Aeneid 6.42–76

Aen. 6.42Excīsum Euboicae latus ingēns rūpis in antrum,
quō lātī dūcunt aditūs centum, ōstia centum;

The huge side of the Euboean rock is hollowed out into a cave, to which a hundred broad approaches lead, a hundred mouths;

Note. Excīsum Euboicae latus ingēns rūpis in antrum: 'the huge side of the Euboean rock is cut into a cave' (latus#2, 'side'). The remains of a long rock-cut gallery at Cumae, discovered in 1932, were long identified with this cave. aditūs centum lātī, ōstia centum: anaphora of centum. The hundred mouths let the prophecies be heard all round.

Aen. 6.44unde ruunt totidem vōcēs, respōnsa Sibyllae.

from them rush as many voices, the answers of the Sibyl.

Note. Unde ruunt totidem vōcēs: as many voices rush out as there are mouths: the prophetess' words echo from every opening.

Aen. 6.45Ventum erat ad līmen, cum virgō.

They had come to the threshold, when the maiden —

Note. Ventum erat ad līmen: an impersonal passive, 'they had come to the threshold', literally 'it had been come'. cum virgō: the sentence breaks off as the Sibyl suddenly cries out; the source text punctuates the break with a full stop, so the next sentence (6.46) completes the thought. Read it as 'they had come to the threshold, when the maiden said: …'

Aen. 6.45Poscere fāta
tempus ait;

'It is time to ask the fates,' she says;

Note. Poscere fāta / tempus: 'it is time to ask the fates', tempus (est) with the infinitive. ait: 'she says', a defective verb.

Aen. 6.46deus, ecce, deus!

'the god, look, the god!'

Note. Deus, ecce, deus!: the god is coming upon her. The doubled word with ecce conveys the shock of possession.

Aen. 6.46Cui tālia fantī
ante forēs subitō nōn voltus, nōn color ūnus,
nōn cōmptae mānsēre comae;

As she speaks so before the doors, suddenly her face is not the same, nor her colour, nor does her hair stay in its braids;

Note. Cui tālia fanti: 'to her, as she spoke so', the dative of reference with a present participle. nōn vultus, nōn color ūnus: 'her face was not one and the same, nor her colour'. comptae … comae: her hair was 'combed', bound in braids, and now falls loose, a sign of the frenzy of possession by the god.

Aen. 6.48sed pectus anhēlum,
et rabiē fera corda tument;

but her breast heaves, and her wild heart swells with frenzy;

Note. pectus anhēlum: her breast pants. rabie fera corda tument: 'her wild heart swells with frenzy'. The prophetic madness (furor) was thought to be the god entering the seer's body.

Aen. 6.49maiorque vidērī,
50nec mortāle sonāns, adflāta est nūmine quandō
iam propiōre deī.

she seems taller, and her voice is not mortal, now that she has been breathed on by the power of the god, closer now.

Note. maiorque vidērī: an infinitive used with the adjective, a poetic construction: 'greater to look on'. nec mortāle sonāns: a present participle with an internal accusative: 'sounding nothing mortal'. adflāta est nūmine: 'she has been breathed upon by the power' of the god. quandō … iam propiōre: 'since he is nearer now'.

Aen. 6.51Cessās in vōta precēsque,
Trōs ait Aenēā?

'Are you slow to your vows and prayers, Trojan Aeneas?' she says.

Note. Cessās in vōta precēsque: 'are you slow to (make) your vows and prayers?'. Trōs: Greek-style nominative used as a vocative, with a long o.

Aen. 6.52Cessās?

'Are you slow?

Note. Cessās?: the repeated question is impatient and urgent.

Aen. 6.52Neque enim ante dēhīscent
attonitae magna ōra domus.

For not until then will the great mouths of the awestruck house gape open.'

Note. neque enim ante … dehīscent: 'for not before (you pray) will they open'. attonitae … domūs: the house is 'thunderstruck', in awe of the god's coming.

Aen. 6.53Et tālia fāta
conticuit.

And having spoken so, she fell silent.

Aen. 6.54Gelidus Teucrīs per dūra cucurrit
55ossa tremor, funditque precēs rēx pectore ab īmō:
Phoebe, gravēs Troiae semper miserāte labōrēs,
Dardana quī Paridis dīrēxtī tēla manūsque
corpus in Aeacidae, magnās obeuntia terrās
tot maria intrāvī duce tē, penitusque repostās
60Massȳlum gentēs praetentaque Syrtibus arva,
iam tandem Ītaliae fugientis prēndimus ōrās;

A cold shudder ran through the hard bones of the Teucrians, and the king pours out prayers from the bottom of his heart: 'Phoebus, who always pitied the heavy sufferings of Troy, who guided the Dardan weapons and the hands of Paris against the body of Aeacus' grandson, with you as my guide I have entered so many seas that skirt great lands, and the far-off tribes of the Massyli and the fields that stretch before the Syrtes; now at last we grasp the shores of fleeing Italy;

Note. Gelidus … tremor: the cold shudder runs through the 'hard' bones. fundit … precēs: 'pours out prayers'. Phoebe, gravēs Troiae semper miserāte labōrēs: the deponent participle miserātus with a vocative ending, 'you who always pitied'. Apollo guided Paris' arrow to Achilles' heel (Aeacidae, Achilles, grandson of Aeacus). dīrēxtī = dīrēxistī, a syncopated perfect. Massylum: the Massyli were a people of North Africa; repostās = repositās, 'lying far back'. Syrtibus: the Syrtes, dangerous sandbanks off Libya. fugientis Ītaliae: Italy is pictured as 'fleeing' from the Trojans, who have sought it so long. Note the long I of Ītaliae, a metrical lengthening.

Aen. 6.62hāc Trōiāna tenus fuerit Fortūna secūta.

thus far, and no further, let the fortune of Troy have followed us.

Note. Hāc Trōiāna tenus fuerit fortūna secūta: tmesis and inversion: hāc … tenus, 'thus far'. fuerit secūta is a perfect subjunctive expressing a wish: 'let the fortune of Troy have followed us only this far'.

Aen. 6.63Vōs quoque Pergameae iam fās est parcere gentī,
dīque deaeque omnēs quibus obstitit Īlium et ingēns
65glōria Dardaniae.

You too may rightly spare the people of Pergamum, you gods and goddesses all, to whom Ilium and the great glory of Dardania were an offence.

Note. Vōs quoque Pergameae iam fās est parcere gentī: fās est, 'it is right'. Pergamum was the citadel of Troy. dīque deaeque omnēs: the gods hostile to Troy, above all Juno and Minerva. obstitit: 'stood in the way', 'gave offence to'.

Aen. 6.65Tūque, Ō sānctissima vātēs,
praescia ventūrī, dā, nōn indēbita poscō
regna meīs fātīs, Latiō cōnsīdere Teucrōs
errantīsque deōs agitātaque nūmina Troiae.

And you, most holy prophetess, who know the future, grant (I ask for no kingdom not owed to my fates) that the Teucrians may settle in Latium, with the wandering gods and storm-tossed powers of Troy.

Note. Tūque, ō sānctissima vātēs: Aeneas now turns to the Sibyl. praescia: 'knowing beforehand'. nōn indēbita … regna meīs fātīs: 'kingdoms not owed to my fates', a litotes: he asks only what fate has promised. considere: an indirect command after dā, 'grant that they settle'. errantīsque deōs agitātaque nūmina: the household gods (Penates) that Aeneas carries from Troy.

Aen. 6.69Tum Phoebō et Triviae solidō dē marmore templum
70īnstituam, fēstōsque diēs dē nōmine Phoebī.

Then I will found for Phoebus and Trivia a temple of solid marble, and festival days named after Phoebus.

Note. templum … et fēstōs diēs: the poem looks forward to Augustus, who built a marble temple to Apollo on the Palatine (28 BC) and kept the Ludi Apollinares. dē nōmine Phoebī: 'named after Phoebus'.

Aen. 6.71Tē quoque magna manent regnīs penetrālia nostrīs:
hīc ego namque tuās sortēs arcānaque fāta,
dicta meae gentī, pōnam, lēctōsque sacrābō,
alma, virōs.

A great sanctuary awaits you too in our kingdom: for here I will place your lots and the secret fates told to my people, and I will consecrate chosen men, kindly one.

Note. Tē quoque magna manent regnīs penetrālia nostrīs: the Sibylline Books, collections of prophecies kept in Rome and consulted by the state in crisis; Augustus moved them to the temple of Apollo. sortēs arcānaque fāta: in apposition. lēctōsque sacrābō … virōs: the priests in charge of the books (the quindecimviri). alma: 'kindly one', addressing the Sibyl.

Aen. 6.74Foliīs tantum nē carmina mandā,
75ne turbāta volent rapidīs lūdibria ventīs;

Only do not entrust your songs to leaves, in case they fly about in disorder, the playthings of the rushing winds;

Note. Foliīs tantum nē carmina mande: nē with the imperative is a poetic prohibition. The Sibyl was said to write her prophecies on leaves which the wind scattered (Aen. 3.443-452). nē turbāta volent: a purpose clause: 'lest they fly about in disorder'. rapidīs lūdibria ventīs: 'playthings for the rushing winds', in apposition.

Aen. 6.76ipsa canās ōrō.

sing them yourself, I beg.'

Note. ipsa canās ōrō: ōrō with a bare subjunctive without ut, common in speech.

Aen. 6.76Fīnem dedit ōre loquendī.

He made an end of speaking.

Note. Fīnem dedit ōre loquendī: 'he made an end of speaking with his mouth'; loquendī is a gerund in the genitive.