Aen.VI.384-425
Ergo iter inceptum peragunt fluvioque propinquant.
Therefore they continue their journey begun and approach the stream.
Navita quos iam inde ut Stygia prospexit ab unda
385
As the ferryman looked at whom(them) now from the Stygian wave (and saw them)
per tacitum nemus ire pedemque advertere ripae,
going through the quiet grove and turning a foot to the bank,
sic prior adgreditur dictis, atque increpat ultro:
(the ferryman) first addresses them with words, and further chides them:
“Quisquis es, armatus qui nostra ad flumina tendis,
Whoever you are, who, armed, stretch/head toward our banks,
fare age,quid venias,iam istinc, et comprime gressum.
Come (on,) say why you come, and hold (your) step now from there (where you stand).
Umbrarum hic locus est,somni noctisque soporae;
390
This is the place of shades, of sleep and of night made gloomy;
corpora viva nefas Stygia vectare carina.
It is not right (lit. unspeakable) to carry living bodies in the Stygian boat.
Nec vero Alciden me sum laetatus euntem
And in truth/indeed I did not rejoice that I had received the descendant of Alceus
(Hercules) as he was going,
accepisse lacu, nec Thesea Pirithoumque,
On my/the lake, not Theseus and Pirithous,
dis quamquam geniti atque invicti viribus essent.
Although they were born from gods and undefeated in strength.
He is referencing two instances in mythology where heros descended to the
underworld; Hercules did to achieve one of his labors or another, and the doofus
Theseus and his doofus buddy Pirithous went down there to try and steal brides for
themselves…idiots.
Tartareum ille manu custodem in vincla petivit,
395
That one (Herc.) sought (to put) the Tararean guard (Cerberus) in chains,
ipsius a solio regis, traxitque trementem;
And from the throne of the king himself dragged (the dog) trembling.
hi dominam Ditis thalamo deducere adorti.”
These (Th. & P.) tried to abduct the wife of Dis (Pluto) from her chamber (bedroom).”
Quae contra breviter fata est Amphrysia vates:
Which things (i.e. these things) the Amphrysian prophetess spoke briefly in
reply/return:
“Nullae hic insidiae tales; absiste moveri;
No such plots (are) here; cease to be moved;
nec vim tela ferunt; licet ingens ianitor antro
400
Nor do the weapons bring force; it is permitted that the huge doorkeeper in his cave
aeternum latrans exsanguis terreat umbras,
Barking eternally terrifies the bloodless shades,
casta licet patrui servet Proserpina limen.
It is permitted that chaste Proserpina preserve the threshold of her uncle.
Troius Aeneas, pietate insignis et armis,
Trojan Aeneas, distinguished in/outstanding because of his sense of duty & weapons,
ad genitorem imas Erebi descendit ad umbras.
descends to the deep shades of Erebus to (see) his father.
Si te nulla movet tantae pietatis imago,
405
If no image of such great sense of devotion moves you,
at ramum hunc”(aperit ramum, qui veste latebat)
But/nevertheless this bough (she reveals the bough, which was hidden in her cloak)
“adgnoscas.” Tumida ex ira tum corda residunt.
You recognize.” Then his heart(s) swollen from anger settle(s) down.
Nec plura his. Ille admirans venerabile donum
And(they don’t say)more things than these. That 1 marveling at the awe-inspiring gift
fatalis virgae, longo post tempore visum,
of the fateful twig, seen after a long time,
caeruleam advertit puppim,ripaeque propinquat.
410
turns his dark blue boat, and approaches the bank.
Inde alias animas, quae per iuga longa sedebant,
Thereupon the other souls, which/who were sitting along the long ridges,
deturbat, laxatque foros; simul accipit alveo
he dislodges, and releases/clears the gangways; immediately he receives in the hull
ingentem Aenean. Gemuit sub pondere cumba
huge Aeneas. The sewn-together skiff groans under/beneath the weight
sutilis, et multam accepit rimosa paludem.
and full of leaks, took on/receives much swamp (water).
415 Tandem trans fluvium incolumis vatemque
Finally across the stream both the prophetess and the man unharmed
virumque
informi limo glaucaque exponit in ulva.
in the shapeless mire and (in) the grayish green marsh he disembarks/unloads.
Cerberus haec ingens latratu regna trifauci
Huge Cerberus makes these kingdoms/realms resound with three-throated barking,
personat, adverso recubans immanis in antro.
lying, massive/huge in the facing cave.
Cui vates, horrere videns iam colla colubris,
To whom the prophetess, seeing that now his neck bristles with serpents,
melle soporatam et medicatis frugibus offam
420
a cake made drowsy with honey and drugged fruits
obicit. Ille fame rabida tria guttura pandens
she presents. That one laying open his three throats because of ravenous hunger
corripit obiectam, atque immania terga resolvit
Snatches the offered (cake), and relaxes/loosens his huge backs
fussus humi, totoque ingens extenditur antro.
having been poured on the ground, and, huge, is spread out in the whole cave.
Occupat Aeneas aditum custode sepulto,
Aeneas takes possession of the entrance, its guardian having been buried (in sleep),
evaditque celer ripam inremeabilis undae.
425
and quick(ly) he departs/escapes the bank of the irretraceable wave.