Aeneid 6.893–901

Aen. 6.893Sunt geminae Somnī portae, quārum altera fertur
cornea, quā vērīs facilis datur exitus umbrīs;

There are two gates of Sleep: one, they say, is of horn, and through it an easy way out is given to true shades;

Note. The two gates of Sleep, an idea from Homer's Odyssey (19.562–567), where Penelope says that dreams from the gate of horn are true and those from the gate of ivory deceive. geminae Somnī portae: 'twin gates of Sleep'. fertur: 'is said to be'. cornea: of horn. vērīs … umbrīs: dative, 'true shades', i.e. true visions. facilis datur exitus: 'an easy way out is given'.

Aen. 6.895altera candentī perfecta nitēns elephantō,
sed falsa ad caelum mittunt īnsomnia Mānēs.

the other gleams, finished in shining ivory, but through it the spirits send false dreams up to the sky.

Note. candentī … elephantō: 'shining ivory', elephantus meaning ivory as well as elephant. perfecta nitēns: 'shining, finished in'. falsa … īnsomnia: 'false dreams', the object of mittunt. Mānēs: the spirits of the underworld.

Aen. 6.897Hīs ubi tum nātum Anchīsēs ūnāque Sibyllam
prōsequitur dictīs, portāque ēmittit eburnā,
ille viam secat ad nāvēs sociōsque revīsit:
900tum sē ad Cāiētae rēctō fert lītore portum.

When Anchises has then escorted his son and the Sibyl together with these words, he sends them out by the ivory gate; Aeneas makes his way to the ships and sees his comrades again; then he sails straight along the shore to the harbour of Caieta.

Note. Hīs … dictīs: 'with these words'. prōsequitur: 'escorts', with nātum and Sibyllam. portā … ēmittit eburnā: the great puzzle of the book: Anchises sends Aeneas out by the ivory gate, the gate of false dreams. Many explanations have been proposed: that Aeneas leaves before midnight, when false dreams appear; that the vision of Rome is a 'dream' rather than literal truth; or that Vergil casts a shadow of doubt over all he has said. secat: 'cuts', i.e. makes his way. Cāiētae: Caieta, a harbour in Latium, named after Aeneas' nurse at the start of book 7. rēctō … lītore: 'straight along the shore'.