Hūc ubi dēlātus Cūmaeam accesseris urbem

dīvīnōsque lacūs et Averna sonantia silvīs,

īnsānam vātem aspiciēs, quae rūpe sub īmā

fāta canit foliīsque notās et nōmina mandat.

Quaecumque in foliīs dēscrīpsit carmina virgō445

dīgerit in numerum atque antrō sēclūsa relinquit:

illa manent immōta locīs neque ab ōrdine cēdunt.

vērum eadem, versō tenuis cum cardine ventus

impulit et tenerās turbāvit iānua frondēs,

numquam deinde cavō volitantia prēndere saxō450

nec revocāre sitūs aut iungere carmina cūrat:

incōnsultī abeunt sēdemque ōdēre Sibyllae.

Hīc tibi nē qua morae fuerint dispendia tantī,

quamvīs increpitent sociī et vī cursus in altum

vēla vocet, possīsque sinūs implēre secundōs,455

quīn adeās vātem precibusque ōrācula poscās

ipsa canat vōcemque volēns atque ōra resolvat.

Illa tibi Ītaliae populōs ventūraque bella

et quō quemque modō fugiāsque ferāsque labōrem

expediet, cursūsque dabit venerāta secundōs.460

Haec sunt quae nostrā liceat tē vōce monērī.

Vāde age et ingentem factīs fer ad aethera Trōiam.'

    CORE VOCABULARY

    Cūmaeus, a, um: adj. (Cūmae), Cumaean, 3.441.

    accēdō, cessī, cessus (perf. ind., accēstis for accessistis, 1.201), 3, n.: to go or draw near to; approach, with acc. alone, 1.307. (ad and cedo)

    dīvīnus, a, um: adj. (dīvus), relating to the gods; heaven-descended, divine, 5.47; heavenly, 1.403; inspired, prophetic, 3.373.

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

    Averna, ōrum, n.: 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 3.442, 5.732.

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

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

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

    folium, iī, n.: a leaf, 1.175.

    nota, ae, f.: a distinguishing mark; mark, spot, 5.87; letter, character, 3.444. (nōscō)

    mandō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to give in hand or consign; w. acc. alone, or acc. and dat., or inf.; to commission, charge, bid, command, 4.222; place, deposit; commit, consign, confide, intrust, 3.50; of burial, to inter; order, w. inf. (manus and dō)

    dēscrībō, scrīpsī, scrīptus, 3, a.: to mark off; divide, distinguish, describe, 6.850; write, 3.445.

    dīgerō, gessī, gestus, 3, a.: to carry apart, separate one thing from another; arrange, dispose, lay in order, 3.446; explain, interpret, 2.182.

    antrum, ī, n.: a cave, cavern, grotto, 1.166.

    sēclūdō, clūsī, clūsus, 3, a.: to shut apart, off, out; shut up, 3.446; shut out, dismiss, 1.562. (se- and claudō)

    immōtus, a, um: (adj.), unmoved, motionless; immovable, 3.77; (fig.), firm, fixed, steadfast, unchangeable, 1.257.

    vērum: but indeed, but yet, yet, but, 3.670, et al.

    tenuis, e: adj. (cf. tendō), stretched out; slender, thin, 4.278; light, 3.448; little, 10.511; airy, ethereal, 6.292; delicate, fine, 4.264; scanty, yielding a scanty livelihood, 8.409; reduced, perishing, sinking, 5.690; simple, trivial, humble.

    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.

    impellō, pulī, pulsus, 3, a.: to push, thrust, drive to or upon; push onward, impel, 5.242; push, open, 7.621; smite, 1.82; ply, 4.594; put in motion, urge on, 8.3; shoot, 12.856; move, disturb, 3.449; (w. inf.), lead on, impel, induce, persuade, 2.55; force, compel, 1.11.

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

    frōns, frondis, f.: a leaf, 3.449; leafage, foliage; leafy spray, branch, twig, bough, 2.249; a leafy crown, a garland, wreath, 4.148.

    cavus, a, um: (adj.), hollow, 1.81; concave, 8.599; arching, vaulted, 2.487; cavae manūs, the palms of the hands, 12.86.

    volitō, āvī, ātus, 1, freq. n.: to fly about, whirl about, hover, flit, 6.329; ride or gallop around, 12.126; circulate, pass rapidly, fly. (1. volō)

    prehendō (prēndō), ī, ēnsus, 3, a.: to lay hold of; seize, 2.592; catch, 3.450; seize, hold for defense, 2.322; overtake, reach, 6.61.

    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.

    situs, ūs, m.: position; order, 3.451; being let alone; neglect, roughness, squalor, mold, 6.462; rust, decrepitude, dotage, 7.440. (sinō)

    incōnsultus, a, um: (adj.), uninstructed, unadvised, without advice, 3.452.

    abeō, īvī, or iī, itus, īre, irreg. n.: to go away, depart, 2.675; go off, go aside, turn off, 5.162; pass into, sink into, 9.700; go forward, take the lead, 5.318; retreat, 2.382; change or be transformed.

    Sibylla, ae, f.: a prophetess, a sibyl; the Cumaean sibyl, Deiphobe, 3.452, et al.

    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.

    dispendium, iī, n.: a weighing out; expense, cost; loss, 3.453. (dispendō, weigh out)

    tantum: (adv.), so much, 6.877; just so much; only, 2.23; in tantum, to such a degree or height, so high, 6.876; tantum — quantum, so great (such, so much) — as.

    quamvīs: (adv. and conj.), as much as you will; however much; however, although, albeit; w. subj., 3.454; freq. w. an adj. (quam and volō)

    increpitō, āvī, ātus, 1, intens. n. and a.: to make a great noise; to call or cry out to; chide, blame, reproach, 3.454; dare, challenge, 1.738; taunt, 10.900. (increpō)

    altum, ī, n.: the deep; the lofty; the deep sea, the main, the deep, 1.3; the sky, heaven, air, 1.297; from far, far-fetched, remote, 8.395. (altus)

    vēlum, ī, n.: a cloth; sail, 1.103, et al.; a curtain, canvas, covering, 1.469.

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

    ōrāculum (ōrāclum), ī, n.: a divine utterance; oracle, response, 3.456; (meton.), the place of the response; oracular shrine, oracle, 3.143. (ōrō)

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

    resolvō, solvī, solūtus, 3, a.: to untie, loosen, unbind, 3.370; break apart, 9.517; dispel, 8.591; of the lips, open, 3.457; of the body, relax, unbend, extend, 6.422; of separation of body and spirit, dissolve, separate, release, 4.695; unravel, disclose, 6.29; break, violate, 2.157.

    Ītalia, ae (Ī by poetic (epic) license), f.: Italy, 1.2, et al.

    veniō, vēnī, ventus: to come, freq.; come forth; approach, 6.755; rise, appear, 1.353; dawn, 10.241; to present one's self or itself, 5.344; descend, spring from, 5.373; impers., ventum est, we, they came or have come, 4.151.

    modus, ī, m.: a method, 4.294; mode, manner, way, 1.354, et al.; a measure, of song, measure, strain, note, 7.701, et al.; bound, limit, end, 4.98, et al.; fashion, of building, 11.328; abl., modō, in the manner or fashion; like, 9.119.

    expediō, īvī or iī, ītus, 4, a.: to make the foot free; to extricate, disentangle; bring forth, get ready, 1.178; seize, use, 5.209; serve, 1.702; unfold, describe, disclose, 3.379, 460; declare, 11.315; pass. in middle sig., make one’s way out, escape, 2.633. (ex and pēs)

    veneror, ātus sum, 1, dep. a.: to venerate, reverence, revere, 3.79; adore, worship, 5.745; bow before, kneel at, 12.220; p., venerātus, a, um, (pass.), supplicated, entreated, 3.460.

    vādō, 3, n.: to go, walk, advance, go on, 2.396, et al.; rush, 2.359; move, speed on, 8.702; imperat., vāde, away, go on! 3.462.

    age, agite: (imperat. of ago), onward! away! come on!

    Trōia, ae, f.: 1. Troy, the capital of the Troad, 2.625, et al. 2. A city built by Helenus in Epirus, 3.349. 3. A part of the city of Acesta in Sicily, 5.756. 4. The name of an equestrian game of Roman boys, 5.602.

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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/vergil-aeneid/vergil-aeneid-iii-441-462