by Virgil
Iunoni infernae dictus sacer; hunc tegit omnis
To nether Juno consecrate; this all these woods enfold,
lucus et obscuris claudunt conuallibus umbrae.
Dim shadowy places cover it amid the hollow dale;
sed non ante datur telluris operta subire 140
To come unto the under-world none living may avail
auricomos quam quis decerpserit arbore fetus.
Till he that growth of golden locks from off the tree hath shorn;
hoc sibi pulchra suum ferri Proserpina munus
For this fair Proserpine ordained should evermore be borne
instituit. primo auulso non deficit alter
Her very gift: but, plucked away, still faileth not the thing,
aureus, et simili frondescit uirga metallo.
Another golden stem instead hath leafy tide of spring.
ergo alte uestiga oculis et rite repertum 145
So throughly search with eyes: thine hand aright upon it lay
carpe manu; namque ipse uolens facilisque sequetur,
When thou hast found: for easily ‘twill yield and come away
si te fata uocant; aliter non uiribus ullis
If the Fates call thee: otherwise no might may overbear
uincere nec duro poteris conuellere ferro.
Its will, nor with the hardened steel the marvel mayst thou shear.
praeterea iacet exanimum tibi corpus amici
— Ah! further, — of thy perished friend as yet thou nothing know’st,
(heu nescis) totamque incestat funere classem, 150
Whose body lying dead and cold defileth all thine host,
dum consulta petis nostroque in limine pendes.
While thou beseechest answering words, and hangest on our door:
sedibus hunc refer ante suis et conde sepulcro.
Go, bring him to his own abode and heap the grave mound o’er;
duc nigras pecudes; ea prima piacula sunto.
Bring forth the black-wooled ewes to be first bringing back of grace:
sic demum lucos Stygis et regna inuia uiuis
So shalt thou see the Stygian groves, so shalt thou see the place
aspicies.’ dixit, pressoque obmutuit ore. 155
That hath no road for living men.” So hushed her mouth shut close:
Aeneas maesto defixus lumina uultu
But sad-faced and with downcast eyes therefrom Æneas goes,
ingreditur linquens antrum, caecosque uolutat
And leaves the cave, still turning o’er those coming things, so dim,
euentus animo secum. cui fidus Achates
So dark to see. Achates fares nigh fellow unto him,
it comes et paribus curis uestigia figit.
And ever ‘neath like load of cares he lets his footsteps fall:
multa inter sese uario sermone serebant, 160
And many diverse words they cast each unto each withal,
quem socium exanimum uates, quod corpus humandum
What was the dead friend and the grave whereof the seer did teach.
diceret. atque illi Misenum in litore sicco,
But when they gat them down at last upon the barren beach,
ut uenere, uident indigna morte peremptum,
They saw Misenus lying dead by death but lightly earned;
Misenum Aeoliden, quo non praestantior alter
Misenus, son of Æolus; no man more nobly learned
aere ciere uiros Martemque accendere cantu. 165
In waking up the war with brass and singing Mars alight.
Hectoris hic magni fuerat comes, Hectora circum
Great Hector’s fellow was he erst, with Hector through the fight
et lituo pugnas insignis obibat et hasta.
He thrust, by horn made glorious, made glorious by the spear.
postquam illum uita uictor spoliauit Achilles,
But when from Hector life and all Achilles’ hand did tear,
Dardanio Aeneae sese fortissimus heros
Dardan Æneas’ man became that mightiest under shield,
addiderat socium, non inferiora secutus. 170
Nor unto any worser lord his fellowship would yield.
sed tum, forte caua dum personat aequora concha,
Now while by chance through hollow shell he blew across the sea,
demens, et cantu uocat in certamina diuos,
And witless called the very Gods his singing-foes to be,
aemulus exceptum Triton, si credere dignum est,
The envious Triton caught him up, if ye the tale may trow,
inter saxa uirum spumosa immerserat unda.
And sank the hero ‘twixt the rocks in foaming waters’ flow.
ergo omnes magno circum clamore fremebant, 175
Wherefore about him weeping sore were gathered all the men,
praecipue pius Aeneas. tum iussa Sibyllae,
And good Æneas chief of all: the Sibyl’s bidding then
haud mora, festinant flentes aramque sepulcri
Weeping they speed, and loiter not, but heap the tree-boughs high
congerere arboribus caeloque educere certant.
Upon the altar of the dead to raise it to the sky:
itur in antiquam siluam, stabula alta ferarum;
Then to the ancient wood they fare, high dwelling of wild things;
procumbunt piceae, sonat icta securibus ilex 180
They fell the pine, and ‘neath the axe the smitten holm-oak rings;
fraxineaeque trabes cuneis et fissile robur
With wedge they cleave the ashen logs, and knitted oaken bole,
scinditur, aduoluunt ingentis montibus ornos.
Full fain to split; and mighty elms down from the mountains roll.
Nec non Aeneas opera inter talia primus
Amid the work Æneas is, who hearteneth on his folk,
hortatur socios paribusque accingitur armis.
As with such very tools as they he girds him for the stroke;
atque haec ipse suo tristi cum corde uolutat 185
But through the sorrow of his heart such thought as this there strays,
aspectans siluam immensam, et sic forte precatur:
And looking toward the waste of wood such word as this he prays:
‘si nunc se nobis ille aureus arbore ramus
“O if that very golden bough would show upon the tree,
ostendat nemore in tanto! quando omnia uere
In such a thicket and so great; since all she told of thee,
heu nimium de te uates, Misene, locuta est.’
The seer-maid, O Misenus lost, was true and overtrue!”
uix ea fatus erat, geminae cum forte columbae 190
But scarcely had he spoken thus, when lo, from heaven there flew
ipsa sub ora uiri caelo uenere uolantes,
Two doves before his very eyes, who settled fluttering
et uiridi sedere solo. tum maximus heros
On the green grass: and therewithal that mightiest battle-king
maternas agnouit auis laetusque precatur:
Knoweth his mother’s birds new-come, and joyful poureth prayer:
‘este duces, o, si qua uia est, cursumque per auras
“O, if a way there be at all, lead ye amid the air,
derigite in lucos ubi pinguem diues opacat 195
Lead on unto the thicket place where o’er the wealthy soil
ramus humum. tuque, o, dubiis ne defice rebus,
The rich bough casteth shadow down! Fail not my eyeless toil,
diua parens.’ sic effatus uestigia pressit
O Goddess-mother!” So he saith, and stays his feet to heed
obseruans quae signa ferant, quo tendere pergant.
What token they may bring to him, and whitherward they speed.
pascentes illae tantum prodire uolando
So on they flutter pasturing, with such a space between,
quantum acie possent oculi seruare s
equentum. 200
As they by eyes of following folk may scantly well be seen;
inde ubi uenere ad fauces graue olentis Auerni,
But when Avernus’ jaws at last, the noisome place, they reach,
tollunt se celeres liquidumque per aera lapsae
They rise aloft and skim the air, and settle each by each
sedibus optatis gemina super arbore sidunt,
Upon the very wished-for place, yea high amid the tree,
discolor unde auri per ramos aura refulsit.
Where the changed light through twigs of gold shines forth diversedly;
quale solet siluis brumali frigore uiscum 205
As in the woods mid winter’s chill puts forth the mistletoe,
fronde uirere noua, quod non sua seminat arbos,
And bloometh with a leafage strange his own tree ne’er did sow,
et croceo fetu teretis circumdare truncos,
And with his yellow children hath the rounded trunk in hold,
talis erat species auri frondentis opaca
So in the dusky holm-oak seemed that bough of leafy gold,
ilice, sic leni crepitabat brattea uento.
As through the tinkling shaken foil the gentle wind went by:
corripit Aeneas extemplo auidusque refringit 210
Then straight Æneas caught and culled the tough stem greedily,
cunctantem, et uatis portat sub tecta Sibyllae.
And to the Sibyl’s dwelling-place the gift in hand he bore.
Nec minus interea Misenum in litore Teucri
Nor less meanwhile the Teucrians weep Misenus on the shore,
flebant et cineri ingrato suprema ferebant.
And do last service to the dead that hath no thanks to pay.
principio pinguem taedis et robore secto
And first fat fagots of the fir and oaken logs they lay,
ingentem struxere pyram, cui frondibus atris 215
And pile a mighty bale and rich, and weave the dusk-leaved trees
intexunt latera et feralis ante cupressos
Between its sides, and set before the funeral cypresses,
constituunt, decorantque super fulgentibus armis.
And over all in seemly wise the gleaming weapons pile:
pars calidos latices et aena undantia flammis
But some speed fire bewavèd brass and water’s warmth meanwhile,
expediunt, corpusque lauant frigentis et unguunt.
And wash all o’er and sleek with oil the cold corpse of the dead:
fit gemitus. tum membra toro defleta reponunt 220
Goes up the wail; the limbs bewept they streak upon the bed,
purpureasque super uestis, uelamina nota,
And cast thereon the purple cloths, the well-known noble gear.
coniciunt. pars ingenti subiere feretro,
Then some of them, they shoulder up the mighty-fashioned bier,
triste ministerium, et subiectam more parentum
Sad service! and put forth the torch with faces from him turned,
auersi tenuere facem. congesta cremantur
In fashion of the fathers old: there the heaped offerings burned,
turea dona, dapes, fuso crateres oliuo. 225
The frankincense, the dainty meats, the bowls o’erflowed with oil.
postquam conlapsi cineres et flamma quieuit,
But when the ashes were sunk down and fire had rest from toil,
reliquias uino et bibulam lauere fauillam,
The relics and the thirsty ash with unmixed wine they wet.
ossaque lecta cado texit Corynaeus aeno.
Then the gleaned bones in brazen urn doth Corynæus set,
idem ter socios pura circumtulit unda
Who thrice about the gathered folk the stainless water bore.
spargens rore leui et ramo felicis oliuae, 230
As from the fruitful olive-bough light dew he sprinkled o’er,
lustrauitque uiros dixitque nouissima uerba.
And cleansed the men, and spake withal last farewell to the dead.
at pius Aeneas ingenti mole sepulcrum
But good Æneas raised a tomb, a mound huge fashionèd,
imponit suaque arma uiro remumque tubamque
And laid thereon the hero’s arms and oar and battle-horn,
monte sub aerio, qui nunc Misenus ab illo
Beneath an airy hill that thence Misenus’ name hath borne,
dicitur aeternumque tenet per saecula nomen. 235
And still shall bear it, not to die till time hath faded out.
His actis propere exsequitur praecepta Sibyllae.
This done, those deeds the Sibyl bade he setteth swift about:
spelunca alta fuit uastoque immanis hiatu,
A deep den is there, pebble-piled, with mouth that gapeth wide;
scrupea, tuta lacu nigro nemorumque tenebris,
Black mere and thicket shadowy-mirk the secret of it hide.
quam super haud ullae poterant impune uolantes
And over it no fowl there is may wend upon the wing
tendere iter pennis: talis sese halitus atris 240
And ‘scape the bane; its blackened jaws bring forth such venoming.
faucibus effundens supera ad conuexa ferebat.
Such is the breath it bears aloft unto the hollow heaven;
[unde locum Grai dixerunt nomine Aornum.]
So to the place the Greekish folk have name of Fowl-less given.
quattuor hic primum nigrantis terga iuuencos
Here, first of all, four black-skinned steers the priestess sets in line,
constituit frontique inuergit uina sacerdos,
And on the foreheads of all these out-pours the bowl of wine.
et summas carpens media inter cornua saetas 245
Then ‘twixt the horns she culleth out the topmost of the hair,
ignibus imponit sacris, libamina prima,
And lays it on the holy fire, the first-fruits offered there,
uoce uocans Hecaten caeloque Ereboque potentem.
And cries aloud on Hecaté, of might in heaven and hell;
supponunt alii cultros tepidumque cruorem
While others lay the knife to throat and catch the blood that fell
succipiunt pateris. ipse atri uelleris agnam
Warm in the bowls: Æneas then an ewe-lamb black of fleece
Aeneas matri Eumenidum magnaeque sorori 250
Smites down with sword to her that bore the dread Eumenides,
ense ferit, sterilemque tibi, Proserpina, uaccam;
And her great sister; and a cow yet barren slays aright
tum Stygio regi nocturnas incohat aras
To thee, O Proserpine, and rears the altars of the night
et solida imponit taurorum uiscera flammis,
Unto the Stygian King, and lays whole bulls upon the flame,
pingue super oleum fundens ardentibus extis.
Pouring rich oil upon the flesh that rush of fire o’ercame.
ecce autem primi sub limina solis et ortus 255
But now, when sunrise is at hand, and dawning of the day,
sub pedibus mugire solum et iuga coepta moueri
The earth falls moaning ‘neath their feet, the wooded ridges sway,
siluarum, uisaeque canes ululare per umbram
And dogs seem howling through the dusk as now she drew anear
aduentante dea. ‘procul, o procul este, profani,’
The Goddess. “O be far away, ye unclean!” cries the seer.
conclamat uates, ‘totoque absistite luco;
“Be far away! ah, get ye gone from all the holy wood!
tuque inuade uiam uaginaque eripe ferrum: 260
But thou, Æneas, draw thy steel and take thee to the road;
nunc animis opus, Aenea, nunc pectore firmo.’
Now needeth all thine hardihood and steadfast heart and brave.”
tantum effata furens antro se immisit aperto;
/>
She spake, and wildly cast herself amidst the hollow cave,
ille ducem haud timidis uadentem passibus aequat.
But close upon her fearless feet Æneas followeth.
Di, quibus imperium est animarum, umbraeque silentes
O Gods, who rule the ghosts of men, O silent shades of death,
et Chaos et Phlegethon, loca nocte tacentia late, 265
Chaos and Phlegethon, hushed lands that lie beneath the night!
sit mihi fas audita loqui, sit numine uestro
Let me speak now, for I have heard: O aid me with your might
pandere res alta terra et caligine mersas.
To open things deep sunk in earth, and mid the darkness blent.
Ibant obscuri sola sub nocte per umbram
All dim amid the lonely night on through the dusk they went,
perque domos Ditis uacuas et inania regna:
On through the empty house of Dis, the land of nought at all.
quale per incertam lunam sub luce maligna 270
E’en as beneath the doubtful moon, when niggard light doth fall
est iter in siluis, ubi caelum condidit umbra
Upon some way amid the woods, when God hath hidden heaven,
Iuppiter, et rebus nox abstulit atra colorem.
And black night from the things of earth the colours dear hath driven.
uestibulum ante ipsum primisque in faucibus Orci
Lo, in the first of Orcus’ jaws, close to the doorway side,
Luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae,
The Sorrows and Avenging Griefs have set their beds to bide;
pallentesque habitant Morbi tristisque Senectus, 275
There the pale kin of Sickness dwells, and Eld, the woeful thing,
et Metus et malesuada Fames ac turpis Egestas,
And Fear, and squalid-fashioned Lack, and witless Hungering,
terribiles uisu formae, Letumque Labosque;
Shapes terrible to see with eye; and Toil of Men, and Death,
tum consanguineus Leti Sopor et mala mentis
And Sleep, Death’s brother, and the Lust of Soul that sickeneth:
Gaudia, mortiferumque aduerso in limine Bellum,
And War, the death-bearer, was set full in the threshold’s way,
ferreique Eumenidum thalami et Discordia demens 280
And those Well-willers’ iron beds: there heartless Discord lay,
uipereum crinem uittis innexa cruentis.
Whose viper-breeding hair about was bloody-filleted.
in medio ramos annosaque bracchia pandit
But in the midst a mighty elm, dusk as the night, outspread
ulmus opaca, ingens, quam sedem Somnia uulgo
Its immemorial boughs and limbs, where lying dreams there lurk,
uana tenere ferunt, foliisque sub omnibus haerent.