Vergil, Aeneid IV 504-521

At rēgīna, pyrā penetrālī in sēde sub aurās

ērēctā ingentī taedīs atque īlice sectā,505

intenditque locum sertīs et fronde corōnat

fūnereā; super exuviās ēnsemque relictum

effigiemque torō locat haud ignāra futūrī.

Stant ārae circum et crīnīs effūsa sacerdōs

ter centum tonat ōre deōs, Erebumque Chaosque510

tergeminamque Hecatēn, tria virginis ōra Diānae.

Sparserat et laticēs simulātōs fontis Avernī,

falcibus et messae ad lūnam quaeruntur aēnīs

pūbentēs herbae nigrī cum lacte venēnī;

quaeritur et nāscentis equī dē fronte revulsus515

et mātrī praereptus amor.

Ipsa molā manibusque piīs altāria iūxtā

ūnum exūta pedem vinclīs, in veste recīnctā,

testātur moritūra deōs et cōnscia fātī

sīdera; tum, sī quod nōn aequō foedere amantīs520

cūrae nūmen habet iūstumque memorque, precātur.

    CORE VOCABULARY

    rēgīna, ae, f.: a queen, 1.9; princess, 1.273. (rēx)

    pyra, ae, f.: a funeral pile, pyre, 4.494.

    penetrālis, e: adj. (penetrō), innermost, inner, 2.297; subst., penetrālia, ium, n., the interior of a house; sanctuary, shrine, chapel (of a dwelling or temple), 2.484, et al.

    ērigō, rēxī, rēctus, 3, a.: to raise up, rear, erect, 4.495; cast upward, 3.423. (ex and regō)

    taeda, ae, f.: pitch-pine, 4.505; a brand, 7.71; torch, nuptial torch, 4.18; marriage, 4.339.

    īlex, icis, f.: the holm-oak, scarlet oak, ilex, 6.180.

    secō, secuī, sectus, 1, a.: to cut, freq.; cut off, 4.704; engrave, carve, 3.464; cut through, cleave, 5.218, et al.; of the channel of a river, 8.63; sail through, pass, 8.96; speed, 6.899; shape out mentally, form, 10.107.

    serta, ōrum, n.: things entwined; garlands, festoons, wreaths, 1.417, et al. (sero, serere, serui, sertus)

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

    corōnō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to encircle with a crown or garland; crown, wreathe, 4.506; encompass, surround, 9.380. (corōna)

    fūnereus, a, um: adj. (fūnus), of a funeral; funeral-, 4.507.

    super: (adv.), above, 4.684, et al.; above, from above, 10.384; moreover, 4.606; besides, 1.29; more than enough, 2.642; remaining, surviving, left (with ellipsis of esse), 3.489, et al.; still (or above), 4.684; of time, in, during, 9.61.

    exuviae, ārum, f.: that which has been taken off; a garment, vestment, 4.496; armor, arms; spoils, 2.275; memorials, relics, 4.651; skin, 2.473; hide, 11.577. (exuō)

    ēnsis, is, m.: a sword, 2.393, et al.; knife, 2.155.

    effigiēs, ēī, f.: something molded or fashioned; a figure, likeness, or image, 3.148. (effingō)

    torus, ī, m.: a bed, couch, 1.708; seat, 5.388; royal seat, throne, 8.177; bank, 6.674; the swelling part of flesh; a brawny muscle.

    locō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to place, put, 1.213, et al.; lay, 1.428; found, 1.247. (locus)

    ignārus, a, um: (adj.), not knowing; freq.; unaware, ignorant, 11.154; often w. genit., ignorant of, 1.630; unsuspicious of, 2.106; unconscious, 9.345; not knowing the land; (pass.), unknown, a stranger, 10.706.

    circum: (adv.), about, around; (prep. with acc.), around, about.

    crīnis, is, m.: the hair, 1.480; train of meteors, 5.528; (often in the pl.), the hairs of the head, the hair.

    effundō, fūdī, fūsus, 3, a.: to pour out or forth; shed, 2.271; throw, cast out, 7.780; cast, 6.339; overthrow, 11.485; bring out, 9.68; unbind, dishevel, 4.509; dissolve, 2.651; let loose, throw out, 5.818; spend, lose, waste, 5.446; of words, utter, 5.780; (pass.), effundī, dart, 5.145; flow, 6.686. (ex and fundō)

    ter: (num. adv.), thrice, three times, 1.94, et al. (trēs)

    tonō, uī, 1, n. and a.: to thunder, 3.571, et al.; of speech, 11.383; (with acc.), utter, invoke with a loud voice, thunder forth, 4.510.

    Erebus, ī, m.: the god of darkness, son of Chaos and brother of Night, 6.247; darkness; the lower world, 4.26, et al.

    Chaos (only in nom. and acc. sing.), n.: 1. Void and boundless space. 2. Chaos, father of Night and Erebus, 4.510; placed among the infernal gods, 6.265.

    tergeminus, a, um: (adj.), of threefold birth; threefold, having three bodies, 8.202; of three forms or names; triple, 4.511.

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

    Diāna, ae, f.: a goddess of the Italians, and regarded by them as one with the Greek Artemis, daughter of Latona, and sister of Apollo; called Luna, as goddess of the moon; Hecate, as an infernal deity, invoked in magic rites, 4.511; and Diana, as goddess of the chase, 1.499. (rel. to Iānus = Diānus)

    spargō, sparsī, sparsus, 3, a.: to scatter, strew; cast in fragments, 3.605; disperse, 1.602; shower, hurl, 12.51; sprinkle, 4.512; besprinkle, bedew, stain, 8.645; infuse, 4.486; (fig.), spread abroad, disseminate, 2.98; bring over or upon, diffuse, 7.754.

    latex, icis, m.: a liquid; liquor; wine, 1.686; water, 4.512.

    simulō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to make similar; imitate, 6.591; pretend, 2.17; to make a false show of, feign, 1.209; p., simulātus, a, um, made to imitate, counterfeiting, 4.512; dissembling, 4.105; imitating, resembling, 3.349. (similis)

    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.

    falx, falcis, f.: a sickle, 4.513; a pruning hook or knife; scythe, 7.635.

    metō, messuī, messus, 3, a.: to reap, mow, cut, 4.513; of any harvest, gather, harvest.

    aēnus, a, um: adj. (aes), of bronze; brazen, 2.470; subst., aēnum, ī, n., a bronze or brazen vessel; caldron, 1.213, et al.

    pūbēns, entis: (adj.), pubescent; full of vigor; full of sap, juicy, 4.514.

    herba, ae, f.: any grassy or herbaceous growth; grass, turf, 1.214, et al; fodder; herb, plant, 3.650; grassy land, pasture, meadow, 3.221; a plant.

    lac, lactis, n.: milk, 3.66, et al.; juice, 4.514.

    venēnum, ī, n.: a poisonous drug; poison, venom, 2.221; a charm, drug, 7.190; poison of love, 1.688.

    revellō, vellī, vulsus, 3, a.: to pull back; pluck out, tear out or off, 4.515; rend, rip, tear open, 12.98; snatch, bring away, rescue, 4.545; disturb, violate, 4.427.

    praeripiō, ripuī, reptus, 3, a.: to snatch, seize before another; seize quickly; snatch away, 4.516. (prae and rapiō)

    mola, ae, f.: a mill; (meton.), ground or cracked grain; cracked spelt or coarse meal, 4.517.

    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.

    altāria, ium, n.: the upper part of an altar; a high altar, 7.211; an altar, 2.515. (altus)

    iūxtā: (adv. and prep. w. acc.), near, close, near by, 2.513; at the same time, 2.666; near to, 3.506.

    exuō, uī, ūtus, 3, a.: to put off; take off, lay aside, 1.690; unclasp, unbuckle, 9.303; put away, change, 4.319; divest; lay bare, strip, bare, 5.423; w. abl. of the thing from which, free from, 2.153, et al. (cf. induō)

    recingō, cīnxī, cīnctus, 3, a.: to ungird, loosen; p., recīnctus, a, um, ungirded, loosely hanging, 4.518.

    testor, ātus sum, 1, dep. a.: to testify, bear witness to, with acc. of object witnessed, 3.487; to call to witness, appeal to, with acc. of witness called upon, 2.155; invoke, 12.496; w. object omitted, adjure, implore, 3.599; declare, proclaim, 6.619; beseech (call to witness the offering), 11.559. (testis)

    cōnscius, a, um: adj. (com- and sciō), having complete knowledge; conscious, 5.455; conscious of, 2.141; conscious of guilt, guilty, 2.99; witnessing (w. dat.), 4.167; having knowledge in common, or a mutual understanding; confederate, 2.267.

    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.

    foedus, eris, n.: a treaty, league, alliance, freq., truce, 5.496; side or party, 12.658; covenant, contract, 4.339; laws of hospitality, hospitality, 10.91; pledge, love, 4.520; law, term, condition, rule, 1.62. (rel. to fīdō, trust)

    amāns, antis: (subst.) a lover; loving, fond wife, 1.352.

    memor, oris: adj. (rel. to mēns and meminī), mindful, remembering, 1.23; heedful, 480; thankful, grateful, 4.539; not forgetting; relentless, 1.4; with nōn or nec, unmindful, regardless, 12.534.

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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-iv-504-521