52.1Herculēs postquam imperia Eurystheī accēpit, in Lacōniam ad Taenarum statim sē contulit; ibi enim spēlunca erat ingentī magnitūdine, per quam, ut trādēbātur, hominēs ad Orcum dēscendēbant.After Hercules received the orders of Eurystheus, he went at once to Taenarus in Laconia; for there was a cave of enormous size there, through which, as was said, people went down to Orcus.Note. ut trādēbātur: ut + indicative, 'as was said'. 52.2Eō cum vēnisset, ex incolīs quaesīvit quō in locō spēlunca illa sita esset; quod cum cognōvisset, sine morā dēscendere cōnstituit.When he had arrived there, he asked the inhabitants where that cave was located; and when he had learned this, he decided to go down without delay. 52.3Nec tamen sōlus hoc iter faciēbat, Mercurius enim et Minerva sē eī sociōs adiūnxerant.He did not make this journey alone, however, for Mercury and Minerva had joined him as companions. 52.4Ubi ad rīpam Stygis vēnit, Herculēs scapham Charontis cōnscendit, ut ad ulteriōrem rīpam trānsīret.When he came to the bank of the Styx, Hercules boarded Charon's boat, to cross to the further bank. 52.5Cum tamen Herculēs vir esset ingentī magnitūdine corporis, Charōn solvere nōlēbat; magnopere enim verēbātur nē scapha sua tantō pondere onerāta in mediō flūmine mergerētur.But since Hercules was a man of enormous size, Charon refused to push off; for he greatly feared that his boat, loaded with such a weight, would sink in the middle of the river.Note. verēbātur nē … mergerētur: after a verb of fearing, nē means 'that': 'feared that it would sink'.
52.6Tandem tamen minīs Herculis territus Charōn scapham solvit, et eum incolumem ad ulteriōrem rīpam perdūxit.At last, however, frightened by the threats of Hercules, Charon pushed off the boat, and brought him safe to the further bank.