Tālibus ex adytō dictīs Cūmaea Sibylla

horrendās canit ambāgēs antrōque remūgit,

obscūrīs vēra involvēns: ea frēna furentī100

concutit et stimulōs sub pectore vertit Apollō.

Ut prīmum cessit furor et rabida ōra quiērunt,

incipit Aenēās hērōs: 'Nōn ūlla labōrum,

ō virgō, nova mī faciēs inopīnave surgit;

omnia praecēpī atque animō mēcum ante perēgī.105

Ūnum ōrō: quandō hīc īnfernī iānua rēgis

dīcitur et tenebrōsa palūs Acheronte refūsō,

īre ad cōnspectum cārī genitōris et ōra

contingat; doceās iter et sacra ōstia pandās.

Illum ego per flammās et mīlle sequentia tēla110

ēripuī hīs umerīs mediōque ex hoste recēpī;

ille meum comitātus iter maria omnia mēcum

atque omnīs pelagīque minās caelīque ferēbat,

invalidus, vīrīs ultrā sortemque senectae.

Quīn, ut tē supplex peterem et tua līmina adīrem,115

īdem ōrāns mandāta dabat. Gnātīque patrisque,

alma, precor, miserēre (potes namque omnia, nec tē

nēquīquam lūcīs Hecatē praefēcit Avernīs),

Sī potuit Mānīs accersere coniugis Orpheus

Thrēïciā frētus citharā fidibusque canōrīs,120

sī frātrem Pollūx alternā morte redēmit

itque reditque viam totiēns. quid Thēsea, magnum

quid memorem Alcīdēn? Et mī genus ab Iove summō.'

    CORE VOCABULARY

    adytum, ī, n.: the inaccessible; the innermost part of a temple, accessible only to the priest; a shrine, sanctuary, oracle, 2.115; the interior of a tomb, or shrine of the dead, 5.84.

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

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

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

    horrendus, a, um: to be shuddered at; dreadful, fearful, 2.222; awe-inspiring, venerable, 6.10; strange, wonderful, 8.565; fierce, warlike, 11.507. (horreō)

    ambāgēs, is, f.: a going about; a winding, 6.29; (fig.), details, particulars, story, 1.342; mysteries, 6.99. (in good usage in the abl. sing. and all cases of pl.) (ambigō, go about)

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

    remūgiō, 4, n.: to bellow again or loudly; resound, reëcho, 6.99, et al.

    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.

    vērum, ī, n.: that which is true; truth, justice, right, 2.141.

    involvō, volvī, volūtus, 3, a.: to roll on or in; cast upon, 12.292; roll along, carry, 12.689; cover up, obscure, 3.198; conceal, involve, 6.100.

    frēnum, ī, n.; in the pl. sometimes frēnī, ōrum: a bit, 4.135; bridle, reins, 3.542; (fig.), 6.100.

    furō, uī, 3, n.: to be mad; freq., to rave, be frantic, rage, 1.491; to be furious, burn, storm (for war), 7.625; to be burning or mad with love, 1.659; to be frenzied, in a frenzy, 6.100; inspired, 2.345; distracted with grief, 3.313; plunge madly, 9.552; boil, 7.464; with cognate acc., give vent to one's fury, 12.680.

    concutiō, cussī, cussus, 3, a.: to shake completely; shake, 2.629; push, 8.237; rouse, spur, 8.3; sift, examine, search, 7.338; agitate, strike with panic, terrify, 4.666; smite, afflict, 5.700. (com- and quatiō)

    stimulus, ī, m.: a prick; spur, (fig.), 6.101, et al.; incentive, sting.

    Apollō, inis, m.: Apollo, son of Jupiter and Latona; the god of prophecy, medicine, music, poetry, and archery, 2.430; met., a temple of Apollo, 3.275.

    rabidus, a, um: (adj.), raving, savage, mad, raging, 6.421; frenzied; frantic, raving, 6.80.

    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.

    hērōs, ōis, m.: a demigod; a hero, 6.192, et al.; an illustrious man, champion, hero, 5.453.

    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.

    inopīnus, a, um: unexpected, 5.857.

    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.

    ūnus, a, um (gen. ūnīus, dat. ūnī): (num. adj.), one, 2.527, et al.; one alone, a single one (emphatically), 1.47; only, alone, 9.544; one in particular, 5.704; with a comparative, 1.15; with a superl., 2.426; with ante aliōs, 3.321; common, 5.308; one and the same, at once, 10.871; pl., one, 2.642; ad ūnum, to a man, without exception, utterly, 5.687; in ūnum, in one, together, 12.714; (adv.), ūnā, in one place or at one time, together with, at once, at the same time, 3.634, et al.; with -que following, 11.864.

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

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

    tenebrōsus, a, um: adj. (tenebrae), dark, dusky, murky, 5.839.

    palūs, ūdis, f.: a marsh, swamp, moor, fen, 6.107; water, 6.414; pond, lake, 8.88.

    Acherōn, ontis, m.: the Acheron, a river of Hades, 6.295; (met.), the lower world, 5.99.

    refundō, fūdī, fūsus, 3, a.: to pour back or up; cast, throw up, 7.590; boil up, 1.126; flow back, overflow, 6.107; p., refūsus, a, um, thrown back, beaten back; poured back, flowing back upon itself, encircling, 7.225.

    cōnspectus, ūs, m.: a seeing or viewing; view, sight, 1.34; presence, 6.108; mediō in cōnspectū, in the midst of the gazing assembly. (cōnspiciō)

    genitor, ōris, m.: he who begets; father, sire, 1.155, et al. (gignō)

    ōstium, iī, n.: a mouth; entrance, gate, door, 6.81; pl., ōstia, ōrum, harbor, port, 5.281; mouth of a river, 1.14. (1. ōs)

    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.

    umerus, ī, m.: the upper bone of the arm; the shoulder, 1.501, and freq.

    comitor, ātus sum, 1. dep. a.: to accompany, attend, follow, 3.660; p., comitātus, a, um, attended, accompanied, 1.312, et al. (comes)

    pelagus, ī, n.: the sea; open sea, main, 1.138; flood, 1.246.

    minae, ārum, f.: the projecting parts; points, pinnacles, battlements, 4.88; threats, menaces, 4.44; perils, 6.113; curses, 3.265. (cf. -mineō in immineō, etc.)

    invalidus, a, um: (adj.), not strong; feeble, infirm, 5.716; timid, 12.262.

    senecta, ae, f.: old age, 5.395. (senex)

    supplex, icis: adj. (supplicō, beseech), kneeling, entreating, suppliant, 3.439; subst., supplex, icis, c., a suppliant, 2.542.

    mandātum, ī, n.: a charge, order, command, 4.270, et al.

    almus, a, um: adj. (alō), giving nourishment; fostering, genial, blessing, blessed, benign, 1.306; fruitful; gracious, kind, kindly, propitious, 7.774.

    misereō, uī, itus, 2, n., and misereor, itus sum, 2, dep. n.: to pity, commiserate, have compassion, 2.645; impers., miseret (mē, tē, etc.), w. genit. of the object of pity, it grieves me for, I pity, etc., 5.354. (miser)

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

    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.

    nēquīquam: (adv.), in vain, to no purpose, 2.515.

    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.

    Mānēs, ium, m.: the deities of the lower world, 6.896; gods or powers below, 12.646; the spirits or souls of the dead in Hades; ghosts, shades, Manes, 3.63; penalties of the lower world, punishments, expiations, purgatory, 6.743; abode of the dead, 4.387; infernal regions, the world below, 10.820.

    arcessō, īvī, ītus, 3, a.: to cause to come; send for, summon, 5.746; hasten, provoke, 10.11; draw, derive; call up, bring, 6.119. (ar- for ad-, and cēdō)

    Orpheus (dissyll.), eī, m.: an ancient bard and prophet of Thrace, son of Onagrus and Calliope, and husband of Eurydice, 6.119, et al.

    Thrēicius, a, um: (adj.), Thracian, 3.51, et al.; Thracian in character, northern, 11.659.

    frētus, a, um: (adj.), leaning on; w. abl. of the thing on which; relying on, confiding in, trusting to, 4.245.

    cithara, ae, f.: the cithara, cithern, or lute, 1.740.

    fidēs, is, mostly in the pl., fidēs, ium, f.: a lute string, string, or stringed instrument, 6.120.

    canōrus, a, um: adj. (canō), tuneful, harmonious, 6.120; resounding, 9.503.

    Pollūx, ūcis, m.: son of Tyndarus and Leda, and twin brother of Castor, 6.121.

    alternus, a, um: adj. (alter), one after the other; alternating, 6.121; by turns, in succession, 5.376; every second, 12.233.

    redimō, ēmī, ēmptus, 3, a.: to buy back; ransom, redeem, 6.121. (re- and emō)

    redeō, īvī or iī, itus, īre, irreg. n.: to go, come back, return; retreat, 9.794.

    totiēns (totiēs): num. adj. (tot), so many times, so often, 1.407, et al.

    Thēseus (dissyll.), eī or eos, m.: Theseus, son of Aegeus, and king of Athens, who descended with Peirithous into Hades to aid him in his attempt to carry away Proserpina, 6.121, et al.

    memorō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to call to memory; mention, rehearse, relate, 1.8; say, speak, 3.182; name, 1.327; mention proudly, boast of, 5.392. (memor)

    Alcīdēs, ae., m.: a descendant of Alceus; Hercules, 5.414, et al.

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

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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/pt/vergil-aeneid/vergil-aeneid-vi-98-123