Tālibus ōrābat dictīs ārāsque tenēbat,

cum sīc ōrsa loquī vātēs: 'Sate sanguine dīvum,125

Trōs Anchīsiadē, facilis dēscēnsus Avernō:

noctēs atque diēs patet ātrī iānua Dītis;

sed revocāre gradum superāsque ēvādere ad aurās,

hoc opus, hic labor est. Paucī, quōs aequus amāvit

Iuppiter aut ārdēns ēvexit ad aethera virtūs,130

dīs genitī potuēre. Tenent media omnia silvae,

Cōcӯtusque sinū lābēns circumvenit ātrō.

Quod sī tantus amor mentī, sī tanta cupīdō est

bis Stygiōs innāre lacūs, bis nigra vidēre

Tartara, et īnsānō iuvat indulgēre labōrī,135

accipe quae peragenda prius. Latet arbore opācā

aureus et foliīs et lentō vīmine rāmus,

Iūnōnī īnfernae dictus sacer; hunc tegit omnis

lūcus et obscūrīs claudunt convallibus umbrae.

Sed nōn ante datur tellūris operta subīre140

auricomōs quam quis dēcerpserit arbore fētūs.

Hoc sibi pulchra suum ferrī Prōserpina mūnus

īnstituit. prīmō āvulsō nōn dēficit alter

aureus, et similī frondēscit virga metallō.

Ergō altē vēstīgā oculīs et rīte repertum145

carpe manū; namque ipse volēns facilisque sequētur,

sī tē Fāta vocant; aliter nōn vīribus ūllīs

vincere nec dūrō poteris convellere ferrō.

Praetereā iacet exanimum tibi corpus amīcī

(heu nescīs) tōtamque incestat fūnere classem,150

dum cōnsulta petis nostrōque in līmine pendēs.

sēdibus hunc refer ante suīs et conde sepulcrō.

Dūc nigrās pecudēs; ea prīma piācula suntō.

Sīc dēmum lūcōs Stygis et rēgna invia vīvīs

aspiciēs.' Dīxit, pressōque obmūtuit ōre.155

    CORE VOCABULARY

    dictum, ī, n.: a thing said; word, 1.197; command, precept, injunction, 1.695; promise, 8.643. (dīcō)

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

    serō, sēvī, satus, 3, a.: to sow or plant; with indefinite object omitted, 6.844; scatter, spread, disseminate, 12.228.

    Trōs, ōis, m.: Trojan, 6.52, et al. (Tros, one of the kings of Troy)

    Anchīsiadēs, ae, m.: son of Anchises; Aeneas, 5.407.

    dēscēnsus, ūs, m.: a going down; descent, 6.126. (dēscendō)

    Avernus, ī, m.: Avernus, a lake near Naples, between Baiae and Cumae, in Campania, now Lago d’ Averno. Near it was one of the entrances to Hades; hence, the lower world, Avernus, 6.126; portus Avernī, the harbor of Cumae, near Avernus, 5.813. (ἄορνος, birdless)

    āter, tra, trum: (adj.), black; dark, gloomy, 1.60, et al.; smoky, lurid, 7.456; 4.384; clotted, dark, 3.622; soiled, blackened, 2.272; (fig.), sad, fatal, 6.429; venomous, deadly; of the odor of smoke, 12.591.

    iānua, ae, f.: the outer door or gate, 2.493; entrance, way, 2.661. (Iānus)

    Dīs, ītis, m.: Pluto, the ruler of Hades, 4.702, et al.

    ēvādō, vāsī, vāsus, 3, n. and a.: to go out, forth, or up; ascend, 2.458; come in flight, 2.531; come forth from, w. the idea of danger surmounted; (w. acc.), to escape the dangers of, 2.731; escape, 5.689; 6.425; w. dat., 11.702; 9.99.

    Iuppiter, Iovis, m.: Jupiter, son of Saturn and Rhea, and king of the gods, 1.223; Iuppiter Stygius, Pluto, 4.638.

    ārdēns, entis: burning, hot, sparkling, flaming, 5.637; bright, 4.482; impassioned, ardent, eager, 1.423; spirited, fiery, 1.472; glowing, lofty, 6.130; fierce, furious, 2.529; angry, 6.467. (ardeo)

    ēvehō, vexī, vectus, 3, a.: to carry forth; carry up, raise, elevate, 6.130.

    possum, potuī, posse, irreg. n.: to be able; can, 1.242, et al.; to avail, have influence, power, 4.382. (potis and sum)

    medium, iī, n.: medium, iī, n., the middle, midst, 2.218; the intervening space, 6.131; ad medium, in the middle of the body, 12.273; in medium, into the midst, in public; before them, 5.401; for the common weal, 11.335.

    Cōcȳtus, ī, m.: the Cocytus, “the river of lamentation,” in the lower world, 6.132.

    lābor, lapsus sum, 3, dep. n.: to slide, glide down, or slip, freq.; fall down, 2.465; ebb, 11.628; pass away, 2.14; descend, 2.262; glide, sail, skim along, 8.91; flow, 3.281; fall, perish, 2.430; decline, 4.318; faint, 3.309.

    circumveniō, vēnī, ventus, 4, a.: to come about; surround, 6.132.

    quod: (conj.), as to which thing; in that, that, indeed that, because; but, moreover, however, freq.; quod sī, but if, indeed if, if however, 6.133.

    bis: (adv.), twice, 1.381. (in composition bi-)

    Stygius, a, um: adj. (Styx), pertaining to the Styx; of Hades; Stygian, 4.638, et al.

    innō, āvī, ātus, 1, n. and a.: to swim upon or over, 8.691; swim, 10.222; (w. acc.), sail over, 6.134; swim, pass by swimming.

    lacus, ūs, m.: a lake, pool, source, 8.74; fen, 2.135.

    Tartarus, ī, m., pl., Tartara, ōrum, n.: the lower world, Hades; especially that portion which was set apart for the wicked; Tartarus, 5.734, et al.

    īnsānus, a, um: (adj.), unsound; mad, insane, 6.135; inspired, 3.443.

    indulgeō, dulsī, dultus, 2, n.: to be indulgent, kind, yielding, give way to, 2.776; yield to, indulge in, 4.51; favor, 8.512.

    peragō, ēgī, āctus, 3, a.: to drive through; carry through; execute, achieve, accomplish, finish, perform, 4.653; pursue, 6.384; fulfill, achieve, 3.493; go through with, distribute, 5.362; go through mentally, 6.105.

    opācus, a, um: (adj.), shady, 6.283; obscure, dark, 3.619; subst., opāca, ōrum, n., partitive; opāca viārum, dark pathways, roads, 6.633.

    folium, iī, n.: a leaf, 1.175.

    lentus, a, um: (adj.), adhesive, clammy, sticky, viscid; tough, 12.773; pliant, limber, 6.137; ductile, malleable, 7.634; slender, 3.31; 12.489; sluggish, creeping, 5.682; quiet, 7.28; inactive, 12.237.

    vīmen, inis, n.: a flexible twig; osier, sprout, shoot, sprig, stem, 3.31.

    rāmus, ī, m.: a branch, bough, 4.485, et al.; limb, 8.318; wreath, 5.71.

    Iūnō, ōnis, f.: Juno, the Sabine and Roman name for the wife and sister of Jupiter, daughter of Saturn, 1.4, et al.; Iūnō īnferna, the Juno of the lower world, Proserpine, 6.138.

    īnfernus, a, um: adj. (īnferus), that which is below; of Hades, infernal, 3.386.

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

    obscūrus, a, um: (adj.), dim, dark, dusky, obscure, 1.411; uncertain; of persons, unseen, 2.135; in the darkness, 6.268; pl., obscūra, ōrum, dim places; obscurity, uncertainty, 6.100.

    convallis, is, f.: a valley completely inclosed by hills; a valley, vale, 6.139.

    opertum, ī: a covered or secret place; partitive, operta tellūris, hidden, unseen regions of the earth, 6.140. (operiō)

    subeō, iī, itus (p. subiēns, euntis), 4, n. and a.: to go or come under, into, or up to; alone, or with acc. and prep., or with dat.; without a case, come up, 2.216; go under, bend, stoop down under, 10.522; come after; follow, 2.725; take one's place, 12.471; enter, 1.171; come into or upon the mind, suggest itself, occur, 2.560; with acc. and prep., go, advance towards, 8.359; with dat., come or go up to, down to, into, 5.203; succeed to, 5.176; come after, follow, 10.371; with acc., approach, enter, 1.400; go under a burden, bear, with abl. of instrument, 2.708; go under the yoke, draw, 3.113; enter the mind of, strike, occur to, 9.757; approach, reach, 3.512; approach, 7.22; meet, encounter, 10.798; attack, 9.344.

    auricomus, a, um: adj. (aurum and coma), golden-haired; (fig.), golden-leaved, or with golden sprays, 6.141.

    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.

    dēcerpō, sī, tus, 3, a.: to pluck off; crop, pluck, 6.141. (dē and carpō)

    fētus, ūs, m.: a bearing or breeding; the young; the new swarm, 1.432; litter, 3.391; of vegetable products, growth, sprig, shoot, 6.207; fruit; product.

    Prōserpina, ae, f.: Proserpina, daughter of Jupiter and Ceres, carried away by Pluto from Enna in Sicily, and made queen of Hades, 4.698, et al.

    īnstituō, uī, ūtus, 3, a.: to fix in a place; put down, plant, step with, 7.690; found, inaugurate, 6.70; w. inf., ordain, 6.143; prepare, begin, 7.109; teach. (1. in and statuō)

    āvellō, vellī or vulsī, vulsus, 3, a.: to pluck, or tear off, or away from, with acc. and abl., take away, steal, 2.165; to force away, 11.201; p., avulsus, a, um, torn from, 2.608; torn, rent, 3.575.

    frondēscō, fronduī, 3, inc. n.: to put forth leaves, 6.144. (frondeō)

    virga, ae, f.: a twig, bough, branch, 6.144; a wand (the caduceus of Mercury), 4.242. (vireō)

    metallum, ī, n.: a mine; metal, 6.144.

    altē: (adv.), aloft, on high; high, 1.337; high up; deeply, deep; comp., altius, higher. (altus)

    vestīgō, 1, a.: to track; trace, explore, search; seek out, hunt, 12.467; 6.145; descry, 12.588.

    rīte: (adv.), properly, fitly, rightly, 6.145; justly, meetly, 3.36; well, 3.107. (rītus)

    carpo, carpsī, carptus, 3, a.: to pluck or pull, crop, browse upon, eat, graze; cause to graze, pasture; gather, 6.146; (fig.), catch, breathe, enjoy, 1.388; consume, 4.2; devour, waste, 4.32; carpere prāta, etc., to course over.

    manus, ūs, f.: the hand, 1.487; freq.; (meton.), action, movement of the hand; work, art, handiwork, 3.486; prowess, heroic deed, action, 2.434; force, violence, 2.645; a collection of persons; a band, crew, troop; an army, 2.29; forces, 5.623; multitude, 6.660; pl., manūs, workmen, 11.329; dare manūs, to yield, 11.558; extrēma manus, the finishing hand or touch, 7.572.

    volēns, entis: willing, ready, unresisting, spontaneously, 6.146.

    nec or neque: (adv. and conj.), and not; neither, nor, 1.643, et al.; in prohibition, 3.394, et al.; neque (nec) — neque (nec), neither — nor, 5.21, et al.; nec — et, or -que, may be rendered neither — nor, 12.801; 2.534; nec nōn, and also, nor less, 6.183; nec nōn et, and also, 1.707.

    convellō, vellī, vulsus, 3, a.: to pull violently; pluck, tear, pull up, 3.24; wrench forth, 12.774; cut off, 6.148; p., convulsus, a, um, rent, shattered, 1.383; convulsed, 5.143.

    exanimis, e, and exanimus, a, um: adj. (ex and anima), breathless; lifeless, dead, 1.484; slain, 11.110; breathless with fear, terrified, 4.672.

    heu: (interj.), alas! ah! oh! 2.289, et al.

    incestō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to defile, pollute, 6.150. (incestus, unclean)

    cōnsultum, ī, n.: a thing deliberated upon; a decree; response, oracle, 6.151; deliberation, 11.410. (cōnsulō)

    pendeō, pependī, 2, n.: to hang, foll. by abl. alone or w. prep., 2.546, et al.; 5.511; be suspended, 1.106; cling, 9.562; bend, stoop forward, 5.147; (meton.), linger, delay, 6.151; listen, hang upon, 4.79.

    pecus, udis, f.: one animal of a flock or herd; an animal, 1.743; a sheep, 3.120; victim for sacrifices, 4.63.

    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)

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

    Styx, Stygis, f.: the Styx, the river of Hades which encompassed the final abode of the dead, 6.439, et al. ("the hateful")

    invius, a, um: without a way; trackless, inaccessible, impassable, 1.537; difficult, 3.383.

    vīvus, a, um: adj. (vīvō), alive, living, 6.531; lifelike, 6.848; immortal, 12.235; of water, living, running, pure, 2.719; of rock, natural, unquarried, living, 1.167.

    obmūtēscō, mūtuī, 3, inc. n.: to become speechless or dumb; to be silent, hushed, mute, 4.279.

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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/es/vergil-aeneid/vergil-aeneid-vi-124-155