Respicit Aenēās subitō et sub rūpe sinistrā

moenia lāta videt triplicī circumdata mūrō,

quae rapidus flammīs ambit torrentibus amnis,550

Tartareüs Phlegethōn, torquetque sonantia saxa.

Porta adversa ingēns solidōque adamante columnae,

vīs ut nūlla virum, nōn ipsī exscindere bellō

caelicolae valeant; stat ferrea turris ad aurās,

Tīsiphonēque sedēns pallā succīncta cruentā555

vēstibulum exsomnis servat noctēsque diēsque.

Hinc exaudīrī gemitūs et saeva sonāre

verbera, tum strīdor ferrī tractaeque catēnae.

Cōnstitit Aenēās strepitumque exterritus hausit.

'Quae scelerum faciēs? ō virgō, effāre; quibusve560

urgentur poenīs? Quis tantus plangor ad aurās?'

Tum vātēs sic ōrsa loquī: 'Dux inclute Teucrum,

nūllī fās castō scelerātum īnsistere līmen;

sed mē cum lūcīs Hecatē praefēcit Avernīs,

ipsa deum poenās docuit perque omnia dūxit.565

Cnōsius haec Rhadamanthus habet dūrissima rēgna

castīgatque auditque dolōs subigitque fatērī

quae quis apud superōs fūrtō laetātus inānī

distulit in sēram commissa piācula mortem.

Continuō sontīs ultrīx accīncta flagellō570

Tīsiphonē quatit īnsultāns, torvōsque sinistrā

intentāns anguīs vocat agmina saeva sorōrum.

Tum dēmum horrisonō strīdentēs cardine sacrae

panduntur portae. Cernis custōdia quālis

vēstibulō sedeat, faciēs quae līmina servet?575

    CORE VOCABULARY

    Aenēās, ae, m.: 1. A Trojan chief, son of Venus and Anchises, and hero of the Aeneid, 1.92. 2. Aenēās Silvius, one of the Alban kings, 6.769.

    rūpēs, is, f.: a rock, cliff, crag, ledge, freq.; quarry, 1.429. (rumpō)

    sinistra, ae, f. (sc. manus): the left hand, 2.443, et al.

    triplex, icis: adj. (trēs and plicō), threefold, triple, 10.784, et al.

    circumdō, dedī, datus, dare, 1, a.: to put or throw around; (with abl.), to encircle, surround, encompass, inclose with, 1.368; of dress, gird, 9.462; adorn, 6.207; set, 1.593; border, 4.137; (with dat.), throw around, 2.792; twine or coil around, 2.219; put round, 2.510.

    rapidus, a, um: adj. (rapiō), that tears away; violent, fierce; swiftly moving, rapid, 1.42; speedy, quick, prompt, 5.513.

    ambiō, īvī or iī, ītus, 4, a. and n.: to go round; encompass, 6.550; (fig.), approach, address, 4.283; entrap, circumvent, 7.333. (amb- and eō)

    torreō, uī, tostus, 2, a. and n.: to burn, scorch, roast, parch, 1.179; rush, roll, 6.550; of a river bank, 9.105; p., torrēns, entis, subst., a torrent, 7.567.

    Tartareus, a, um: adj. (Tartarus), pertaining to Tartarus; Tartarean, 6.551; in a general sense, infernal, Tartarean, 6.295.

    Phlegethōn, ontis, m.: a river of Tartarus, 6.551.

    torqueō, torsī, tortus, 2, a.: to wind, turn, twist, 4.575; roll along, 6.551; whirl, hurl, 3.208; shoot, 5.497; cast, dash, 1.108; direct, 4.220; turn away, 6.547; turn, cause to revolve, 4.269; control, 12.180; p., tortus, a, um, whirled, whirling, impetuous, 7.567.

    sonāns, antis: sounding, resounding, murmuring, rustling, rattling, freq. (sonō)

    solidus, a, um: (adj.), the whole, whole, entire, 6.253; massive, 2.765; solid, hard, 6.552; sound, unimpaired, 2.639.

    adamās, antis, m.: that which cannot be overcome; the hardest iron, steel, adamant, 6.552.

    columna, ae, f.: a column, pillar, 1.428; Proteī columnae, the pillars of Proteus; the northern extremities of Egypt, 11.262.

    exscindō, scidī, scissus, 3, a.: to tear out; tear down, destroy, 2.177; extirpate, 4.425.

    caelicola, ae, c.: an inhabitant of heaven; a god, 2.641, et al. (caelum and colō)

    ferreus, a, um: adj. (ferrum), of iron, iron-, 3.45; (fig.), inflexible, stern, iron; of death, 10.745.

    turris, is, f.: a tower, 2.445, et al.

    Tīsiphonē, ēs, f.: one of the three Furies, 6.571, et al.

    palla, ae, f.: a long and ample robe; mantle, 1.648.

    succingō, cīnxī, cīnctus, 3, a.: to gird beneath; gird up; wrap, 10.634; gird, 1.323. (sub and cingō)

    cruentus, a, um: (adj.), bloody, blood-stained, 1.296; covered with blood, 10.498.

    vestibulum, ī, n.: entrance, porch, portal, vestibule, 2.469, et al.

    exsomnis, e: adj. (ex and somnus), sleepless, 6.556.

    exaudiō, īvī, or iī, ītus, 4, a.: to hear distinctly; hear, 1.219; catch the sound, hear from afar, 7.15; listen to, heed, 11.157.

    gemitus, ūs, m.: a groaning; a groan, 3.39, et al.; sigh, 1.485; lamentation, 2.486; cry, 2.413; noise, roaring, 3.555. (gemō)

    verber, eris, n.: a lash, whip; a stripe, blow, 6.558, et al.; flapping, beating, 12.876.

    strīdor, ōris, m.: a harsh, grating, or whizzing sound; a creaking, whistling, 1.87; din, clank, rattling, 6.558; humming, 7.65. (strīdō)

    catēna, ae, f.: a chain, fetter, 6.558.

    strepitus, ūs, m.: a noise; an uproar; din, 6.559; stir, noise of festivity, 1.725; confused noise, 1.422. (strepō)

    exterreō, uī, itus, 2, a.: to frighten; alarm, startle, terrify, 3.307; flutter in terror, 5.505; p., exterritus, a, um, startled; roused, 4.571.

    hauriō, hausī, haustus, 4, a.: to draw any fluid, 9.23; drink; drain, 1.738; draw blood with a weapon; devour, slay, 2.600; pierce, 10.314; take in with the eyes or ears; receive, 12.26; perceive, see, 4.661; hear, 4.359; strain, thrill, 5.137; suffer, 4.383; conceive, 10.648.

    ō: (interj. expressing joy, grief, astonishment, desire, or indignation), O! oh! ah! w. voc., 2.281, et al.; w. sī and the subj., oh that, 11.415; sometimes placed after the word to which it relates, 2.281.

    effor, fātus sum, 1, dep. a. and n.: to speak forth; speak, say, 6.560. (ex and for)

    urgeō, ursī, 2, a. and n.: to drive, impel, press forward, 1.111; ply, hasten, 9.489; press, oppress, crush, bear down, 3.579; press around, inclose, surround, hem in, 11.524; weigh upon, oppress, close, 10.745; overpower, 2.653; attack, 10.375; punish, torture, 6.561.

    plangor, ōris, m.: lamentation by beating the breast; lamentation, wailing, cry of grief, 2.487. (plangō)

    ōrdior, ōrsus sum, 4, dep. a. and n.: to weave, spin; to begin; begin to speak; begin, 1.325.

    inclutus, a, um: (adj.), famous, glorious, renowned, 2.82. (rel. to clueō, to be heard of; κλύω, hear; κλυτός, renowned)

    Teucrī, ōrum, m.: the Trojans, descendants of Teucer, 1.38, et al.; adj., Teucrian, Trojan, 9.779, et al. (Teucer)

    fās, indecl. n.: divine right or law; duty, justice, 3.55; privilege, 9.96; as predicate with esse, permitted, lawful, proper, incumbent, 1.77, et al. (rel. to for)

    scelerō, no perf., ātus, 1, a.: to make impious; desecrate, pollute, 3.42; p., scelerātus, a, um, foul with crime; polluted, impious, wicked, 2.231; accursed, 6.563; pertaining to the guilty or to guilt, due to wickedness, 2.576; sacrilegious, 9.137. (scelus)

    īnsistō, stitī, 3, a. and n.: to place one’s self in or upon a thing; (w. dat.), to tread or stand upon, (w. acc.), to tread, 6.563; impress, 11.574; (fig.), of the will, continue, persist, 4.533.

    lūcus, ī, m.: a consecrated wood; sacred grove, 6.259, et al.; in general, a grove, wood, forest.

    Hecatē, ēs, f.: the sister of Latona; usually identified with Diana and Luna, and so represented with three heads, 4.511.

    praeficiō, fēcī, fectus, 3, a.: to put at the head or in command; to place or set over, w. acc. and dat., 6.118. (prae and faciō)

    Avernus, a, um: of Avernus (a lake near Naples, between Baiae and Cumae, in Campania, now Lago d’ Averno. Near it was one of the entrances to Hades), Avernian, 4.512; 6.118.

    Cnōsius, a, um: adj. (Cnōsus or Gnōsus), of Knossos, a city in Crete; Knossian, Cretan, 3.115.

    Rhadamanthus, ī, m.: son of Jupiter and Europa, and one of the judges in Hades, 6.566.

    castīgō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to chastise, punish; chide, reprove, rebuke, 5.387. (castus and agō)

    subigō, ēgī, āctus, 3, a.: to drive under or up; drive, push, force, drive on, urge, compel, 5.794; subdue, subject, conquer, 1.266; urge on, exasperate, 12.494. (sub and agō)

    quis, qua or quae, quid or quod: (indef. pron., adj., and subst.), any, some, 2.94, et al.; some one, any one, any body, anything, something, 1.413, et al.; sī quis, nē quis, etc., if any, lest any, etc., freq.; (adv.), quid, as to anything, in anything, at all, freq.; sī quid, if at all, freq.

    fūrtum, ī, n.: that which is stolen; (meton.), the act of stealing; theft; secrecy, concealment, 4.337; artifice, deceit, fraud, deception, 6.24; treacherous deed (adultery), 10.91; stealthy attack, stratagem, 9.350; fūrta bellī, an ambuscade, 11.515. (fūr)

    laetor, ātus sum, 1, dep. n.: to rejoice, w. abl., gen., infin., or absolute, 1.393, et al. (laetus)

    inānis, e: (adj.), empty, void, 3.304; light; vain, idle, fruitless, 4.210; valueless, trivial; little, brief, 4.433; lifeless, unreal, 1.464; shadowy, 6.269; unsubstantial, shadowy, airy, phantom, 6.651; subst., ināne, is, n., void space, a void, 12.354.

    sērus, a, um: (adj.), late, freq.; late in life, 6.764; slow, tardy, 2.373; too late, 5.524; (adv.), sērum, late, 12.864.

    piāculum, i, n.: an expiation; expiatory, sacrifice, offering, 4.636; purifying sacrifice; lustration, 6.153; (meton.), that which requires such expiation; sin, crime, 6.569. (piō)

    continuō: (adv.), immediately, straightway. (continuus)

    sōns, sontis: (adj.), hurtful; guilty, 6.570.

    ultrīx, īcis: adj. (ulcīscor), avenging, 2.587.

    accingō, cīnxī, cīnctus (pass. inf., accingier, 4.493), 3, a.: to gird on; gird, 2.614; arm, equip, 6.184; make one’s self ready; prepare, 1.210; resort to, 4.493. (ad and cingō)

    flagellum, ī, n.: a scourge or whip, 5.579; thong, 7.731. (dim. of flagrum, a whip)

    quatiō, no perf., quassus, 3, a.: to shake, freq.; brandish, 11.767; flap, 3.226; shatter, 2.611; make tremble, 5.200; thrill, penetrate, 3.30; ransack, beat up, search, scour, 11.513; torment, 6.571; assault, 9.608; spur, 12.338.

    īnsultō, āvī, ātus, 1, n. and a.: (w. dat.), to leap upon, bound upon, gallop over, trample on, 12.339; (w. acc.), bound, dance, rush through, 7.581; absol., prance, 11.600; insult, be insolent, mock, 2.330; exult, 10.20. (īnsiliō, leap upon)

    torvus, a, um: stern, grim, wild; savage, lowering, 3.677; fierce, 6.571; shaggy, 3.636; adv., torvum and torva, sternly, wildly, 7.399; 6.467.

    intentō, āvī, ātus, 1, intens. a.: to stretch, hold out, 6.572; threaten, 1.91. (intendō)

    anguis, is, m. and f.: a snake of any kind, serpent, 2.379; hydra, 8.300.

    dēmum: (adv.), at length, at last, 1.629; at least, indeed, especially. (dē with n. superl. ending -mum, hence, perhaps meaning downmost)

    horrisonus, a, um: adj. (horreō and sonus), having or making a fearful sound; harsh-sounding, thundering, 6.573.

    strīdeō, 2, n., and strīdō, strīdī, 3: to produce a grating or shrill sound; to creak, 1.449; gurgle, 4.689; rustle, 1.397; whiz, roar, 1.102; hiss, 8.420; twang, 5.502.

    cardō, inis, m.: a hinge, pivot, 1.449; the socket in which the pivot plays, 2.493; (fig.), a turning point, crisis, emergency, 1.672.

    pandō, pandī, passus or pānsus, 3, a.: to spread out or open, 7.641; unfurl, 3.520; extend, expose, 6.740; break through, open, 2.234; unbind, dishevel, 1.480; (fig.), disclose, declare, explain, reveal, 3.179.

    cūstōdia, ae, f.: a watching, watch; guardianship, care; a watch, guard, 6.574. (cūstōs)

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    Suggested Citation

    Christopher Francese and Meghan Reedy, Vergil: Aeneid Selections. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-947822-08-5. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/ar/vergil-aeneid/vergil-aeneid-vi-548-575