Virgil, Aeneid VI

268 ~ 316

268-272 / darkness

Ibant obscuri sola sub nocte per umbram
perque domos Ditis vacuas et inania regna:
quale per incertam lunam sub luce maligna
est iter in silvis, ubi caelum condidit umbra
Iuppiter, et rebus nox abstulit atra colorem.

  • Ibant obscuri sola sub nocte per umbram
    • 3 spondees
  • perque domos Ditis {1} vacuas et inania regna:
    1. Pluto/Hades
  • quale {1} per incertam lunam sub luce maligna
    1. beginning of simile
  • est {1} iter {2} in silvis, ubi caelum condidit {3} umbra
    1. main verb
    2. take as "est quale iter"
    3. condidit means to put something in the ground. therefore can mean buried & covered as well as founded
  • Iuppiter, et rebus {1} nox abstulit atra colorem.
    1. abl.sep or dat.disadvantage

they went, hidden, under the lonely night, through the shadows and through the {empty homes and empty kingdoms} of Dis: just like the journey through the uncertain moon under dim light in the forests, when Jupiter has buried the heaven in shadow, and the dark night carried away the colour from things.

commentary

How does Vergil depict the 'atmosphere' of the underworld?

  • listing a series of ills
  • polysyndeton
  • repetition but not repetitive
    • different, negatives adjectives add vividness and pathos
    • a mixture of "et", "-que", and "ac" as conjunctions
  • simile comparing the journey to a journey under dim light in the forest
    makes it more relatable to the audience, able to portray stuff
  • emphatic positioning of verb/"fronting the verb"
    • first line starts with "ibant", the movement starts right away.
      • as opposed to the usual pattern of the verb being towards the end
      • this is a dreamlike state - you never know how dreams start. like dreams always start when the movement is already happening.
      • also the imperfect tense (continuous movement)
  • pathetic fallacy of the dark environment with the dark mood, I guess
  • first line is entirely spondaic
    • slow journey

"we may say here, if we care to analyse, that the darkness of the night has passed into the hearts of the travellers, and the loneliness of their feelings seems to be part of the night itself" - Fletcher

by the way the most important words in a hexameter line are the first last

difficilior lectio

the more difficult reading is probably the correct one, because if a change has been made from the original, it probably goes from harder to easier.

273-281 / evils

vestibulum ante ipsum primisque in faucibus Orci
Luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae,
pallentesque habitant Morbi tristisque Senectus,
et Metus et malesuada Fames ac turpis Egestas,
terribiles visu formae, Letumque Labosque;
tum consanguineus Leti Sopor et mala mentis
Gaudia, mortiferumque adverso in limine Bellum,
ferreique Eumenidum thalami et Discordia demens
vipereum crinem vittis innexa cruentis.

//

  • vestibulum ante ipsum primisque in faucibus Orci
    • 3 ellisions
    • statement and variation. vergil likes this. also a hallmark feature of epic poetry
  • Luctus et ultrices posuere {1} cubilia Curae,
    1. posuere = posuerunt
  • pallentesque {1} habitant Morbi {2} tristisque Senectus,
    1. pale, dsc/Morbi
    2. PL
  • et Metus et malesuada Fames ac turpis Egestas,
  • terribiles visu {1} formae, Letumque Labosque {3};
    1. supine
    2. in apposition with Morbi...Senectus..etc
    3. old Latin, labos is an old form of labor, because this is supposed to be happening in ancient times

Before the entance itself and at the front of the doorway of Orcus, Mourning and avenging Anxieties placed their lairs, and pale Disease and sad Old Age and Fear and seductive Famine and shameful Poverty lived there, appearances terrible in sight, Death and Toil;

//

  • tum consanguineus Leti Sopor et mala mentis
  • Gaudia {1}, mortiferumque adverso in limine Bellum,
    1. i feel so validated finally my slither.io addiction has representation in media
  • ferreique Eumenidum {1}{3} thalami {2} et Discordia {3} demens
    1. gen. PL
    2. thalami: metonomy. originally meaning "bed" but has a transferred sense of "bedroom" or "marriage-bed". here meaning bed.
    3. during Vergil's life there was like 40 years of continuous civil war, so these are the ones that his audience would've related to the most
  • vipereum crinem vittis innexa {1} cruentis.
    1. grammatically passive, used as active

while the twin brother of Death, Sleep, and evil Joy of the mind, and destructive War [are] in the opposite threshold, and the iron beds of the Furies and mad Chaos, fastened in regards to snakey hair with blood red fabric.

//

interment (burial) was prohibited within city walls, so the roads leading out of the city would be lined on both sides with tombs. the tombs also kind of look like houses. So here Aeneas is walking through the road to the underworld, and all these bad things are living (like tombs) on the side of the road. so cool. also so cool that their houses are alluded to be tombs omg omg omg omg omg

the figures are real people by the way & Aeneas sees them as bodies

Sibyl is his like tourist guide btw sometimes aeneas asks sibyl "who's this" and she tells him

282-284 / dreams

in medio ramos annosaque bracchia pandit
ulmus opaca, ingens, quam sedem Somnia vulgo
vana tenere ferunt, foliisque sub omnibus haerent.

  • in medio ramos annosaque {1} bracchia {2} pandit
    1. it. full of years.
      • -osus -osa -osum means it's full of something, e.g. ventosus, odiosus
    2. ramos...bracchia obj of pandit
  • ulmus {1} opaca, ingens, quam sedem Somnia {2} vulgo
    1. ulmus
      • ulmus, not a hidden v
      • FM, subj of pandit, 2nd dec fem noun
        • 2nd declension trees, rivers, and winds are often feminine
    2. acc subj of ind.stat. after ferunt: "people say"
  • vana tenere ferunt {1}{2}, foliisque sub omnibus haerent.
    1. tenere: to hold something physically.
      ferre: to bring, and also "hold" something verbally, aka "to say"
    2. authorial comment
      • in regards to the "How does Vergil depict the 'atmosphere' of the underworld?"
        • makes it more legendary, alluding to a legend of unknown origin
        • contributes to a "mysterious" atmosphere

In the middle, a huge shady elm tree stretches the bough and the aged branches, they say that empty Dreams, in a crowd, holds this position, and they cling underneath all the foilage. [think of it as a flock (crowd) of birds in a tree]

285-289 / monsters

multaque praeterea variarum monstra ferarum,
Centauri in foribus stabulant Scyllaeque biformes
et centumgeminus Briareus ac belua Lernae
horrendum stridens, flammisque armata Chimaera,
Gorgones Harpyiaeque et forma tricorporis umbrae.

  • multaque praeterea variarum monstra {1} ferarum,

    1. monstrum, monstri: something unusual, sent by the gods to point out something. comes from monstro, monstrare, to point out, show

  • Centauri in foribus {2} stabulant Scyllaeque {1} biformes

    1. latin y is prounced /y/ which is just the closed version of /i/. IPA
    2. foris, foris: form is plural but it's one of the words that have a singular meaning

  • et centumgeminus {2} Briareus ac belua Lernae {1}

    1. Lernae: "gen of Lerna, marsh near Argos where Hercules killed the Hydra"
    2. lit. "hundred-fold". Briareus has 50 heads and 100 hands, Virgil leaves it up to the reader to interpret what hundred-fold refers to

  • horrendum [1] stridens, flammisque [2] armata Chimaera,

    1. commentary says horrendum is a "cognate accusative" of stridens. I'm assuming horrendum is substantive for horrible hiss and it means hissing a horrible hiss.

      • a cognate accusative is an object of an intransitive verb that is just the noun form of that verb.
        • she died a terrible death
        • she slept a troubled sleep

      also neuter accusative adjectives can often be used adverbially???? so you can seriously translate this literally

    2. ablative of instrument or respect or description bro it can be any of these i love fire i wanna burn—

  • Gorgones Harpyiaeque et forma tricorporis umbrae.

And moreover, there are many monsters of various wild beasts: Centaurs are stabled in the entrance and monsters like Scylla, with two forms, and the hundred-fold Briareus and a beast of Lerna, hissing a horrible hiss, and Chimaera, armed with flames, and Gorgons and Harpies and a figure of three-bodied shadow.

290-294 / ghosts

corripit hic subita trepidus formidine ferrum
Aeneas strictamque aciem venientibus offert,
et ni docta comes tenuis sine corpore vitas
admoneat volitare cava sub imagine formae,
inruat et frustra ferro diverberet umbras.

  • corripit {1} hic subita trepidus formidine ferrum {2}
    1. corripit: perfect
    2. ferrum is very very often used as metonomy for gladium/sword because ferrum is easier to fit into the meter than gladium
  • Aeneas strictamque aciem venientibus offert,
  • et ni {3} docta {1} comes tenuis {2} sine corpore vitas
    1. educated
    2. grammatically could go with either comes or vitas. makes more sense w/vitas. and also vergil likes to balance adjectives.
      • he would prefer vitas with one adj and comes with one adj
      • rather than vitas with none and comes with 2
      • thin sybil hahahaha
    3. introduces conditional clause
  • admoneat {1} volitare {2} cava sub imagine formae,
    1. admoneat: introduces ind.stat
      if part of condition introduced by "ni". indicative because it actually happened.
    2. volare: to fly
      volitare: to flutter
  • inruat et frustra ferro diverberet umbras.
    1. inruat: subjunctive statement. the then part of the condition introduced by "ni". subjunctive: it didn't happen/contrary to fact

At this moment, Aeneas, frightened with sudden alarm, seize his sword and presents the drawn blade to those approaching, and if the wise companion did not tell him that the thin lives without a body were fluttering under the hollow appearance of a form, he would have attacked and cleaved apart the shadows in vain with his sword.

commentary

semantic field

string of adjectives that convey similar ideas

  • tenuis
  • sine corpore
  • volitare
  • cava sub imagine
  • umbra

group of words that convey similar ideas = lexical chain/semantic field

shows that these things are real, but only just. life without a body, as opposed to me (body without a life)

Aeneas' reaction

Aeneas' reaction - what does this tell us about his character/mood?

  • he's suspicious/scared "subita trepidus"
  • he's trying to be active in preventing bad things

295

Hinc via Tartarei quae fert Acherontis ad undas.

Hinc via {3} Tartarei quae fert {3} Acherontis ad undas {1}{2}.

  1. waves = shores
  2. object of fert
  3. via fert = road leads to, lit. road carries

From here, the road which leads to the shores of Acheron.

296-

turbidus hic caeno vastaque voragine gurges
aestuat atque omnem Cocyto eructat harenam.
portitor has horrendus aquas et flumina servat
terribili squalore Charon, cui plurima mento
canities inculta iacet, stant lumina flamma,
sordidus ex umeris nodo dependet amictus.

this stormy whirlpool, in vast and deep mud, boils and discharges all the seashore to Cocytum. The dreadful ferryman protects these waters and rivers; frightful filth; Charon, on whose chin lies many unkempt white hairs, stands with the flame illuminating, a filthy cloak hangs from his shoulders with a knot.

ipse ratem conto subigit velisque ministrat
et ferruginea subvectat corpora cumba,
iam senior, sed cruda deo viridisque senectus.

Charon pushes the ship with a pole, and minds the sails and conveys their bodies upwards with the iron-rust boat, now the old man, but a youthful old man in the godly boat.

huc omnis turba ad ripas effusa ruebat,
matres atque viri defunctaque corpora vita
magnanimum heroum, pueri innuptaeque puellae,
impositique rogis iuvenes ante ora parentum:
quam multa in silvis autumni frigore primo
lapsa cadunt folia, aut ad terram gurgite ab alto
quam multae glomerantur aves, ubi frigidus annus
trans pontum fugat et terris immittit apricis.

to this place, the whole sprawling crowd rushed towards the banks, the mothers and men and the dead lives and the brave bodies of heros, boys and unmarried girls, and the young adults put upon funeral pyres in front of the faces of their parents: as many as gliding leaves that fall in the forests, due to the first chill of autumn, or, as many as birds that flock from the deep abyss to the land, when the cold year banishes them across the sea, and sends them to sunny lands.

quam multa in silvis autumni frigore primo

  • quam multa: as many as
    lapsa cadunt folia, aut ad terram gurgite ab alto
  • PPP + verb can be translated as two verbs connected with "and"
  • alto is an adjective describing gurgite
    quam multae glomerantur aves, ubi frigidus annus
    trans pontum fugat et terris immittit apricis.
  • fugat != fugit
  • terris apricis is dative:
    • in poetry, "into" is often expressed as a dative indirect object
    • also dative with compount verbs

stabant orantes primi transmittere cursum
tendebantque manus ripae ulterioris amore.
navita sed tristis nunc hos nunc accipit illos,
ast alios longe summotos arcet harena.

the first people stand there, begging to be sent for travel, and the hands camp in longing of further shores. The sad sailor, although now accepting these and now those, keeps the removed others from the far shore.

388 ~ 702

388
'quisquis es, armatus qui nostra ad flumina tendis,
fare age, quid venias, iam istinc et comprime gressum.
umbrarum hic locus est, somni noctisque soporae:
corpora viva nefas Stygia vectare carina.

"whoever you are, the armed one who aims at our river, talk, come, why you came, now from there and restrain your course. This is a spot of shadows, of sleep and drowsy night: it is not right to carry living bodies in the Styx with a boat.

392
nec vero Alciden me sum laetatus euntem
accepisse lacu, nec Thesea Pirithoumque,
dis quamquam geniti atque invicti viribus essent.

In fact, I did not rejoice that I welcomed sailing Hercules on the lake, nor Theseus and Pirithous, although they were born from gods and were undefeated in strength.

395
Tartareum ille manu custodem in vincla petivit
ipsius a solio regis traxitque trementem;
hi dominam Ditis thalamo deducere adorti.'

He attacked the infernal guard in chains by force, from the throne of the king himself, and dragged [it], trembling; they attacked the queen of the underworld and took her from her bed."

deducere: historical infinitive?

quae contra breviter fata est Amphrysia vates:
'nullae hic insidiae tales (absiste moveri),
nec vim tela ferunt; licet ingens ianitor antro
aeternum latrans exsanguis terreat umbras,
casta licet patrui servet Proserpina limen.

Contrary to this, the prophet of Apollo spoke briefly: "this is no such treachery, cease to be troubled, nor do I want to use weapons, given the large doorkeeper to the cave, eternally barking, should terrify the bloodless shadows, and given that virtuous Proserpina protects the threshold of the paternal uncle.

Troius Aeneas, pietate insignis et armis,
ad genitorem imas Erebi descendit ad umbras.
si te nulla movet tantae pietatis imago,
at ramum hunc' (aperit ramum qui veste latebat)
'agnoscas.' tumida ex ira tum corda residunt;
nec plura his. ille admirans venerabile donum
fatalis virgae longo post tempore visum
caeruleam advertit puppim ripaeque propinquat.

Trojan Aeneas, famous for piety and war/armour/force??, descends towards the innermost creator of the underworld and towards shadows. If you move for no image of such piety, but this branch," (she reveals the branch that hides in her clothing), "you will recognise." Then the inflamed soul quieted from anger; nor (was there) more than this said. He, astonished at the venerable offering of the fateful branch, after a long time, turns to look at the dark stern [of the ship] and the banks draw near.

visum: supine?

inde alias animas, quae per iuga longa sedebant,
deturbat laxatque foros; simul accipit alveo
ingentem Aenean. gemuit sub pondere cumba
sutilis et multam accepit rimosa paludem.
tandem trans fluvium incolumis vatemque virumque 415
informi limo glaucaque exponit in ulua.

Cerberus haec ingens latratu regna trifauci
personat adverso recubans immanis in antro.
cui vates horrere videns iam colla colubris
melle soporatam et medicatis frugibus offam 420
obicit. ille fame rabida tria guttura pandens
corripit obiectam, atque immania terga resolvit
fusus humi totoque ingens extenditur antro.
occupat Aeneas aditum custode sepulto
evaditque celer ripam inremeabilis undae. 425

Continuo auditae voces vagitus et ingens
infantumque animae flentes, in limine primo
quos dulcis vitae exsortis et ab ubere raptos
abstulit atra dies et funere mersit acerbo;
hos iuxta falso damnati crimine mortis. 430
nec vero hae sine sorte datae, sine iudice, sedes:
quaesitor Minos urnam movet; ille silentum
consiliumque vocat vitasque et crimina discit.
proxima deinde tenent maesti loca, qui sibi letum
insontes peperere manu lucemque perosi 435
proiecere animas. quam vellent aethere in alto
nunc et pauperiem et duros perferre labores!
fas obstat, tristisque palus inamabilis undae
alligat et novies Styx interfusa coercet.
nec procul hinc partem fusi monstrantur in omnem 440
Lugentes campi; sic illos nomine dicunt.

< end of stuff I have to do for week 4 >

hic quos durus amor crudeli tabe peredit
secreti celant calles et myrtea circum
silva tegit; curae non ipsa in morte relinquunt.
his Phaedram Procrinque locis maestamque Eriphylen 445
crudelis nati monstrantem vulnera cernit,
Evadnenque et Pasiphaen; his Laodamia
it comes et iuvenis quondam, nunc femina, Caeneus
rursus et in veterem fato revoluta figuram.
inter quas Phoenissa recens a vulnere Dido 450
errabat silva in magna; quam Troius heros
ut primum iuxta stetit agnovitque per umbras
obscuram, qualem primo qui surgere mense
aut videt aut vidisse putat per nubila lunam,
demisit lacrimas dulcique adfatus amore est: 455
'infelix Dido, verus mihi nuntius ergo
venerat exstinctam ferroque extrema secutam?
funeris heu tibi causa fui? per sidera iuro,
per superos et si qua fides tellure sub ima est,
inuitus, regina, tuo de litore cessi. 460
sed me iussa deum, quae nunc has ire per umbras,
per loca senta situ cogunt noctemque profundam,
imperiis egere suis; nec credere quivi
hunc tantum tibi me discessu ferre dolorem.
siste gradum teque aspectu ne subtrahe nostro. 465
quem fugis? extremum fato quod te adloquor hoc est.'
talibus Aeneas ardentem et torva tuentem
lenibat dictis animum lacrimasque ciebat.
illa solo fixos oculos aversa tenebat
nec magis incepto vultum sermone movetur 470
quam si dura silex aut stet Marpesia cautes.
tandem corripuit sese atque inimica refugit
in nemus umbriferum, coniunx ubi pristinus illi
respondet curis aequatque Sychaeus amorem.
nec minus Aeneas casu percussus iniquo 475
prosequitur lacrimis longe et miseratur euntem.

Inde datum molitur iter. iamque arva tenebant
ultima, quae bello clari secreta frequentant.
hic illi occurrit Tydeus, hic inclutus armis
Parthenopaeus et Adrasti pallentis imago, 480
hic multum fleti ad superos belloque caduci
Dardanidae, quos ille omnis longo ordine cernens
ingemuit, Glaucumque Medontaque Thersilochumque,
tris Antenoridas Cererique sacrum Polyboeten,
Idaeumque etiam currus, etiam arma tenentem. 485
circumstant animae dextra laevaque frequentes,
nec vidisse semel satis est; iuvat usque morari
et conferre gradum et veniendi discere causas.
at Danaum proceres Agamemnoniaeque phalanges
ut videre virum fulgentiaque arma per umbras, 490
ingenti trepidare metu; pars vertere terga,
ceu quondam petiere rates, pars tollere vocem
exiguam: inceptus clamor frustratur hiantis.

Atque hic Priamiden laniatum corpore toto
Deiphobum videt et lacerum crudeliter ora, 495
ora manusque ambas, populataque tempora raptis
auribus et truncas inhonesto vulnere naris.
vix adeo agnovit pavitantem ac dira tegentem
supplicia, et notis compellat vocibus ultro:
'Deiphobe armipotens, genus alto a sanguine Teucri, 500
quis tam crudelis optavit sumere poenas?
cui tantum de te licuit? mihi fama suprema
nocte tulit fessum vasta te caede Pelasgum
procubuisse super confusae stragis acervum.
tunc egomet tumulum Rhoeteo in litore inanem 505
constitui et magna manis ter voce vocavi.
nomen et arma locum servant; te, amice, nequivi
conspicere et patria decedens ponere terra.'
ad quae Priamides: 'nihil o tibi, amice, relictum;
omnia Deiphobo solvisti et funeris umbris. 510
sed me fata mea et scelus exitiale Lacaenae
his mersere malis; illa haec monimenta reliquit.
namque ut supremam falsa inter gaudia noctem
egerimus, nosti: et nimium meminisse necesse est.
cum fatalis equus saltu super ardua venit 515
Pergama et armatum peditem gravis attulit aluo,
illa chorum simulans euhantis orgia circum
ducebat Phrygias; flammam media ipsa tenebat
ingentem et summa Danaos ex arce vocabat.
tum me confectum curis somnoque gravatum 520
infelix habuit thalamus, pressitque iacentem
dulcis et alta quies placidaeque simillima morti.
egregia interea coniunx arma omnia tectis
emovet, et fidum capiti subduxerat ensem:
intra tecta vocat Menelaum et limina pandit, 525
scilicet id magnum sperans fore munus amanti,
et famam exstingui veterum sic posse malorum.
quid moror? inrumpunt thalamo, comes additus una
hortator scelerum Aeolides. di, talia Grais
instaurate, pio si poenas ore reposco. 530
sed te qui vivum casus, age fare vicissim,
attulerint. pelagine venis erroribus actus
an monitu divum? an quae te fortuna fatigat,
ut tristis sine sole domos, loca turbida, adires?'

Hac vice sermonum roseis Aurora quadrigis 535
iam medium aetherio cursu traiecerat axem;
et fors omne datum traherent per talia tempus,
sed comes admonuit breviterque adfata Sibylla est:
'nox ruit, Aenea; nos flendo ducimus horas.
hic locus est, partis ubi se via findit in ambas: 540
dextera quae Ditis magni sub moenia tendit,
hac iter Elysium nobis; at laeva malorum
exercet poenas et ad impia Tartara mittit.'
Deiphobus contra: 'ne saevi, magna sacerdos;
discedam, explebo numerum reddarque tenebris. 545
i decus, i, nostrum; melioribus utere fatis.'
tantum effatus, et in verbo vestigia torsit.

Respicit Aeneas subito et sub rupe sinistra
moenia lata videt triplici circumdata muro,
quae rapidus flammis ambit torrentibus amnis, 550
Tartareus Phlegethon, torquetque sonantia saxa.
porta adversa ingens solidoque adamante columnae,
vis ut nulla virum, non ipsi exscindere bello
caelicolae valeant; stat ferrea turris ad auras,
Tisiphoneque sedens palla succincta cruenta 555
vestibulum exsomnis servat noctesque diesque.
hinc exaudiri gemitus et saeva sonare
verbera, tum stridor ferri tractaeque catenae.
constitit Aeneas strepitumque exterritus hausit.
'quae scelerum facies? o virgo, effare; quibusue 560
urgentur poenis? quis tantus plangor ad auras?'
tum vates sic orsa loqui: 'dux inclute Teucrum,
nulli fas casto sceleratum insistere limen;
sed me cum lucis Hecate praefecit Avernis,
ipsa deum poenas docuit perque omnia duxit. 565
Cnosius haec Rhadamanthus habet durissima regna
castigatque auditque dolos subigitque fateri
quae quis apud superos furto laetatus inani
distulit in seram commissa piacula mortem.
continuo sontis ultrix accincta flagello 570
Tisiphone quatit insultans, torvosque sinistra
intentans anguis vocat agmina saeva sororum.
tum demum horrisono stridentes cardine sacrae
panduntur portae. cernis custodia qualis
vestibulo sedeat, facies quae limina servet? 575
quinquaginta atris immanis hiatibus Hydra
saevior intus habet sedem. tum Tartarus ipse
bis patet in praeceps tantum tenditque sub umbras
quantus ad aetherium caeli suspectus Olympum.
hic genus antiquum Terrae, Titania pubes, 580
fulmine deiecti fundo volvuntur in imo.
hic et Aloidas geminos immania vidi
corpora, qui manibus magnum rescindere caelum
adgressi superisque Iovem detrudere regnis.
vidi et crudelis dantem Salmonea poenas, 585
dum flammas Iovis et sonitus imitatur Olympi.
quattuor hic invectus equis et lampada quassans
per Graium populos mediaeque per Elidis urbem
ibat ovans, divumque sibi poscebat honorem,
demens, qui nimbos et non imitabile fulmen 590
aere et cornipedum pulsu simularet equorum.
at pater omnipotens densa inter nubila telum
contorsit, non ille faces nec fumea taedis
lumina, praecipitemque immani turbine adegit.
nec non et Tityon, Terrae omniparentis alumnum, 595
cernere erat, per tota novem cui iugera corpus
porrigitur, rostroque immanis vultur obunco
immortale iecur tondens fecundaque poenis
viscera rimaturque epulis habitatque sub alto
pectore, nec fibris requies datur ulla renatis. 600
quid memorem Lapithas, Ixiona Pirithoumque?
quos super atra silex iam iam lapsura cadentique
imminet adsimilis; lucent genialibus altis
aurea fulcra toris, epulaeque ante ora paratae
regifico luxu; Furiarum maxima iuxta 605
accubat et manibus prohibet contingere mensas,
exsurgitque facem attollens atque intonat ore.
hic, quibus invisi fratres, dum vita manebat,
pulsatusve parens et fraus innexa clienti,
aut qui divitiis soli incubuere repertis 610
nec partem posuere suis (quae maxima turba est),
quique ob adulterium caesi, quique arma secuti
impia nec veriti dominorum fallere dextras,
inclusi poenam exspectant. ne quaere doceri
quam poenam, aut quae forma viros fortunave mersit. 615
saxum ingens volvunt alii, radiisque rotarum
districti pendent; sedet aeternumque sedebit
infelix Theseus, Phlegyasque miserrimus omnis
admonet et magna testatur voce per umbras:
"discite iustitiam moniti et non temnere divos." 620
vendidit hic auro patriam dominumque potentem
imposuit; fixit leges pretio atque refixit;
hic thalamum invasit natae vetitosque hymenaeos:
ausi omnes immane nefas ausoque potiti.
non, mihi si linguae centum sint oraque centum, 625
ferrea vox, omnis scelerum comprendere formas,
omnia poenarum percurrere nomina possim.'

Haec ubi dicta dedit Phoebi longaeva sacerdos,
'sed iam age, carpe viam et susceptum perfice munus;
acceleremus' ait; 'Cyclopum educta caminis 630
moenia conspicio atque adverso fornice portas,
haec ubi nos praecepta iubent deponere dona.'
dixerat et pariter gressi per opaca viarum
corripiunt spatium medium foribusque propinquant.
occupat Aeneas aditum corpusque recenti 635
spargit aqua ramumque adverso in limine figit.

His demum exactis, perfecto munere divae,
devenere locos laetos et amoena virecta
fortunatorum nemorum sedesque beatas.
largior hic campos aether et lumine vestit 640
purpureo, solemque suum, sua sidera norunt.
pars in gramineis exercent membra palaestris,
contendunt ludo et fulva luctantur harena;
pars pedibus plaudunt choreas et carmina dicunt.
nec non Threicius longa cum veste sacerdos 645
obloquitur numeris septem discrimina vocum,
iamque eadem digitis, iam pectine pulsat eburno.
hic genus antiquum Teucri, pulcherrima proles,
magnanimi heroes nati melioribus annis,
Ilusque Assaracusque et Troiae Dardanus auctor. 650
arma procul currusque virum miratur inanis;
stant terra defixae hastae passimque soluti
per campum pascuntur equi. quae gratia currum
armorumque fuit vivis, quae cura nitentis
pascere equos, eadem sequitur tellure repostos. 655
conspicit, ecce, alios dextra laevaque per herbam
vescentis laetumque choro paeana canentis
inter odoratum lauris nemus, unde superne
plurimus Eridani per silvam voluitur amnis.
hic manus ob patriam pugnando vulnera passi, 660
quique sacerdotes casti, dum vita manebat,
quique pii vates et Phoebo digna locuti,
inventas aut qui vitam excoluere per artis
quique sui memores aliquos fecere merendo:
omnibus his nivea cinguntur tempora vitta. 665
quos circumfusos sic est adfata Sibylla,
Musaeum ante omnis (medium nam plurima turba
hunc habet atque umeris exstantem suspicit altis):
'dicite, felices animae tuque optime vates,
quae regio Anchisen, quis habet locus? illius ergo 670
venimus et magnos Erebi tranavimus amnis.'
atque huic responsum paucis ita reddidit heros:
'nulli certa domus; lucis habitamus opacis,
riparumque toros et prata recentia rivis
incolimus. sed vos, si fert ita corde voluntas, 675
hoc superate iugum, et facili iam tramite sistam.'
dixit, et ante tulit gressum camposque nitentis
desuper ostentat; dehinc summa cacumina linquunt.

At pater Anchises penitus convalle virenti
inclusas animas superumque ad lumen ituras 680
lustrabat studio recolens, omnemque suorum
forte recensebat numerum, carosque nepotes
fataque fortunasque virum moresque manusque.
isque ubi tendentem adversum per gramina vidit
Aenean, alacris palmas utrasque tetendit, 685
effusaeque genis lacrimae et vox excidit ore:
'venisti tandem, tuaque exspectata parenti
vicit iter durum pietas? datur ora tueri,
nate, tua et notas audire et reddere voces?
sic equidem ducebam animo rebarque futurum 690
tempora dinumerans, nec me mea cura fefellit.
quas ego te terras et quanta per aequora vectum
accipio! quantis iactatum, nate, periclis!
quam metui ne quid Libyae tibi regna nocerent!'
ille autem: 'tua me, genitor, tua tristis imago 695
saepius occurrens haec limina tendere adegit;
stant sale Tyrrheno classes. da iungere dextram,
da, genitor, teque amplexu ne subtrahe nostro.'
sic memorans largo fletu simul ora rigabat.
ter conatus ibi collo dare bracchia circum; 700
ter frustra comprensa manus effugit imago,
par levibus ventis volucrique simillima somno.

Virgil, Aeneid VI.756-797

'Nunc age, Dardaniam prolem quae deinde sequatur
gloria, qui maneant Itala de gente nepotes,
inlustris animas nostrumque in nomen ituras,
expediam dictis, et te tua fata docebo.
ille, vides, pura iuvenis qui nititur hasta, 760
proxima sorte tenet lucis loca, primus ad auras
aetherias Italo commixtus sanguine surget,
Silvius, Albanum nomen, tua postuma proles,
quem tibi longaevo serum Lavinia coniunx
educet silvis regem regumque parentem, 765
unde genus Longa nostrum dominabitur Alba.
proximus ille Procas, Troianae gloria gentis,
et Capys et Numitor et qui te nomine reddet
Silvius Aeneas, pariter pietate vel armis
egregius, si umquam regnandam acceperit Albam. 770
qui iuvenes! quantas ostentant, aspice, viris
atque umbrata gerunt civili tempora quercu!
hi tibi Nomentum et Gabios urbemque Fidenam,
hi Collatinas imponent montibus arces,
Pometios Castrumque Inui Bolamque Coramque; 775
haec tum nomina erunt, nunc sunt sine nomine terrae.
quin et avo comitem sese Mauvortius addet
Romulus, Assaraci quem sanguinis Ilia mater
educet. viden, ut geminae stant vertice cristae
et pater ipse suo superum iam signat honore? 780
en huius, nate, auspiciis illa incluta Roma
imperium terris, animos aequabit Olympo,
septemque una sibi muro circumdabit arces,
felix prole virum: qualis Berecyntia mater
invehitur curru Phrygias turrita per urbes 785
laeta deum partu, centum complexa nepotes,
omnis caelicolas, omnis supera alta tenentis.
huc geminas nunc flecte acies, hanc aspice gentem
Romanosque tuos. hic Caesar et omnis Iuli
progenies magnum caeli ventura sub axem. 790
hic vir, hic est, tibi quem promitti saepius audis,
Augustus Caesar, divi genus, aurea condet
saecula qui rursus Latio regnata per arva
Saturno quondam, super et Garamantas et Indos
proferet imperium; iacet extra sidera tellus, 795
extra anni solisque vias, ubi caelifer Atlas
axem umero torquet stellis ardentibus aptum.