ut primum cessit furor et rabida ora quierunt, incipit Aeneas heros: "non ulla laborum, o virgo, nova mi facies inopinave surgit; omnia praecepi atque animo mecum ante peregi. 105 unum oro: quando hic inferni ianua regis dicitur et tenebrosa palus Acheronte refuso, ire ad conspectum cari genitoris et ora contingat; doceas iter et sacra ostia pandas. illum ego per flammas et mille sequentia tela eripui his umeris medioque ex hoste recepi; ille meum comitatus iter maria omnia mecum atque omnis pelagique minas caelique ferebat, invalidus, viris ultra sortemque senectae. 110 quin, ut te supplex peterem et tua limina adirem, 115 idem orans mandata dabat. gnatique patrisque, alma, precor, miserere; potes namque omnia, nec te nequiquam lucis Hecate praefecit Avernis. 120 si potuit Manis accersere coniugis Orpheus Threicia fretus cithara fidibusque canoris; si fratrem Pollux alterna morte redemit itque reditque viam totiens-quid Thesea magnum, quid memorem Alciden?—etmi genus ab love summo." Talibus orabat dictis arasque tenebat, cum sic orsa loqui vates: "sate sanguine divum, 125 Tros Anchisiade, facilis descensus Averno: noctes atque dies patet atri ianua Ditis; sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras, hoc opus, hic labor est. pauci, quos aequus amavit Iuppiter aut ardens evexit ad aethera virtus, dis geniti potuere. 109 contingam PR. 115 et omitted P1R. tenent media omnia silvae, 130 113 caelique minas pelagique M. 116 nati R. 119 arcessere P. 122 Servius preferred to punctuate after Thesea. 126 Averno M1P1: Averni P2R: Servius knows both: Averno est M2. and the raving lips were hushed, Aeneas the hero begins: "For me no form of toils arises, O maiden, strange or unlooked for; all this ere now have I forecast and inly traversed in thought. One thing I pray since here is the famed gate of the nether king, and the gloomy marsh from Acheron's overflow, be it granted me to pass into my dear father's sight and presence; teach thou the way and open the hallowed portals! Him, amid flames and a thousand pursuing spears, I rescued on these shoulders, and brought safe from the enemy's midst. He, the partner of my way, endured with me all the seas and all the menace of ocean and sky, weak as he was, beyond the strength and portion of age. Nay, he, too, prayed and charged me humbly to seek thee and draw near to thy threshold. Pity both son and sire, I beseech thee, gracious one; for thou art all-powerful, and not in vain hath Hecate made thee mistress in the groves of Avernus. If Orpheus availed to summon his wife's shade, strong in his Thracian lyre and tuneful strings; if Pollux, dying in turn, ransomed his brother and so often comes and goes his way-why speak of great Theseus, why of Alcides ?-I, too, have descent from Jove most high!" 1 124 In such words he prayed and clasped the altar, when thus the prophetess began to speak: "Sprung from blood of gods, son of Trojan Anchises, easy is the descent to Avernus: night and day the door of gloomy Dis stands open; but to recall thy steps and pass out to the upper air, this is the task, this the toil! Some few, whom kindly Jupiter has loved, or shining worth uplifted to heaven, sons of the gods, have availed. ` In all the mid-space lie woods, and Cocytus 1 Through his mother Venus, a daughter of Jupiter. Cocytusque sinu labens circumvenit atro. 135 140 145 carpe manu; namque ipse volens facilisque sequetur, si te fata vocant; aliter non viribus ullis vincere nec duro poteris convellere ferro. praeterea iacet exanimum tibi corpus amici (heu! nescis) totamque incestat funere classem, 150 dum consulta petis nostroque in limine pendes. sedibus hunc refer ante suis et conde sepulchro. duc nigras pecudes; ea prima piacula sunto. sic demum lucos Stygis et regna invia vivis, aspicies." dixit pressoque obmutuit ore. Aeneas maesto defixus lumina voltu ingreditur, linquens antrum, caecosque volutat eventus animo secum. cui fidus Achates it comes et paribus curis vestigia figit. multa inter sese vario sermone serebant, 155 160 quem socium exanimem vates, quod corpus humandum diceret. atque illi Misenum in litore sicco, 138 est omitted M2P. 144 similis M. 151 pendens R. 156 deflexus P1. 141 quis PR. 147 non] nec R. 154 Stygiis M1R: Stygios P2. 161 exanimum PR. girds it, gliding with murky folds. But if such love is in thy heart—if such a yearning, twice to swim the Stygian lake, twice to see black Tartarus-and if thou art pleased to give rein to the mad endeavour, hear what must first be done. There lurks in a shady tree a bough, golden in leaf and pliant stem, held consecrate to nether Juno;1 this all the grove hides, and shadows veil in the dim valleys. But 'tis not given to pass beneath earth's hidden places, save to him who hath plucked from the tree the golden-tressed fruitage. This hath beautiful Proserpine ordained to be borne to her as her own gift. When the first is torn away, a second fails not, golden too, and the spray bears leaf of the selfsame ore. Search then with eyes aloft and, when found, duly pluck it with thy hand; for of itself will it follow thee, freely and with ease, if Fate be calling thee; else with no force wilt thou avail to win it or rend it with hard steel. Moreover, there lies the dead body of thy friend-ah! thou knowest not!-and defiles all the fleet with death, whilst thou seekest counsel and hoverest on our threshold. Him bear first to his own place and hide him in the tomb. Lead black cattle; be these thy first peace-offerings. Only so shalt thou survey the Stygian groves and realms the living may not tread." She spake, and with closed lips was silent. 156 With sad countenance and downcast eyes, Aeneas wends his way, quitting the cavern, and ponders in his mind the dark issues. At his side goes loyal Achates, and plants his steps under a like load of care. Much varied discourse were they weaving, each with each-of what dead comrade spoke the soothsayer, of what body for burial? And lo! as they came, they see on the dry beach Misenus, cut 1 i.e. Proserpine. 165 170 175 ut venere, vident indigna morte peremptum, et viridi sedere solo. tum maximus heros 66 este duces o, si qua via est, cursumque per auras derigite in lucos, ubi pinguem dives opacat 177 sepulchro P. 186 forte] voce R. 195 dirigite M. 180 185 190 195 |