VI.166-211

//**Aeneid**// **VI.166-211**



**Hectoris hic magni fuerat comes, Hectora circum** This guy had been a companion of great Hector, distinguished in both trumpet

**et lituo pugnas insignis obibat et hasta.** and spear he entered battles around Hector.

**postquam illum vita victor spoliavit Achilles,** After Achilles as victor despoiled him (Hector) of life,

**Dardanio Aeneae sese fortissimus heros** the very brave hero had added himself as an ally

**170 addiderat socium, non inferiora secutus.** to Trojan Aeneas, having followed not inferior (things).

**sed tum, forte cava dum personat aequora concha,** But then, while he by chance makes the seas resound with a hollow conch,

**demens, et cantu vocat in certamina divos,** mad, and he calls the gods into contests with song,

**aemulus exceptum Triton, si credere dignum est,** jealous Triton, if it is worthy to believe, drowned the man, having been

**inter saxa virum spumosa immerserat unda.** caught, between the the rocks in a foamy wave.

**175 ergo omnes magno circum clamore fremebant,** Therefore all lamented around (him) with a huge clamor,

**praecipue pius Aeneas. tum iussa Sibyllae,** especially pious Aeneas. Then, with hardly a delay,

**haud mora, festinant flentes, aramque sepulcri** weeping they hasten the commands of the Sibyl, and they strive to

**congerere arboribus caeloque educere certant.** heap up the altar of the tomb with trees and to lead it to the sky.

**itur in antiquam silvam, stabula alta ferarum;** They go into the ancient wood, the deep stables of wild beasts; //itur -> impersonal//

**180 procumbunt piceae, sonat icta securibus ilex** the pitched pines fall, the holm-oak, having been struck with axes, sounds

**fraxineaeque trabes cuneis et fissile robur** and the ashen beams and the cleavable oak are split

**scinditur, advolvunt ingentes montibus ornos.** with wedges, they roll huge ash trees from the hills.

**Nec non Aeneas opera inter talia primus** Neither does Aeneas, first among such great works, not

**hortatur socios paribusque accingitur armis.** urge his comrades and he is girded by equal arms.

**185 atque haec ipse suo tristi cum corde volutat** And he himself revolves these (things) with his sad heart

**aspectans silvam immensam, et sic forte precatur:** looking at the immense forest, and thus prays by chance:

**'si nunc se nobis ille aureus arbore ramus** "If now that golden branch would show itself to us

**ostendat nemore in tanto! quando omnia vere** on the tree in such a great grove! Since the prophet has said

**heu nimium de te vates, Misene, locuta est.'** all (things) truly alas too much about you, Misenus." //he means that since what the prophet said about Misenus being dead is true, then what he said about the branch should be true//

**190 vix ea fatus erat, geminae cum forte columbae** Scarcely had he spoken these (words), when twin doves by chance

**ipsa sub ora viri caelo venere volantes,** came flying down to the face(s) of the man from the sky,

**et viridi sedere solo. tum maximus heros** and sat on the green ground. Then the greatest hero

**maternas agnovit avis laetusque precatur:** recognized the maternal birds/ birds of his mother and, happy, prays:

**'este duces, o, si qua via est, cursumque per auras** "Be leaders, o, if there is any way, and direct a course through the

**195 derigite in lucos ubi pinguem dives opacat** airs into the grove where the rich branch shades the

**ramus humum. tuque, o, dubiis ne defice rebus,** fertile ground. And you, o, let you not fail in doubtful matters,

**diva parens.' sic effatus vestigia pressit** divine parent." Thus having spoken he pressed his footsteps

**observans quae signa ferant, quo tendere pergant.** observing which signs they bear, where they proceed to head.

**pascentes illae tantum prodire volando** Those, feeding, are able to advance only so far by flying

**200 quantum acie possent oculi servare sequentum.** as far as to keep in the line of the eye of those following.

**inde ubi venere ad fauces grave olentis Averni,** Thence when they came to the jaws of grave(ly) stinking Avernus,

**tollunt se celeres liquidumque per aera lapsae** raise themselves swift and having slipped through the airs of liquids

**sedibus optatis gemina super arbore sidunt,** they settle on the chosen seats on top of the twin tree //gemina arbore: tree with two natures - wood & gold//

**discolor unde auri per ramos aura refulsit.** different color shimmered through the branches with golden airs.

**205 quale solet silvis brumali frigore viscum** with what sort of wintry chill mistletoe is accustomed to grow in the forests

**fronde virere nova, quod non sua seminat arbos,** with a new leaf, which its own tree does not produce,

**et croceo fetu teretes circumdare truncos,** and to surround its smooth trunk(s) with a yellow shoot,

**talis erat species auri frondentis opaca** such was the appearance of the leafy gold on the shady

**ilice, sic leni crepitabat brattea vento.** holm-oak, in this way a foil was rustling in the thin wind.

**210 corripit Aeneas extemplo avidusque refringit** Aeneas snatches (it) at once and, eager, breaks off

**cunctantem, et vatis portat sub tecta Sibyllae.** the lingering (branch), and carries (it) down to the roofs of the prophet, the Sibyl.