Vergil, Aeneid VI 893-901

Manuscripts: M 893-900, 901 | P 893-900, 901 | R 893-900, 901

Aeneas and the Sibyl depart through the ivory exit of Hades to the upper world. Aeneas hastens to his fleet, sets sail once more and soon lands at Caieta in Latium, the final goal of his journey and the destined end of his wanderings (Pharr).

893: geminae portae: This description of the horn and ivory gates is taken from the words of Penelope to Odysseus (Odyssey 19.562–567) (G-K):
Two portals are there for their [i.e., dreams’] shadowy shapes,
Of ivory one, and one of horn. The dreams
That come through the carved ivory deceive
With promises that never are made good;
But those which pass the doors of polished horn,
And are held of men, are ever true. (M-H).

The adoption of this idea enables Vergil to avoid making Aeneas return to earth by the same road, and to bring him back, as it were suddenly and mysteriously, without further description. Homer’s distinction is between truthful and lying dreams; Vergil’s between vērae umbrae, “real spirits” that appear in sleep, and falsa īnsomnia, “delusive dreams.” His object probably is to reproduce Homer with a slight poetical variety, rather than to imply any definite doctrine about spirits and dreams (P-H). somnī: = somniōrum, which would here be unmetrical (Knapp). fertur: supply esse, = dīcitur [esse] (Pharr): “it is reported [to be]” (G-K). Vergil speaks at second hand, following the legend (Carter).

894: cornea: “of horn” (Comstock). vērīs umbrīs: “real spirits” that appear in sleep (Comstock).

895: candentī perfecta nitēns elephantō: take perfecta adverbially (perfectē) with nitēns: “gleaming with the polish of dazzling ivory” (Conington), literally “made gleaming” (F-B). Ablative of material (AG 403) (Pharr). Elephantō is “ivory” by metonymy.

896: sed: supply per hanc (Knapp). The gate is more elegant, but the dreams are false which come out through it (Carter). falsa īnsomnia: “delusive dreams” (Comstock); “false visions,” i.e. of the shades, not the shades themselves (F-B). Falsa probably refers both to the quality of the apparition and to the message that it brings (Conington). mittunt: i.e. through the ivory gate (F-B).

897–898: hīs ibi tum: supply dictīs with hīs (Bennett): attendant circumstances, situation, or result may be expressed by the ablative, usually with a modifier, and without a preposition (but sometimes with cum) (Pharr). Tum goes back to the thought of 890–892 (Bennett).

898: portā eburnā: ablative of route by which (Pharr) (AG 429.4a): “by the ivory gate.”

899: ille: = Aenēās, not Anchises (G-K). These concluding verses are of little importance in themselves, but give a parting scene corresponding to the landing described at the opening of the book. They also serve the artistic purpose of furnishing a quiet close after an intensely emotional passage (F-B). secat: “takes” (Comstock).

900: Caiētae: Caieta, a coastal town in Latium (modern Gaeta) named after Aeneas’ old nurse (Carter). The mention of Caieta has been objected to as inconsistent with the opening of the next Book, where it is said that the death of Caieta, Aeneas’ nurse, was the occasion of the name. But this is natural and Virgilian enough (Conington). rectō līmite: “by straight passage.” Ablative of route / the way by which (see note on portā eburnā, 898) (Bennett) (AG 429.4a). He follows the line of coast, and it takes him to Caieta (Conington).