Aeneid 6.282–294

Aen. 6.282In mediō rāmōs annōsaque brachia pandit
ulmus opāca, ingēns, quam sēdem Somnia volgō
vāna tenēre ferunt, foliīsque sub omnibus haerent.

In the middle a huge, dark elm spreads its branches and aged arms, where empty Dreams, they commonly say, have their home, and they cling under every leaf.

Note. In mediō: in the middle of the forecourt. ulmus opāca, ingēns: the elm of dreams. quam sēdem Somnia vulgō / vāna tenēre ferunt: 'which, they commonly say, empty Dreams hold as their home'. vāna: the dreams are false. haerent: they cling under the leaves like bats.

Aen. 6.285Multaque praetereā variārum mōnstra ferārum:
Centaurī in foribus stabulant, Scyllaeque biformēs,
et centumgeminus Briareus, ac bēlua Lernae
horrendum strīdēns, flammīsque armāta Chimaera,
Gorgonēs Harpȳiaeque et fōrma tricorporis umbrae.

And besides many monsters of different beasts: Centaurs stable at the doors, and two-formed Scyllas, and hundred-armed Briareus, and the beast of Lerna hissing horribly, and the Chimaera armed with flames, Gorgons and Harpies and the form of the three-bodied shade.

Note. Multaque praetereā variārum mōnstra ferārum: the monsters of Greek myth stand at the gate. Centaurī in foribus stabulant: half men, half horses; stabulant, 'they stable', a pun on their equine nature. Scyllae biformēs: Scylla, a woman above and dogs below, plural for the type. centumgeminus Briareus: a giant with a hundred arms. bēlua Lernae: the Hydra of Lerna, killed by Hercules. horrendum strīdēns: a present participle with an adverbial accusative, 'hissing horribly'. flammīs armāta Chimaera: the fire-breathing beast with a lion's head, a goat's body and a snake's tail. Gorgones: Medusa and her sisters, whose look turned men to stone. Harpȳiae: bird-women, whom Aeneas met in Book 3. fōrma tricorporis umbrae: Geryon, the three-bodied giant killed by Hercules.

Aen. 6.290Corripit hīc subitā trepidus formīdine ferrum
Aenēās, strictamque aciem venientibus offert,
et, nī docta comes tenuēs sine corpore vītās
admoneat volitāre cavā sub imāgine fōrmae,
inruat, et frūstrā ferrō dīverberet umbrās.

Here Aeneas, trembling with sudden fear, seizes his sword and offers its drawn edge to them as they come, and, if his wise companion did not warn him that they are thin lives without body, flitting under a hollow semblance of form, he would rush in and vainly cut through shadows with steel.

Note. Corripit hīc subitā trepidus formīdine ferrum: the sword the Sibyl told him to draw. strictamque aciem venientibus offert: 'offers the drawn blade to them as they come'; venientibus is a present participle. et nī docta comes … admoneat … inruat et … dīverberet: a mixed conditional with present subjunctives for the vivid past: 'and if his wise companion did not warn him … he would rush in'. tenuēs sine corpore vītās: the monsters are only images. cavā sub imāgine fōrmae: 'under the hollow likeness of a shape'. frūstrā … umbrās: he would cut through shadows in vain.