§6.76ipsa canas oro. Finem dedit ore loquendi.
"I pray that you yourself sing (the oracle)." He gave an end to speaking with his mouth.
§6.77At, Phoebi nondum patiens, immanis in antro §6.78bacchatur vates, magnum si pectore possit §6.79excussisse deum; tanto magis ille fatigat §6.80os rabidum, fera corda domans, fingitque premendo.
But, not yet enduring Phoebus, the prophetess in the cave wildly raves in huge manner, if she might be able to shake off the great god from her breast; so much the more he tires her raving mouth, taming her wild heart, and shapes her by pressing.
§6.81Ostia iamque domus patuere ingentia centum §6.82sponte sua, vatisque ferunt responsa per auras: §6.83O tandem magnis pelagi defuncte periclis!
And now the hundred huge gates of the house have opened of their own accord, and carry the prophetess's responses through the breezes: "O you who have at last exhausted the great dangers of the sea!
§6.84Sed terrae graviora manent.
But heavier dangers of the land await you.
In regna Lavini §6.85Dardanidae venient; mitte hanc de pectore curam; §6.86sed non et venisse volent.
Into the realms of Lavinium the Dardanidae shall come, dismiss this care from your breast; but they shall not also wish to have come.
Bella, horrida bella, §6.87et Thybrim multo spumantem sanguine cerno.
Wars, horrible wars, and the Tiber foaming with much blood I see.
§6.88Non Simois tibi, nec Xanthus, nec Dorica castra §6.89defuerint; alius Latio iam partus Achilles, §6.90natus et ipse dea; nec Teucris addita Iuno §6.91usquam aberit; cum tu supplex in rebus egenis §6.92quas gentes Italum aut quas non oraveris urbes!
Neither Simois to you, nor Xanthus, nor the Doric camp shall be lacking; another Achilles is already prepared in Latium, himself also born of a goddess; nor will Juno, clinging to the Teucrians, ever be far away; when you, a suppliant in needy circumstances, what nations of Italians or what cities will you not have entreated!
The cause of so great an evil is again a host-wife to the Teucrians, and again foreign bridal chambers.
Do not yield to evils, but go against them more boldly, wherever your Fortune shall permit you.
Via prima salutis, §6.97quod minime reris, Graia pandetur ab urbe. §6.98Talibus ex adyto dictis Cumaea Sibylla §6.99horrendas canit ambages antroque remugit, §6.100obscuris vera involvens: ea frena furenti §6.101concutit, et stimulos sub pectore vertit Apollo.
The first way of safety, which you least expect, shall be opened from a Greek city." With such words from the sanctuary the Cumaean Sibyl sings her dreadful riddles and bellows back in the cave, wrapping truths in darkness: those reins over her as she raves Apollo shakes, and turns the spurs under her breast.
§6.102Ut primum cessit furor et rabida ora quierunt, §6.103incipit Aeneas heros:
Non ulla laborum, §6.104O virgo, nova mi facies inopinave surgit; §6.105omnia praecepi atque animo mecum ante peregi.
As soon as the madness ceased and the raving mouth grew quiet, the hero Aeneas begins: "No form of labors, O maiden, rises up new or unexpected to me; all things I have anticipated and gone through beforehand with myself in my mind.
§6.106Unum oro: quando hic inferni ianua regis §6.107dicitur, et tenebrosa palus Acheronte refuso, §6.108ire ad conspectum cari genitoris et ora §6.109contingat; doceas iter et sacra ostia pandas.
One thing I pray: since here the gate of the infernal king is said to be, and the gloomy marsh from overflowing Acheron, that it may fall to my lot to go to the sight and presence of my dear father; teach the way and open the sacred portals.
§6.110Illum ego per flammas et mille sequentia tela §6.111eripui his umeris, medioque ex hoste recepi; §6.112ille meum comitatus iter, maria omnia mecum §6.113atque omnes pelagique minas caelique ferebat, §6.114invalidus, vires ultra sortemque senectae.
Him I, through flames and a thousand pursuing weapons, rescued on these shoulders, and recovered from the midst of the enemy; he, accompanying my journey, all seas with me and all threats of both sea and sky did bear, weak, beyond the strength and lot of old age.
Nay rather, that I as a suppliant should seek you and approach your threshold, he himself praying was giving commands.
Gnatique patrisque, §6.117alma, precor, miserere; —potes namque omnia, nec te §6.118nequiquam lucis Hecate praefecit Avernis; — §6.119si potuit Manes arcessere coniugis Orpheus, §6.120Threïcia fretus cithara fidibusque canoris, §6.121si fratrem Pollux alterna morte redemit, §6.122itque reditque viam totiens.
On both son and father, O gracious one, I pray, have pity;—for you can do all things, nor did Hecate set you over the Avernian groves in vain;— if Orpheus could summon the shades of his wife, relying on his Thracian lyre and tuneful strings, if Pollux redeemed his brother by alternate death, and goes and returns this way so many times.
Quid Thesea, magnum
Why great Theseus, why should I mention Alcides?
§6.123quid memorem Alciden? Et mi genus ab Iove summo. §6.124Talibus orabat dictis, arasque tenebat, §6.125cum sic orsa loqui vates:
Sate sanguine divom, §6.126Tros Anchisiade, facilis descensus Averno; §6.127noctes atque dies patet atri ianua Ditis; §6.128sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras, §6.129hoc opus, hic labor est.
My lineage also is from highest Jove." In such words he was praying, and was holding the altars, when thus the prophetess began to speak: "O sprung from blood of gods, Trojan son of Anchises, easy is the descent to Avernus; night and day lies open the gate of black Dis; but to recall the step and to escape to the upper breezes, this is the task, this is the labor.
Pauci, quos aequus amavit §6.130Iuppiter, aut ardens evexit ad aethera virtus, §6.131dis geniti potuere.
A few, whom impartial Jove loved, or burning virtue carried up to the ether, born of gods, have been able.
Tenent media omnia silvae, §6.132Cocytusque sinu labens circumvenit atro.
Forests occupy all the middle space, and Cocytus gliding with its black fold surrounds it.
§6.133Quod si tantus amor menti, si tanta cupido est, §6.134bis Stygios innare lacus, bis nigra videre §6.135Tartara, et insano iuvat indulgere labori, §6.136accipe, quae peragenda prius.
But if so great a love is in your mind, if so great a desire is, twice to sail upon the Stygian lakes, twice to see black Tartarus, and it pleases you to indulge in mad labor, receive what must be performed first.
Latet arbore opaca §6.137aureus et foliis et lento vimine ramus, §6.138Iunoni infernae dictus sacer; hunc tegit omnis §6.139lucus, et obscuris claudunt convallibus umbrae.
There lies hidden in a shady tree a golden branch both in its leaves and in its pliant stem, declared sacred to the infernal Juno; this all the grove covers, and shadows enclose it in dark valleys.
§6.140Sed non ante datur telluris operta subire, §6.141auricomos quam quis decerpserit arbore fetus.
But it is not given to enter the hidden places of the earth before one has plucked the golden-locked fruit from the tree.
This, as her own gift to be brought to her, beautiful Proserpina established.
Primo avulso non deficit alter §6.144aureus, et simili frondescit virga metallo.
The first being torn away, another golden branch does not fail, and a twig leaves forth with similar metal.
§6.145Ergo alte vestiga oculis, et rite repertum §6.146carpe manu; namque ipse volens facilisque sequetur, §6.147si te fata vocant; aliter non viribus ullis
Therefore search high with your eyes, and duly found, pluck it with your hand; for it will follow willingly and easily of its own accord, if the fates call you; otherwise, not by any strength