Vergil, Aeneid VI 703-723

Intereā videt Aenēās in valle reductā

sēclūsum nemus et virgulta sonantia silvae,

Lēthaeumque domōs placidās quī praenatat amnem.705

Hunc circum innumerae gentēs populīque volābant:

ac velutī in prātīs ubi apēs aestāte serēnā

flōribus īnsīdunt variīs et candida circum

līlia funduntur, strepit omnis murmure campus.

Horrēscit vīsū subitō causāsque requīrit710

īnscius Aenēās, quae sint ea flūmina porrō,

quīve virī tantō complērint agmine rīpās.

Tum pater Anchīsēs: 'Animae, quibus altera Fātō

corpora dēbentur, Lēthaeī ad flūminis undam

sēcūrōs laticēs et longa oblīvia pōtant.715

Hās equidem memorāre tibi atque ostendere cōram

iamprīdem, hanc prōlem cupiō ēnumerāre meōrum,

quō magis Ītaliā mēcum laetēre repertā.'

'Ō pater, anne aliquās ad caelum hinc īre putandum est

sublīmīs animās iterumque ad tarda revertī720

corpora? Quae lūcis miserīs tam dīra cupīdō?'

'Dīcam equidem nec tē suspēnsum, nāte, tenēbō'

suscipit Anchīsēs atque ōrdine singula pandit.

    CORE VOCABULARY

    intereā: (adv.), amid these things; meanwhile, in the meantime, 1.418, et al.

    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.

    vallēs, is, f.: a valley, dell, dale, ravine, vale, 1.186, et al.

    reductus, a, um: reductus, a, um, retired, remote, solitary, 6.703; receding, 1.161. (redūcō)

    sēclūsus, a, um: sequestered, retired, 6.704. (sēclūdō)

    virgultum, ī, n.: (used only in the plural) a growth of brambles; a thicket, grove, 12.522; shrubs, 3.23; shoots or sprigs, 12.207. (virga)

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

    Lēthaeus, a, um: (adj.), of Lethe, the river of forgetfulness in Hades; oblivious, Lethean, 5.854, et al.

    placidus, a, um: adj. (placeō), gentle, calm, tranquil, peaceful, serene, 5.848; inactive, idle, 9.187; friendly, propitious, 3.266; (adv.), placidē, gently, softly, quietly, calmly, 5.86.

    praenatō, 1, n. and a.: to swim in front of or by; (fig.), flow by, along by, 6.705.

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

    innumerus, a, um: (adj.), numberless, countless, 6.706.

    volō, āvī, ātus, 1, n.: to fly, 1.300, et al.; of rumor, to be spread rapidly, noised or spread abroad, 3.121.

    atque, or ac: (conj.), and in addition, or and besides; and, as well, and indeed, and, 1.575; freq.; even, 2.626; in comparisons, as, 4.90; than, 3.561.

    prātum, ī, n.: a meadow, 6.674.

    apis (-ēs), is, f.: a bee, 1.430, et al.

    aestās, ātis, f.: the summer, 1.265, et al.; summer air, 6.707; a year.

    serēnus, a, um: (adj.), clear, calm, tranquil, serene, 3.518, et al.; fair, 2.285; subst., serēnum, ī, n. (sc. caelum), a clear sky.

    īnsīdō, sēdī, sessus, 3, n.: to sink, take a seat, or settle upon; (w. dat.), alight upon, 6.708; to be stationed or secreted in, 11.531; (w. acc.), settle upon, 10.59.

    līlium, iī, n.: a lily, 6.709.

    strepō, uī, itus, 3, n. and a.: to make a noise; murmur, 6.709; of music, resound, 8.2; of arms, ring, rattle, clash, 10.568.

    murmur, uris, n.: a murmur, 6.709; uproar, 1.124; roaring, reverberation, 1.55; acclamation, applause, 5.369; thunder, 4.160.

    horrēscō, horruī, 3, inc. n. and a.: to become rough; bristle, rise bristling, 7.526; (fig.), to tremble, shudder, 2.204; dread, 3.394. (horreō)

    vīsus, ūs, m.: a seeing; vision, sight, 4.277; a phenomenon, spectacle, appearance, sight, 2.212; aspect, 11.271; prodigy, 3.36. (videō)

    subitus, a, um: having come up suddenly; unexpected, sudden, 2.692; suddenly, 3.225. (subeō)

    requīrō, quīsīvī or quīsiī, quīsītus, 3, a.: to seek much or earnestly; seek out, search for, 3.170; demand; ask, question, 2.390; inquire, 2.506; speak with regret of, mourn, 1.217. (re- and quaerō)

    īnscius, a, um: not knowing; unaware, unwitting, ignorant, 1.718; amazed, bewildered, 2.307; w. gen., ignorant of, 12.648.

    porrō: (adv.), forward, of space, time, or of mental operations, far off, 6.711; afterwards, in process of time, then, 5.600; further, 9.190.

    compleō, ēvī, ētus, 2, a.: to fill up; fill, 2.20; complete, 5.46; fulfill, 9.108.

    Anchīsēs, ae, m.: son of Capys and Themis, and father of Aeneas by Venus, 2.687, et al.

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

    oblīvium, iī, n.: oblivion, forgetfulness, 6.715. (oblīvīscor)

    pōtō, āvī, ātus or pōtus, 1, a.: to drink, 6.715.

    equidem: (adv.), indeed, at least, certainly, surely; w. first person, for my part, 1.238. (demonstr. e or ec and quidem)

    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)

    cōram: (prep. and adv.; prep. w. abl.), in the presence of; before; (adv.), in person, face to face, openly, in presence, 1.520, 595.

    iamprīdem: (adv.), some time before or since; long ago, long since, 2.647, freq.

    prōlēs, is, f.: that which springs forth; offspring, race, progeny, 1.75; lineage, 3.180.

    ēnumerō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to count out or completely; enumerate, 4.334.

    meī, m. pl.: my kindred, friends, countrymen, descendants, etc., 2.587, et al.; mea, ōrum, n., my possessions, enjoyments, 12.882. (mē)

    quō: (final conj.) that, to the end that, in order that, 4.106; quō magis, by how much more, that the more, 4.452.

    magis, and short form, mage: (adv.), in a greater measure; more, 5.94; 10.481; the more, 7.787; for potius, by preference, rather, 5.29; better, 4.452. (rel. to māgnus)

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

    laetor, ātus sum, 1, dep. n.: to rejoice, w. abl., gen., infin., or absolute, 1.393, et al. (laetus)

    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.

    annus, ī, m.: a year, freq.; a season, portion of the year; māgnus annus, a complete year, or the great annual circuit of the sun, 3.284.

    sublīmis, e: (adj.), raised up, elevated, uplifted, 11.602; aloft; on high, 1.259; through the air, 1.415; on high, 6.720; to heaven, 5.255; of lofty soul, 12.788; (adv.), sublīme, loftily, aloft, on high, 10.664.

    revertō, 3, n., and revertor, versus sum, 3, dep. n.: to turn back; go, come back, return, 3.101.

    dīrus, a, um: (adj.), accursed; portentous; fearful, dreadful, awful, dire, cruel, horrible, freq.; accursed, 2.261; unhallowed, impious, 6.373; foul, carrion, 3.262; wild, furious, ardent, 9.185; pl., dīra (adv.), fearfully, 10.572.

    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.

    suspēnsus, a, um: in suspense, uncertain, doubtful, in doubt, 6.722; anxious, 2.729; filled with awe, 3.372.

    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.

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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-vi-703-723