They stood praying to cross the flood the first, and were stretching forth their hands with fond desire to gain the farther bank: but the sullen boatman admits sometimes these, sometimes those; whilst others, to a great distance removed, he debars from the banks. Eneas (for he stood amazed and much moved with the tumult) thus speaks: O virgin, say what means that flocking to the river? what do the ghosts desire? or by what laws of distinction must these recede from the banks, while those sweep with oars the livid flood? To him the aged priestess thus briefly replied: Son of Anchises, undoubted offspring of the gods, you see the deep pools of Cocytus, and the Stygian lake, by whose divinity the gods dread to swear and violate their oath. All that crowd, which you see, consists of naked and unburied persons : the ferryman is Charon; these, whom the stream carries, are interred; for it is not permitted to transport them over the horrid banks, and hoarse-resounding waves, before their bones are quietly lodged in urns. They wander a hundred years, and flutter about these shores: then at length admitted, they visit the wished-for lakes. The offspring of Anchises paused and repressed his steps, deeply musing, and pitying from his soul their unkind lot. There he espies Leucaspis, and Orontes the commander of the Lycian fleet, mournful, and bereaved of the honours of the dead; whom, as they sailed from Troy, over the stormy seas, the south-wind sunk together, whelming both ship and crew in the waves. Lo, the pilot Palinurus slowly advanced, who lately in his Libyan voyage, while he was observing the stars, had dropped from the stern, plunged in the midst of the waves. When with difficulty, by reason of the thick shade, Æneas knew him in this mournful mood, he thus first accosts him : What god, O Palinurus, snatched you from us, and overwhelmed you in the middle of the ocean? come tell me. For Apollo, whom I never before found false, in this one response deceived my mind, declaring that you should be safe on the sea, and arrive at the Ausonian coasts: is this the amount of his plighted faith? Ille autem: Neque te Phoebi cortina fefellit, 350 355 365 Prensantemque uncis manibus capita aspera montis 360 Talia fatus erat, cœpit cum talia vates; 370 375 But he answers; Neither the oracle of Phoebus beguiled you, prince of the line of Anchises, nor a god plunged me in the sea; for falling headlong I drew along with me the helm, which I chanced with great violence to tear away, as I clung to it, and steered our course, being appointed guardian of the ship. By the rough seas I swear, that I was not so seriously apprehensive for myself, as that thy ship, despoiled of her rudder, dispossessed of her pilot, might sink while such high billows were rising. The south wind drove me violently on the water over the spacious sea, three rough wintry nights: on the fourth day I descried Italy from the high ridge of a wave whereon I was raised aloft. I was swimming gradually towards land, and should have been out of danger, had not a cruel people fallen upon me with the sword (encumbered with my wet garment, and grasping with crooked hands the rugged tops of a mountain), and ignorantly taken me for a rich prey. Now the waves possess me, and the winds toss me on the shore. But by the pleasant light of heaven, and by the vital air, by him who gave thee birth, by thy hope of rising Iülus, I thee implore, invincible leader, release me from these woes: either throw on me some earth (for it is in thy power), and seek out the Veline port; or, if there be any means to bring it about, if thy goddess-mother should be inclined to point out any (for thou dost not, I presume, without the will of the gods, attempt to cross such mighty rivers and the Stygian lake) lend your hand to an unhappy wretch, and bear me with you over the waves, that in death at least I may rest in peaceful seats. Thus he spoke, when thus the prophetess began: Whence, O Palinurus, rises in thee this so impious desire? Shall you unburied see the Stygian floods, and the grim river of the Furies, or reach the bank against the command of heaven? Cease to hope that the decrees of the gods are to be altered by prayers: but mindful take these predictions as the solace of your hard fate. For the neighbouring people, compelled by portentous plagues from heaven, shall through their several cities far and Prodigiis acti cœlestibus, ossa piabunt, Et statuent tumulum, et tumulo solennia mittent : 380 385 Ergo iter inceptum peragunt, fluvioque propinquant: Nec verò Alciden me sum lætatus euntem Quæ contra breviter fata est Amphrysia vates : At ramum hunc (aperit ramum qui veste latebat) 395 400 405 410 398. Amphrysia vates. That is, the priestess of Apollo, who is called Pastor ab Amphryso, from Amphrysus, a river in Thessaly, near which he kept the flocks of Admetus, when banished from heaven for killing the Cyclops. 402. Patrui. Pluto was both the husband and uncle of Proserpine; for she was the daughter of his brother Jupiter, by Ceres. 409. Fatalis. The signal of fate, which shewed the person licensed by heaven to be admitted to the infernal regions. wide offer atonement to thy ashes, erect to thee a tomb, and stated anniversary offerings on that tomb present; and the place shall for ever retain the name of Palinurus. By these words his cares were removed, and grief was for a time banished from his disconsolate heart: he rejoices in the land that is to bear his name. They therefore accomplish their begun journey, and approach the river: whom when the boatman soon from the Stygian wave beheld, as they were advancing through the silent grove, and moving forward to the bank, thus he first accosts them in these words, and chides them unprovoked: Whoever thou mayest be, who art now advancing armed to our rivers, say quick for what end thou comest; and from that very spot advance not one step farther. This is the region of Ghosts, of Sleep, and drowsy Night to waft over the bodies of the living in my Stygian boat is not permitted. Nor indeed was it joy to me that I received Alcides on the lake when he came hither, or that I received Theseus and Pirithous, though they were the offspring of the gods, and invincible in might. One with audacious hand put the keeper of Tartarus in chains, and dragged him trembling from the Throne even of our king: the others attempted to carry off our queen from Pluto's bed-chamber.. In answer to which the Amphrysian prophetess thus spoke: No such plots are here, be not disturbed, nor do these weapons bring violence: for us the huge porter may unmolested bay in his den for ever, to the terror of the incorporeal shades; Proserpine, inviolate in her chastity, may for ever remain in her uncle's palace. Trojan Æneas, illustrious for piety and arms, descends to the deep shades of Erebus to visit his sire. If the image of such shining piety makes no impression on you, own a regard at least to this branch (at the same time she shows the branch that was concealed under her robe). Then his heart from swelling rage is stilled: nor passed more words than these. He with wonder gazing on the awful present of the fatal branch, seen after a long time intervening, turns towards them his leaden-coloured barge, and approaches |