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.