Aeneid lines 6.637-723 (class translation)

These things having been finished at last, the offering to the goddess completed, they arrived at the contented places and the pleasant meadows of the happy forests and the blessed abodes. Here a more abundant air clothed the fields with a purple light and they know their own sun, their own stars. Some exercise their limbs in grassy yards, they strive in play and wrestle in the tawny sand; others beat out the dances with their feet and sing poems. Likewise a Thracian priest with a long robe accompanies the intervals of their voices in seven measures and he beats the same now with his fingers, now with his ivory pick. Here the ancient race of Teucer, a most beautiful offspring, great hearted heroes, born in better years. Both Ilus and Assaracus and Dardanus, the founder of Troy. He wonders from afar at their weaponry and the carefree races of the men. Their spears stand, fixed in the ground, and their horses loosed about graze through the field. What pleasure of races and arms was to the living, what care (there was) to feed their shining horses, the same follows the ones buried in the earth. Behold, he sees the others eating on the left and right on the grass and singing a happy ode in a chorus amongst a fragrant forest of laurel. Whence the plentiful stream of Eridanus winds around the forest to the world above. Here is the band having suffered wounds fighting for their fatherland and who were chaste priests, while life remained, and who were dutiful prophets and spoke the worthy (words) from/of Phoebus, or who enriched life through invented arts, and who made others mindful of them by their merit. The brows of all these are enriched with snowy white headband. The Sybil spoke thus to those scattered about, to Musaeus before all (for a very great crowd holds this center and looks up at him standing taller by his lofty shoulders): “Happy spirits and you greatest priest, tell me which region, what place holds Anchises? For the sake of that man we have come and crossed the great streams of Erebus.” And the heroes returned an answer to this one with a few (words). “No one has a fixed home; we inhabit the shady groves and the couches of the river banks and meadows freshened with streams. But you, if the will in your heart bears you thus, go over this ridge and I will place you now by an easy journey.” He spoke and he bore his step first and from above he shows the glittering fields; from here they leave the highest peaks.

But father Anchises, deep with in the flourishing valley, contemplating with zeal, was surveying the enclosed spirits and those about to go to the light above, and by chance he was reviewing the whole number of his own people and his dear descendants and their fates and the fortunes of the men and their customs and deeds. And he, when he saw Aeneas holding the other (path) through the grass, eagerly stretched out both his hands and tears fell to his cheek and his voice tumbled from his mouth: "You have come at last and your piety, expected by your father, has conquered the harsh journey? It is given to look at your face, son, and to hear and to answer familiar voices? Thus indeed I was leading in my mind and I was thinking about the future, counting the ages, nor did my care deceive me. I'm aware to what lands and through what great waters you have been born! by what great dangers you have been tossed! How I feared lest the kingdoms of Lybia hurt you in anyway!" But that man (answered), "Your sorrowful image, often appearing, has forced me to cross these boarders. The fleet stands in the Tyrinian Sea. Give your right hand to join; give (it), father, and do not withdraw yourself from our embrace." Thus speaking, he wet his face with a great weeping at once. Then three times he tried to give his arms around his neck: three times in vain the embraced ghost fled his hands, equal to light winds and most like a winged dream.

Meanwhile Aeneas sees a secluded forest in a set-back valley and the sounding thickets of a forest and the stream of Lethe which flows by the calm homes. The innumerable races and peoples were flying around this place: just as when the bees in meadows settle on various flowers in the peaceful summer and are scattered around glittering lilies, the whole field rustles with a murmur. Unknowing Aeneas was suddenly terrified by/at the sight and searched for the causes: what were those rivers yonder, what men filled the river banks with such a crowd. Then his father Anchises (said): “The spirits, to whom other bodies are owed by fate, drink the forgetful waters and long oblivion at the wave of the river Lethe. Indeed to remember these for you and also to show you face to face, to count up this offspring of mine I now long desire(d) , by which the more you might exalt in discovered Italy with me.” “Oh father, is it to be thought that some lofty souls go hence to the sky and are returned again to their sluggish bodies? What (is this) so dreadful desire for the wretchedness of the light?” “I shall speak indeed and I will not hold you in suspense, child,” Anchises resumes and also he reveals each one in order.

Aeneid lines 6.535-636 (class translation)

At this change of their conversations Dawn in her rosy four horsed chariot had already crossed the middle point in her airy course; and perhaps they would have drug all the given time through such (words) but the companion Sibyl warned and curtly said, "Aeneas, night rushes on; we lead the hours in mourning. Here is the place, where the way splits itself in two parts: the right (way) which holds under the walls of great Dis, by this (is) our journey to Elysium; but the left inflicts penalties on bad men and sends them to evil Tartarus." In reply Deiphoebus, "Do not be savage, great prophetess; I will depart, I will complete the number and I will be returned to the shades. Go, our glory, go! Enjoy your better fates." He said such and turned his steps as he spoke.

Aeneas suddenly looks back and under the left cliff he sees wide walls encircled by a three ringed rampart which a rapid river surrounds with seething flames, Phlegethon of Tartarus, and twists the sounding rocks. An immense gate (is) opposite and columns of solid adamant so that no force of men, not the gods themselves have power to cleave in war; an iron tower stand to the sky, and Tisiphone sitting, girt with bloody cloak, sleeplessly protects the entrance both nights and days. From this place groans are heard and savage beatings sound out, then a creaking of iron and dragged chain. Aeneas stopped and, frightened, drank in the noise. "What aspect of evils? O maiden, speak! with what punishments are they pressed? What such a sound (comes) to my ears?" Then the priestess began to speak thus: "Famous leader of the Teucrians, it is right for no pure person to stand upon the unholy threshold; yet when Hecate put me in charge of the Avernal groves, she herself taught the punishments of the gods and led (me) through everything. Rhadamanthus of Crete holds these most dire kingdoms, and he punishes and hears their deceits and forces (them) to confess what each put off as performed atonements at the moment of death, having rejoiced in their empty trickery among those above. Immediately, Tisiphone, the avengeress, jumping up, well girdled with a whip, shakes the criminals, and stretching out grim snakes on the left, she calls the cruel band of her sisters. Then at last screeching on a dreadful sounding hinge the sacred gates are opened. Do you see what sort of guard sits in the threshold? What force guards the threshold? With fifty gaping mouths the immense hydra, too savage, has her abode within. (577) There Tartarus itself stands open straight down and stretches under the shadows twice as far as the view up to airy Olympus. Here the old race of Earth, the Titan children, hurled down by lightning roll around in the lowest depth. I saw here also the twin son of Aloeus, huge bodies, who tried to tear down the great sky with their hands and to push Jove from his lofty kingdoms. I saw also Salmoneus paying cruel penalties while he mimics the flame of Jove and the sounds of Olympus. This one, conveyed by four horses and shaking his torches, went exulting among the peoples of the Greeks and through the city of the middle of Elis, and he was demanding diving honor for himself, madman, who was feigning the clouds and the non-imitable lightning with bronze and the clash of his horny-hoofed horses. But the all powerful father hurled his weapon among the thick clouds; that one did not cast firebrands or smoky lights from pine torches, but cast him headlong with the vast whirlwind. Likewise also Tityon, nursling of all-parenting Earth, was to see, whose body is stretched over nine whole acres, and a huge vulture with curved beak, tearing his immortal liver and fruitful innards as punishment, both explores his meals and lives deep under his chest, nor is any rest given to the renewed entrails. Why should I recall the Lapiths, Ixion, and Pirithous? (602) Over which black flint now already about to slip and like to falling threatens; the golden props on the festal couches gleam, and the feasts before his mouth, prepared with regal splendor; the oldest of the Furies reclines nearby and keeps (him) from touching the tables with his hands, and she rises, lifting her face, and thunders with her mouth. Here (are those) whose brothers were hated while life remained or a parents beaten or fraud contrived for a client, or who alone gloated over gathered wealth and did not put aside a part for their own people (which crowd is the greatest), and who were killed on account of adultery and who followed treacherous arms and did not fear to deceive the right hands of their masters. Do not ask to learn what punishment or what form or fortune sunk the men. Other roll a huge rock and, stretched out on the spokes of wheels, they hang. Unlucky Theseus sits and will sit eternally, and most wretched Phlegyas warns all and proclaims with a great voice through the shades. "Forewarned, learn justice and do not scorn the gods.” (621) This man sold his fatherland for gold and set up a powerful master; he made and unmade laws for a price; this man invaded the bedroom of his daughter and forbidden marriage rights; all dared great impiety and gained what they dared. If I had 100 tongues and 100 mouths, an iron voice, I could not understood all the forms of the crimes." When long-lived priestess gave these words she said, " But now seize the way and finish the undertaken offering; let us hasten. I see the walls raised from the forges of the Cyclopes and the gates with opposing arch where the orders bid us to put down our gifts.” She had spoken and, having advanced side by side through the darkness of the paths, they took a middle point and drew near the doors. Aeneas takes the entrance and sprinkles his body with fresh water and fixes the branch on the threshold opposite.

Aeneid lines 6.477-534 (class translation)

Thence the given journey is undertaken. And now they hold the outermost places which, remote, those distinguished in war inhabit. Here Tydeus ran to that one, here Parthenopaeus, renowned in arms, and the image of pale Adrastis, here the Dardanians, crying much in the world above and having falling in war, whom that one groaned over observing them all in a long line, both Glaucus and Medon and Thersilochus, the three sons of Antenor, and Polyboetes, sacred to Ceres, and Idaus, holding still the chariot, still his weapons. The spirits thronging on the right and left stand around, nor is it enough to have seen them once: it helps continuously to delay and join step and learn the causes of their coming. But the leaders of the Greeks and the troops of Agamemnon tremble with great fear as they see the man and his weapons gleaming thought the shades; part turn their backs as once they sought their ships, part raise a cry, but only a little one: the begun noise mocks their gaping.

And here he saw Deiphobus, the son of Priam, mutilated in his entire body, cut cruelly on his face, lips and both hands, and his temples disfigured with his ears having been ripped off, and his nostrils mangled by a shameful wound. Hardly indeed did he recognize him shivering and covering his severe punishments, and he first addressed him, with his familiar tones: “Deiphobus, mighty in arms, race of the lofty blood of Teucer, who wanted to inflict such terrible punishments, to whom was such power permitted over you? Rumor on the last night bore to me that you, tried from vast slaughter, fell over a Greek heap of confused slaughter. Then I built a empty tomb on the Rhoeteum shore and with a great shout I called the shades three times. The name and weapons guard the place; I was not able to see and place you in paternal earth as I was leaving.

To which the son of Priam: “Nothing was left (undone) by you, friend; you paid everything of the funeral for Deiphobus and his shades. But my fates and the deadly wickedness of the Spartan woman sunk me in these evils; this woman left these monuments. Indeed you know how we led false joys on the last night: and it is needed to remember too much. When the deadly horse came over lofty Pergama with a leap and heavy in the womb brought an armed infantry, that woman, feigning the rites, lead the Trojan women calling “Euhan” in chorus; she herself in the middle held the huge flame and called the Greeks from the highest citadel. Then the ill-starred bedchamber held me weary from cares and heavy with sleep, and sweet, deep—and most like calm death—quiet pressed on (me) at rest. Meanwhile my remarkable wife removed all weapons from the house and withdrew my faithful sword from under my head; she called Menelaus within my home and opened the thresholds, hoping of course that this would be a great gift to her lover and that the story of her old evils could thus be blotted out. Why do I delay? They burst into the bedchamber, the son of Aeolus added with as a companion as instigator of crimes. Gods, renew such on the Greeks, if with pious mouth I beg recompense. But what reason brought you living, come now, speak in turn. Did you come on the sea driven by wanderings or by advice of the gods? Or what fortune harasses you that you approach the sad homes without the sun, confused places?”

Aeneid lines 6.450-76 (class translation)

Among whom Phoenician Dido, recent from her wound, was wandering in the great forest; as soon as the Trojan hero stood next to and recognized whom, dim through the shadows, like the moon which a man sees or thinks he sees rising up through the clouds at the months beginning, he sent down tears and spoke with sweet love: "Unlucky Dido, then a true message had come to me that you had been destroyed and followed death with iron. Alas was I the cause of your death? I swear by the stars, by the gods and if there is any faith under the deepest earth, queen, I left your shore unwillingly. But the orders of the gods compelled me, by their commands which now compel me to go through these shadows, through places rough with neglect and vast night. Nor was I able to believe that I bore you such great sadness by my leaving. Stay your step and do not withdraw yourself from my sight. Whom do you flee? This is the last time in which I might speak to you by fate.”

With such words Aeneas tried to soften her spirit burning and gazing grimly and roused tears. That woman, turned away, held her eyes to the ground nor is she moved in face by his begun speech more than if she stood hard flint or Marpesian cliff. At last she tore herself away and flew hostile into the shady wood, where Sychaeus, her former husband sympathizes with her cares and matches her love. Nor less Aeneas, shaken by her unfair downfall, follows far with tears and pities her going.