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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book VI Chapter 3: Prayer to Apollo | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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Deep in the face of that Euboean crag A cavern vast is hollowed out amain, With hundred openings, a hundred mouths, Whence voices flow, the Sibyl's answering songs. While at the door they paused, the virgin cried : Ask now Aeneas doom! -- the god! the god is nigh! So saying, from her face its color flew, Her twisted locks flowed free, the heaving breast Swelled with her heart's wild blood; her stature seemed Vaster, her accent more than mortal man, As all th' oncoming god around her breathed : On with thy vows and prayers, O Trojan, on! For only unto prayer this haunted cave may its vast lips unclose. She spake no more. An icy shudder through the marrow ran Of the bold Trojans; while their sacred king Poured from his inmost soul this plaint and prayer: Phoebus, who ever for the woes of Troy Hadst pitying eyes! who gavest deadly aim To Paris when his Dardan shaft he hurled On great Achilles! Thou hast guided me Through many an unknown water, where the seas Break upon kingdoms vast, and to the tribes Of the remote Massyli, whose wild land To Syrtes spreads. But now; because at last I touch Hesperia's ever-fleeting bound, May Troy's ill fate forsake me from this day! O gods and goddesses, beneath whose wrath Dardania's glory and great Ilium stood, Spare, for ye may, the remnant of my race! And thou, most holy prophetess, whose soul Foreknows events to come, grant to my prayer (Which asks no kingdom save what Fate decrees) That I may stablish in the Latin land My Trojans, my far-wandering household-gods, And storm-tossed deities of fallen Troy. Then unto Phoebus and his sister pale A temple all of marble shall be given, And festal days to Phoebus evermore. Thee also in my realms a spacious shrine Shall honor; thy dark books and holy songs I there will keep, to be my people's law; And thee, benignant Sibyl for all time A company of chosen priests shall serve. O, not on leaves, light leaves, inscribe thy songs! Lest, playthings of each breeze, they fly afar In swift confusion! Sing thyself, I pray. So ceased his voice; Event: Aeneas visits the Underworld |
42-76 Excisum Euboicae latus ingens rupis in antrum, quo lati ducunt aditus centum, ostia centum, unde ruunt totidem uoces, responsa Sibyllae. uentum erat ad limen, cum uirgo 'poscere fata tempus' ait; 'deus ecce deus!' cui talia fanti ante fores subito non uultus, non color unus, non comptae mansere comae; sed pectus anhelum, et rabie fera corda tument, maiorque uideri nec mortale sonans, adflata est numine quando iam propiore dei. 'cessas in uota precesque, Tros' ait 'Aenea? cessas? neque enim ante dehiscent attonitae magna ora domus.' et talia fata conticuit. gelidus Teucris per dura cucurrit ossa tremor, funditque preces rex pectore ab imo: 'Phoebe, grauis Troiae semper miserate labores, Dardana qui Paridis derexti tela manusque corpus in Aeacidae, magnas obeuntia terras tot maria intraui duce te penitusque repostas Massylum gentis praetentaque Syrtibus arua: iam tandem Italiae fugientis prendimus oras. hac Troiana tenus fuerit fortuna secuta; uos quoque Pergameae iam fas est parcere genti, dique deaeque omnes, quibus obstitit Ilium et ingens gloria Dardaniae. tuque, o sanctissima uates, praescia uenturi, da (non indebita posco regna meis fatis) Latio considere Teucros errantisque deos agitataque numina Troiae. tum Phoebo et Triuiae solido de marmore templum instituam festosque dies de nomine Phoebi. te quoque magna manent regnis penetralia nostris: hic ego namque tuas sortis arcanaque fata dicta meae genti ponam, lectosque sacrabo, alma, uiros. foliis tantum ne carmina manda, ne turbata uolent rapidis ludibria uentis; ipsa canas oro.' finem dedit ore loquendi. |