§6.148vincere, nec duro poteris convellere ferro.
to master it, nor will you be able to tear it away with hard iron.
§6.149Praeterea iacet exanimum tibi corpus amici— §6.150heu nescis—totamque incestat funere classem, §6.151dum consulta petis nostroque in limine pendes.
Moreover, the lifeless body of your friend lies for you— alas, you know it not—and defiles the whole fleet with death, while you seek oracles and hang on our threshold.
§6.152Sedibus hunc refer ante suis et conde sepulchro.
Return him first to his own dwellings and hide him in a tomb.
§6.153Duc nigras pecudes; ea prima piacula sunto: §6.154sic demum lucos Stygis et regna invia vivis §6.155aspicies. Dixit, pressoque obmutuit ore.
Lead black sheep; let those be the first expiations: thus at last the groves of Styx and realms impassable to the living behold." She spoke, and with closed mouth fell silent.
§6.156Aeneas maesto defixus lumina voltu §6.157ingreditur, linquens antrum, caecosque volutat §6.158eventus animo secum.
Aeneas, with sad countenance and downcast eyes, goes on, leaving the cave, and ponders the dark outcomes with himself in his mind.
Cui fidus Achates §6.159it comes, et paribus curis vestigia figit.
To whom faithful Achates goes as companion, and plants his footsteps with equal cares.
§6.160Multa inter sese vario sermone serebant, §6.161quem socium exanimem vates, quod corpus humandum §6.162diceret.
Much were they debating between themselves in varied discourse, which lifeless companion the prophetess, what body to be buried was speaking of.
Atque illi Misenum in litore sicco, §6.163ut venere, vident indigna morte peremptum, §6.164Misenum Aeoliden, quo non praestantior alter §6.165aere ciere viros, Martemque accendere cantu.
And they, upon the dry shore, as they arrived, see Misenus cut off by an undeserved death, Misenus, son of Aeolus, than whom no other was more outstanding at rousing men with bronze, and inflaming war with song.
§6.166Hectoris hic magni fuerat comes, Hectora circum §6.167et lituo pugnas insignis obibat et hasta:
He had been the companion of great Hector; around Hector he used to enter battles, distinguished both with clarion and with spear.
§6.168postquam illum vita victor spoliavit Achilles, §6.169Dardanio Aeneae sese fortissimus heros §6.170addiderat socium, non inferiora secutus.
After victorious Achilles despoiled him of life, the most gallant hero had added himself as companion to Dardanian Aeneas, following no lesser things.
§6.171Sed tum, forte cava dum personat aequora concha, §6.172demens, et cantu vocat in certamina divos, §6.173aemulus exceptum Triton, si credere dignum est, §6.174inter saxa virum spumosa inmerserat unda.
But then, while by chance he made the seas resound with his hollow shell, madman, and with his song challenged the gods to contests, Triton, jealous, if it is worthy to believe, had caught the man among the rocks and submerged him in the foaming wave.
Therefore all were mourning around him with loud clamor, especially pious Aeneas.
Tum iussa Sibyllae, §6.177haud mora, festinant flentes, aramque sepulchri §6.178congerere arboribus caeloque educere certant.
Then the commands of the Sibyl, without delay, they hasten weeping, and strive to heap up the altar of the tomb with trees and to raise it to heaven.
§6.179Itur in antiquam silvam, stabula alta ferarum; §6.180procumbunt piceae, sonat icta securibus ilex, §6.181fraxineaeque trabes cuneis et fissile robur §6.182scinditur, advolvunt ingentis montibus ornos.
They go into an ancient forest, the deep coverts of wild beasts; pitch-pines fall, the holm-oak resounds, struck by axes, and ash beams and fissile oak are cleft with wedges; they roll down huge mountain-ashes from the mountains.
Nor less does Aeneas, foremost among such tasks, encourage his companions, and girds himself with like tools.
§6.185Atque haec ipse suo tristi cum corde volutat, §6.186aspectans silvam inmensam, et sic voce precatur: §6.187Si nunc se nobis ille aureus arbore ramus §6.188ostendat nemore in tanto, quando omnia vere §6.189heu nimium de te vates, Misene, locuta est. §6.190Vix ea fatus erat, geminae cum forte columbae §6.191ipsa sub ora viri caelo venere volantes, §6.192et viridi sedere solo.
And these things he himself ponders in his sad heart, gazing at the immense forest, and thus prays aloud: "If now that golden bough on the tree should show itself to us in so great a grove, since all things truly, alas, too truly did the prophetess speak of you, Misenus." Scarcely had he spoken these words, when by chance twin doves came flying from heaven right before the man's eyes, and settled on the green ground.
Tum maximus heros §6.193maternas agnoscit aves, laetusque precatur: §6.194Este duces, O, si qua via est, cursumque per auras §6.195dirigite in lucos, ubi pinguem dives opacat §6.196ramus humum.
Then the great hero recognizes his mother's birds, and joyfully prays: "Be my guides, Oh, if there is any way, and direct your course through the breezes into the groves, where the rich bough shadows the fertile soil.
Tuque, O, dubiis ne defice rebus, §6.197diva parens. Sic effatus vestigia pressit, §6.198observans quae signa ferant, quo tendere pergant.
And you, O divine parent, do not fail me in my doubtful fortunes." Thus having spoken, he checked his steps, observing what signs they bring, whither they proceed to go.
They, feeding, went flying forward only so far as the eyes of those following could keep them in view.
§6.201Inde ubi venere ad fauces grave olentis Averni, §6.202tollunt se celeres, liquidumque per aëra lapsae §6.203sedibus optatis geminae super arbore sidunt, §6.204discolor unde auri per ramos aura refulsit.
Then, when they came to the jaws of foul-smelling Avernus, they swiftly raise themselves, and gliding through the clear air settle in the desired spot, the twin birds upon the tree, whence the contrasting gleam of gold shone out through the branches.
§6.205Quale solet silvis brumali frigore viscum §6.206fronde virere nova, quod non sua seminat arbos, §6.207et croceo fetu teretis circumdare truncos, §6.208talis erat species auri frondentis opaca §6.209ilice, sic leni crepitabat brattea vento.
Just as mistletoe in the woods in winter's cold is wont to green with new leaf, which its own tree does not sow, and to surround the tapering trunks with yellow fruit, such was the appearance of the leafy gold on the shady holm-oak, so did the metal foil tinkle in the gentle wind.
§6.210Corripit Aeneas extemplo avidusque refringit §6.211cunctantem, et vatis portat sub tecta Sibyllae.
Aeneas immediately seizes and eagerly breaks off the lingering branch, and bears it under the roof of the prophetess Sibyl.
Meanwhile, no less did the Teucrians weep on the shore for Misenus, and were bringing the last rites to the ungrateful ashes.
§6.214Principio pinguem taedis et robore secto §6.215ingentem struxere pyram, cui frondibus atris §6.216intexunt latera, et ferales ante cupressos §6.217constituunt, decorantque super fulgentibus armis.
First, they built a huge pyre, rich with pines and cleft oak, whose sides they interweave with dark leaves, and set up funeral cypresses in front, and decorate it on top with gleaming arms.
§6.218Pars calidos latices et aëna undantia flammis §6.219expediunt, corpusque lavant frigentis et unguunt.
Some prepare warm water and cauldrons bubbling with flames, and wash and anoint the body of the cold dead.
§6.220Fit gemitus.
A lamentation is made.
Then they lay the wept-over limbs on the couch, and cast purple garments over them, the familiar coverings.
Pars ingenti subiere feretro, §6.223triste ministerium, et subiectam more parentum
Some supported the huge bier, a sad service, and in the manner of their parents, held the torch applied from beneath,