The inhabitants of Italy are conspiring against us, and they are preparing their forces: tomorrow they will attack.
–Sagittis non vulnerabunt, fortasse primo fugabunt; non tamen superabunt.
The arrows will not wound. Perhaps, they will flee first; however, they will not win.
–Si primo nos fugaverint, non vos a pugna revocabo: iterum oppugnabimus, tandem superabimus.
If we shall have fled first, I will not recall you from the fight: We will oppose again, and at last we will win.
–Olim vos inter incolas Asiae famam comparavistis: si famam amatis, servabitis.
Once upon a time you gained fame amongst the inhabitants of Asia: if you love fame, you will keep it.
in addition to all the instances of fugare having an inverse meaning (1/flee), a few points:
“expunge” seems to me an odd word with which to translate expugnare, other than the fact that it looks similar. A more literal translation would be “stormed”, “subdued”, or similar.
Troiam means “Troy”, not “the Trojans”.
“we” cannot be the subject of the verb fugaverunt, since it is 3rd person (not 1st person) plural. nos must then be the accusative (=direct object).
–Nos patriam in terra advenarum exploramus, et Troiam iterum aedificabimus.
We are exploring our nation in the land of strangers, and again we will build Troy.
It makes more sense to translate exploramus “we are seeking out”; no possessive need be implied with patriam.
–Sagittis non vulnerabunt, fortasse primo fugabunt; non tamen superabunt.
The arrows will not wound. Perhaps, they will flee first; however, they will not win.
sagittis cannot be the subject of the sentence because it is not nominative.
–Si primo nos fugaverint, non vos a pugna revocabo: iterum oppugnabimus, tandem superabimus.
If we shall have fled first, I will not recall you from the fight: We will oppose again, and at last we will win.
“we” cannot be the subject of the verb fugaverint because it is third person plural; nos must then be the direct object.
“attack” or some similar word to translate oppugnare would make more sense.
Hi (my first post!)
I’m studying book 10 of the Aeneid.
–Sagittis non vulnerabunt, fortasse primo fugabunt; non tamen superabunt.
The arrows will not wound. Perhaps, they will flee first; however, they will not win.
here sagittis is actually in the plural ablative case, and so arrows isn’t the subject
