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:
anchises, death, god, heaven, journey,
Form: Free verse
A goddess of beauty
Absolutely gorgeous
A goddess of love with
A very wild love life
An expert seductress
Ares, Anchises and
Adonis; her lovers.
Greek Mythology Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Joseph May
Date written: 03/05/2022
Categories:
anchises, mythology,
Form: Pleiades
"Clandestine"
Lips wrote words
across satin
then tipping the velvet pink
covered an open wound
whispered wicked
games
pleasure and pain
warm canvas moved
clandestine
drowning in her waves
deep sea diving
the treasure lost is found
rising like Aphrodite
from her Ocean.
Zeus has thrown to Anchises
his rare
pearl.
(LadyLabyrinth/Dec 2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuyPvpsovMw
Categories:
anchises, desire, kiss, lust, passion,
Form: Romanticism
At last the fleet sailed into the Trojan delta
shallow waters still filled with wreckage from the siege
Silt from Scamander and Simoeis
building numerous new islands
all anchored on the old refuse
boats were beached and tents were set
animals set free to graze in the Plain
Eager Brutus left the encampment
left behind him, his ships, his Trojans
left behind him, his wife, his squire
so eager was he to see fabled Troy.
Eager was he to see Apollo's angled walls
Eager was he to see Priam's Marbled palace
Eager was he for the home of his ancestor Anchises
Imogen settling into her tent thought about
Brises beloved of Achilles
was he truly husband or just a better master
than Agamemnon or those who had you next.
The Road to Troy was neither winding nor long
Brutus Iulius Trois needed no guide
Born he was in Ascanius's Troy, Lavinium
his youth spent in Helenus's Troy, Chanoia
Categories:
anchises, hero, history,
Form: Epic