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.