Aeneid 6.124–155

Aen. 6.124Tālibus ōrābat dictīs, ārāsque tenēbat,
125cum sīc ōrsa loquī vātēs: Sate sanguine dīvom,
Trōs Anchīsiadē, facilis dēscēnsus Avernō;

With such words he prayed and held the altars, when the prophetess began to speak thus: 'Son of the blood of gods, Trojan son of Anchises, the way down to Avernus is easy;

Note. ārāsque tenēbat: suppliants held the altar as they prayed. Sate sanguine dīvum: 'sprung from the blood of gods'; satus is the perfect participle of serō, 'sow'. dīvum = dīvōrum. Anchīsiadē: Greek vocative of the patronymic, 'son of Anchises'. facilis dēscēnsus Avernō: 'easy is the descent to Avernus', one of the most quoted lines of the poem. Avernō is a dative of goal, 'to Avernus' (some manuscripts read Avernī).

Aen. 6.127noctēs atque diēs patet ātrī iānua Dītis;

night and day the door of black Dis stands open;

Note. Noctēs atque diēs: accusative of duration of time. ātrī iānua Dītis: Dis (Pluto), king of the dead.

Aen. 6.128sed revocāre gradum superāsque ēvādere ad aurās,
hoc opus, hic labor est.

but to retrace your steps and escape to the upper air, that is the task, that is the labour.

Note. revocāre gradum superāsque ēvādere ad aurās: 'to call back your step and escape to the upper air'. hoc opus, hic labor est: the balance of the two phrases makes it a proverb.

Aen. 6.129Paucī, quōs aequus amāvit
130Iuppiter, aut ārdēns ēvēxit ad aethera virtūs,
dīs genitī potuēre.

A few, whom fair-minded Jupiter has loved, or whom blazing virtue has carried up to the sky, the sons of gods, have managed it.

Note. Paucī: supply potuēre (a common ellipsis). quōs aequus amāvit / Iuppiter: 'fair-minded', 'well-disposed'. ardēns ēvexit ad aethera virtūs: present participle, 'blazing virtue'; aethera is a Greek accusative with a short final a. dīs genitī: 'sons of gods', like Hercules and Pollux.

Aen. 6.131Tenent media omnia silvae,
Cōcȳtusque sinū lābēns circumvenit ātrō.

Woods hold all the middle space, and Cocytus, gliding round, encircles it with its black coils.

Note. Tenent media omnia silvae: the underworld lies in the middle, behind the forest. Cōcȳtus: one of the rivers of the dead, 'the river of wailing'. sinū lābēns … ātrō: gliding with its black windings.

Aen. 6.133Quod sī tantus amor mentī, sī tanta cupīdō est,
bis Stygiōs innāre lacūs, bis nigra vidēre
135Tartara, et īnsānō iuvat indulgēre labōrī,
accipe, quae peragenda prius.

But if there is such love in your mind, such desire, twice to swim the Stygian lakes, twice to see black Tartarus, and you are pleased to give yourself to this mad labour, hear what must first be done.

Note. Quod sī tantus amor mentī: 'but if there is such love in your mind'. bis Stygiōs innāre lacūs: Aeneas, a living man, will cross the Styx twice, there and back. Tartara: the deepest region of the underworld. accipe quae peragenda prius: supply sunt; peragenda is the gerundive of obligation.

Aen. 6.136Latet arbore opācā
aureus et foliīs et lentō vīmine rāmus,
Iūnōnī īnfernae dictus sacer;

Hidden in a shady tree is a bough, golden in leaves and pliant stem, said to be sacred to the Juno of the underworld;

Note. Latet arbore opācā / aureus … rāmus: the golden bough is Vergil's invention or reworking of folk belief: the passport to the underworld, a gift for Proserpina. Iūnōnī īnfernae: 'the underworld Juno' is Proserpina, queen of the dead. lentō vīmine: 'pliant stem'.

Aen. 6.138hunc tegit omnis
lūcus, et obscūrīs claudunt convallibus umbrae.

the whole grove covers it, and shadows enclose it in dark valleys.

Note. lūcus … umbrae … convallibus: the bough is hidden by the whole grove and the dark valleys.

Aen. 6.140Sed nōn ante datur tellūris operta subīre,
auricomōs quam quis dēcerpserit arbore fētūs.

But one is not allowed to go down to the hidden places of the earth before he has plucked the golden-leaved growth from the tree.

Note. Sed nōn ante datur … quam quis dēcerpserit: ante … quam is split (tmesis): 'it is not granted before someone has plucked'. quis is the indefinite (quis#2), 'anyone'. auricomōs … fētūs: 'the golden-leaved offspring'.

Aen. 6.142Hoc sibi pulchra suum ferrī Prōserpina mūnus
īnstituit.

Lovely Proserpina has ordained that this be brought to her as her own gift.

Note. Hoc sibi pulchra suum ferrī Prōserpina mūnus / īnstituit: 'lovely Proserpina has ordained that this be brought to her as her own gift'.

Aen. 6.143Prīmō āvulsō nōn dēficit alter
aureus, et similī frondēscit virga metallō.

When the first is torn away, a second golden one does not fail, and the twig puts out leaves of the same metal.

Note. Prīmō āvulsō: ablative absolute. nōn dēficit alter / aureus: another grows in its place, a sign of its divine nature.

Aen. 6.145Ergō altē vestīgā oculīs, et rīte repertum
carpe manū;

So search for it high up with your eyes, and when you have duly found it, pluck it with your hand;

Note. Ergō altē vestīgā oculīs: 'search out high up with your eyes'. rīte repertum: 'duly found'.

Aen. 6.146namque ipse volēns facilisque sequētur,
sī tē fāta vocant;

for it will follow willingly and easily, if the fates are calling you;

Note. volēns facilisque: present participle of volō#2, 'willingly'. sī tē fāta vocant: the bough comes away only for the man whom fate has chosen.

Aen. 6.147aliter nōn vīribus ūllīs
vincere, nec dūrō poteris convellere ferrō.

otherwise you will not be able to overcome it with any strength, nor tear it off with hard iron.

Note. aliter nōn vīribus ūllīs / vincere … poteris: 'otherwise you will not be able to overcome it with any strength'.

Aen. 6.149Praetereā iacet exanimum tibi corpus amīcī—
150heu nescīs— tōtamque incestat fūnere classem,
dum cōnsulta petis nostrōque in līmine pendēs.

Besides, the body of your friend lies lifeless (alas, you do not know it) and pollutes the whole fleet with death, while you seek oracles and linger on our threshold.

Note. Praetereā iacet exanimum tibi corpus amīcī: the Sibyl reveals what Aeneas cannot yet know: the death of Misenus. heu nescīs: a parenthesis. tibi: ethic dative, 'your friend's body'. incestat fūnere: an unburied body pollutes the whole fleet with death; it must be buried before Aeneas can approach the gods below. Compare the unburied Palinurus later in the book.

Aen. 6.152Sēdibus hunc refer ante suīs et conde sepulchrō.

First return him to his resting-place and bury him in a tomb.

Note. Sēdibus hunc refer ante suīs: 'first return him to his own resting place', the tomb. condō: 'bury'.

Aen. 6.153Dūc nigrās pecudēs;

Bring black cattle;

Note. Dūc nigrās pecudēs: black animals are offered to the gods of the underworld (pecus#2).

Aen. 6.153ea prīma piācula suntō:
sīc dēmum lūcōs Stygis et regna invia vīvīs
155aspiciēs.

let these be the first offerings of atonement: only so will you look on the groves of the Styx and the kingdoms pathless for the living.'

Note. ea prīma piācula suntō: suntō is the future imperative of sum, formal and legal in tone: 'let these be the first offerings of atonement'. Sīc dēmum: 'only so'. invia vīvīs: 'pathless for the living'.

Aen. 6.155Dīxit, pressōque obmūtuit ōre.

She spoke, and closing her lips fell silent.

Note. pressōque obmūtuit ōre: ablative absolute, 'she fell silent with her lips closed'.