Aeneid Book 6: The Descent into the Underworld
by Virgil
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
The Sibyl began to speak to Aeneas:
“God-blooded Trojan, son of Anchises,
descending into the Underworld’s easy
since Death’s dark door stands eternally unbarred.
But to retrace one’s steps and return to the surface:
that’s the conundrum, that’s the catch!
Godsons have done it, the chosen few
whom welcoming Jupiter favored
and whose virtue merited heaven.
However, even the Blessed find headway’s hard:
immense woods barricade boggy bottomland
where the Cocytus glides with its dark coils.
But if you insist on ferrying the Styx twice
and twice traversing Tartarus,
if Love demands you indulge in such madness,
listen closely to how you must proceed...”
Keywords/Tags: Virgil, Aeneid, descent, underworld, Aeneas, death, door, Jupiter, heaven, woods, Cocytus, River Styx, Stygian, Hades, Tartarus, voyage, journey, love, madness, god, gods
Categories:
aeneid, death, god, heaven, journey,
Form: Free verse
Publius Vergilus Maro
who as Vigil we better know
His Aeneid a nations epic
all literary boxes tick
Categories:
aeneid, people, poetry,
Form: Clerihew
On sunny days walk beneath the aesthetic pine trees
that gently undulate in the tepid Roman breeze,
their image is reflected in the Tiberius' flowing water;
majestic is the Colosseum, the mighty power of Rome,
it has withstood time, wars, earthquakes, and pillage...
stand in front of it and reimagine emperor Nero, so fair,
inciting the crowds to hail him as a god while they caught his bread:
what was his real reason for burning Rome: madness, anger, or dread?
Did Virgil, the Mantovian poet, love and admire Rome
when Augustus ruled the empire and was worshiped?
No, he chose Naples to write the epic poem Aeneid
in a location that stunned, but he was too far from home!
The Campanian landscape was the perfect setting
as Virgil brought to life Aeneas, the Trojan captain, escaping
burning Troy to realize his fate and embark for Italy without doubting;
and Rome vainly waited for his return and hear his brilliant poem
in the Forum to amaze Caesar while senators applauded him!
Categories:
aeneid, beauty, history, nostalgia, peace,
Form: Lyric
A rapscallion
Pit Peterson
A sine qua non
Of Village Hay
A Quid pro quo
A Squid or roe
For Aeneid Poe
Of pillaged Bay
Categories:
aeneid, poetry,
Form: Verse
I admit to have been influenced as Keats
by some remarkable poets who used unusual beats,
slowly delving into their very logical and intellectual minds...
so amazed by what they wrote despite their struggling times.
The first written poem came from Egypt: a hymn to Aron her god,
the Greeks copied the form and style with great skills:
Homer wrote the famous Odyssey, then the Romans
did the same and Virgil wrote, the long epic poem, " Aeneid. "
Who has ever doubted that my poetry isn't authentic?
It came from an unexpected idea that spread like wild fire at a very young age,
empowering my senses to feel, see, touch and hear without being too frantic...
by letting words flow as I stood by a river of knowledge.
Categories:
aeneid, education, imagination, on writing
Form: Rhyme