Aeneid 6.1–13

Aen. 6.1Sīc fātur lacrimāns, classīque immittit habēnās,
et tandem Euboïcīs Cūmārum adlābitur ōrīs.

So he speaks, weeping, and gives his fleet its head, and at last glides in to the Euboean shores of Cumae.

Note. Sīc fātur lacrimāns: Book 6 picks up straight from the end of Book 5, where Aeneas has lost his helmsman Palinurus. lacrimāns is a present participle, 'weeping'. classī … immittit habēnās: 'gives the fleet its reins', a metaphor from driving a chariot: he lets the ships run freely. Euboicīs Cūmārum … ōrīs: Cumae, on the coast north of the Bay of Naples, was the oldest Greek colony in Italy, founded by settlers from Chalcis on the island of Euboea; hence 'Euboean'. adlābitur: the prefix ad- with the dative ōrīs, 'glides up to'.

Aen. 6.3Obvertunt pelagō prōrās;

They turn their prows to face the sea;

Note. Obvertunt pelagō prōrās: the ships are turned to face the sea and beached stern first, the usual ancient practice, so that they can be launched again quickly.

Aen. 6.3tum dente tenācī
ancora fundābat nāvēs, et lītora curvae
5praetexunt puppēs.

then the anchor with its gripping tooth was making the ships fast, and the curved sterns fringe the shore.

Note. dente tenācī: the fluke of the anchor is pictured as a 'tooth' that bites the sea floor. fundābat: imperfect, 'was making fast', a scene in progress, set beside the vivid presents praetexunt and the rest. praetexunt: the curved sterns 'fringe' the shore like the border of a toga (praetexta).

Aen. 6.5Iuvenum manus ēmicat ārdēns
lītus in Hesperium;

A band of young men leaps out eagerly onto the Hesperian shore;

Note. Hesperium: Hesperia, 'the western land', is a poetic name for Italy. ēmicat: a vivid verb of darting out, singular with the collective manus.

Aen. 6.6quaerit pars sēmina flammae
abstrūsa in vēnīs silicis, pars dēnsa ferārum
tēcta rapit silvās, inventaque flūmina mōnstrat.

some look for the seeds of flame hidden in the veins of flint, some strip the woods, the thick haunts of wild beasts, and point out the streams they have found.

Note. pars … pars: 'some … others', each taking a singular verb (quaerit, rapit). sēmina flammae: the 'seeds of fire' hidden in the flint, which strike sparks. abstrūsa: perfect passive participle of abstrūdō, 'hidden away'. rapit: 'strips' the woods for firewood. dēnsa ferārum tēcta: in apposition to silvās. inventa … flūmina: 'the rivers they have found'.

Aen. 6.9At pius Aenēās arcēs, quibus altus Apollo
10praesidet, horrendaeque procul sēcrēta Sibyllae
antrum immāne petit, magnum cui mentem animumque
Dēlius īnspīrat vātēs, aperitque futūra.

But dutiful Aeneas makes for the heights over which lofty Apollo presides, and the huge cave, the secret place of the dread Sibyl, into whom the Delian prophet breathes a great mind and spirit and reveals what is to come.

Note. At pius Aenēās: the steady epithet pius marks Aeneas' duty to gods and family; while his men see to fire and water, he goes first to the god. arcēs quibus … praesidet: the hill of Cumae with Apollo's temple on it. sēcrēta … antrum immāne: the Sibyl's cave. The Sibyl was the prophetess of Apollo at Cumae; the god 'breathes' (īnspīrat) his mind into her. Dēlius vātēs: Apollo, born on Delos. aperit … futūra: 'reveals what is to come', the neuter plural participle of sum used as a noun.

Aen. 6.13Iam subeunt Triviae lūcōs atque aurea tēcta.

Now they come under the groves of Trivia and the golden roof.

Note. Triviae lūcōs: Trivia, 'goddess of the three ways', is a title of Diana (Hecate) worshipped at crossroads; her grove stood by Apollo's temple. aurea tēcta: the temple roof gilded.