The Sibyl's Prophecy and the Golden Bough for the Underworld — Virgil, Aeneid Book 6 (lines 76–147), Latin & English

ipsa canas oro. Finem dedit ore loquendi.

”I pray that you yourself sing (the oracle).” He gave an end to speaking with his mouth.

At, Phoebi nondum patiens, immanis in antro

But, not yet enduring Phoebus, the prophetess in the cave wildly

bacchatur vates, magnum si pectore possit

raves in huge manner, if she might be able to shake off the great god

excussisse deum;¹ tanto magis ille fatigat

from her breast; so much the more he tires her

os rabidum, fera corda domans, fingitque premendo.

raving mouth, taming her wild heart, and shapes her by pressing.

Ostia iamque domus patuere ingentia centum

And now the hundred huge gates of the house have opened

sponte sua, vatisque ferunt responsa per auras:

of their own accord, and carry the prophetess’s responses through the breezes:

O tandem magnis pelagi defuncte periclis!

”O you who have at last exhausted the great dangers of the sea!

Sed terrae graviora manent. In regna Lavini

But heavier dangers of the land await you. Into the realms of Lavinium

Dardanidae venient; mitte hanc de pectore curam;

the Dardanidae shall come, dismiss this care from your breast;

sed non et venisse volent.² Bella, horrida bella,

but they shall not also wish to have come. Wars, horrible wars,

et Thybrim multo spumantem sanguine cerno.

and the Tiber foaming with much blood I see.

Non Simois tibi, nec Xanthus, nec Dorica castra

Neither Simois to you, nor Xanthus, nor the Doric camp

defuerint; alius Latio iam partus Achilles,

shall be lacking; another Achilles is already prepared in Latium,

natus et ipse dea; nec Teucris addita Iuno

himself also born of a goddess; nor will Juno, clinging to the Teucrians,

usquam aberit; cum tu supplex in rebus egenis

ever be far away; when you, a suppliant in needy circumstances,

quas gentes³ Italum aut quas non oraveris urbes!

what nations of Italians or what cities will you not have entreated!

Causa mali tanti coniunx iterum hospita Teucris

The cause of so great an evil is again a host-wife to the Teucrians,

externique iterum thalami.

and again foreign bridal chambers.

Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito,

Do not yield to evils, but go against them more boldly,

qua tua te Fortuna sinet. Via prima salutis,

wherever your Fortune shall permit you. The first way of safety,

quod minime reris, Graia pandetur ab urbe.

which you least expect, shall be opened from a Greek city.”

Talibus ex adyto dictis Cumaea Sibylla

With such words from the sanctuary the Cumaean Sibyl

horrendas canit ambages antroque remugit,

sings her dreadful riddles and bellows back in the cave,

100

obscuris vera involvens: ea frena furenti

wrapping truths in darkness: those reins over her as she raves

concutit, et stimulos sub pectore vertit Apollo.

Apollo shakes, and turns the spurs under her breast.

Ut primum cessit furor et rabida ora quierunt,

As soon as the madness ceased and the raving mouth grew quiet,

incipit Aeneas heros: Non ulla laborum,

the hero Aeneas begins: “No form of labors,

O virgo, nova mi facies inopinave surgit;⁴

O maiden, rises up new or unexpected to me;

105

omnia praecepi atque animo mecum ante peregi.

all things I have anticipated and gone through beforehand with myself in my mind.

Unum oro: quando hic inferni ianua regis

One thing I pray: since here the gate of the infernal king is said to be,

dicitur, et tenebrosa palus Acheronte refuso,

and the gloomy marsh from overflowing Acheron,

ire ad conspectum cari genitoris et ora

that it may fall to my lot to go to the sight and presence

contingat; doceas iter et sacra ostia pandas.

of my dear father; teach the way and open the sacred portals.

110

Illum ego per flammas et mille sequentia tela

Him I, through flames and a thousand pursuing weapons,

eripui his umeris, medioque ex hoste recepi;

rescued on these shoulders, and recovered from the midst of the enemy;

ille meum comitatus iter, maria omnia mecum

he, accompanying my journey, all seas with me

atque omnes pelagique minas caelique ferebat,

and all threats of both sea and sky did bear,

invalidus, vires ultra sortemque senectae.

weak, beyond the strength and lot of old age.

115

Quin, ut te supplex peterem et tua limina adirem,⁵

Nay rather, that I as a suppliant should seek you and approach your threshold,

idem orans mandata dabat. Gnatique patrisque,

he himself praying was giving commands. On both son and father,

alma, precor, miserere;—potes namque omnia, nec te

O gracious one, I pray, have pity;—for you can do all things, nor did

nequiquam lucis Hecate praefecit Avernis;—

Hecate set you over the Avernian groves in vain;—

si potuit Manes arcessere coniugis Orpheus,

if Orpheus could summon the shades of his wife,

120

Threïcia fretus cithara fidibusque canoris,

relying on his Thracian lyre and tuneful strings,

si fratrem Pollux alterna morte redemit,

if Pollux redeemed his brother by alternate death,

itque reditque viam totiens. Quid Thesea, magnum

and goes and returns this way so many times. Why great Theseus,

quid memorem Alciden? Et mi genus ab Iove summo.

why should I mention Alcides? My lineage also is from highest Jove.”

Talibus orabat dictis, arasque tenebat,

In such words he was praying, and was holding the altars,

125

cum sic orsa loqui vates: Sate sanguine divom,

when thus the prophetess began to speak: “O sprung from blood of gods,

Tros Anchisiade, facilis descensus Averno;⁶

Trojan son of Anchises, easy is the descent to Avernus;

noctes atque dies patet atri ianua Ditis;

night and day lies open the gate of black Dis;

sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras,

but to recall the step and to escape to the upper breezes,

hoc opus, hic labor est. Pauci, quos aequus amavit

this is the task, this is the labor. A few, whom impartial Jove loved,

130

Iuppiter, aut ardens evexit ad aethera virtus,

or burning virtue carried up to the ether,

dis geniti potuere. Tenent media omnia silvae,

born of gods, have been able. Forests occupy all the middle space,

Cocytusque sinu labens circumvenit atro.

and Cocytus gliding with its black fold surrounds it.

Quod si tantus amor menti, si tanta cupido est,

But if so great a love is in your mind, if so great a desire is,

bis Stygios innare lacus, bis nigra videre

twice to sail upon the Stygian lakes, twice to see black

135

Tartara, et insano iuvat indulgere labori,

Tartarus, and it pleases you to indulge in mad labor,

accipe, quae peragenda prius. Latet arbore opaca

receive what must be performed first. There lies hidden in a shady tree

aureus et foliis et lento vimine ramus,

a golden branch both in its leaves and in its pliant stem,

Iunoni infernae dictus sacer; hunc tegit omnis

declared sacred to the infernal Juno; this all the grove covers,

lucus, et obscuris claudunt convallibus umbrae.

and shadows enclose it in dark valleys.

140

Sed non ante datur telluris operta subire,

But it is not given to enter the hidden places of the earth before

auricomos quam quis decerpserit arbore fetus.⁷

one has plucked the golden-locked fruit from the tree.

Hoc sibi pulchra suum ferri Proserpina munus

This, as her own gift to be brought to her, beautiful Proserpina

instituit. Primo avulso non deficit alter

established. The first being torn away, another golden branch

aureus, et simili frondescit virga metallo.

does not fail, and a twig leaves forth with similar metal.

145

Ergo alte vestiga oculis, et rite repertum

Therefore search high with your eyes, and duly found,

carpe manu; namque ipse volens facilisque sequetur,

pluck it with your hand; for it will follow willingly and easily of its own accord,

si te fata vocant; aliter non viribus ullis

if the fates call you; otherwise, not by any strength

Syntax notes7 items

6.78si pectore possit excussisse deum
The conjunction "si" does not introduce a conditional clause, but rather an indirect question implying attempt or expectation ("to try if she might shake off the great god"). The perfect infinitive "excussisse" is used here poetically in place of the present infinitive ("excutere").
6.86sed non et venisse volent
The verb "volent" takes the perfect infinitive "venisse" as its object, meaning "they will not wish to have come" (i.e., they will regret having arrived). The particle "et" functions as "even" or "also," emphasizing their regret over the arrival itself.
6.91cum tu supplex in rebus egenis quas gentes
The conjunction "cum" introduces a temporal clause ("when" or "while"). The subsequent phrase "quas gentes... oraveris" functions as a rhetorical question ("what nations... will you not have entreated?"), implying that Aeneas will have to beg help from every single Italian nation in his distress.
6.103Non ulla... nova mi facies inopinave surgit
The subject of "surgit" is "facies," which is modified by the genitive plural "laborum." Thus, "no form of labors rises up new or unexpected to me." The form "mi" is a poetic dative of reference contracted from "mihi."
6.115ut te supplex peterem et tua limina adirem
The conjunction "ut" introduces a purpose clause with the imperfect subjunctives "peterem" and "adirem" ("that I as a suppliant should seek you and approach your threshold"). The main verb of this sentence is "mandata dabat" in the following line, with "idem" (Anchises) as its subject.
6.126facilis descensus Averno
The form "Averno" is a dative of direction (poetic use instead of an accusative with a preposition), meaning "descending to Avernus." The copula "est" is omitted in this concise expression.
6.141auricomos quam quis decerpserit arbore fetus
Correlative with "non ante" in the preceding line, forming "non ante... quam" ("not before... than" or "only when"). The verb "decerpserit" is in the future perfect indicative, expressing an action that must precede and serve as a condition for entering the underworld.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:latinLit:phi0690.phi003.humanitext-lat2:6.76-6.147