Aeneid VI, Lines 752 - 759

Question 1

Give a brief description about what is happening in these lines.

Answer 1

• Anchises leads Aeneas and the Sibyl up to a rock to see all of the descendents from above.
• Anchises then explains to Aeneas where and when his descendants will come.

Question 2

“natumque unaque Sibyllam”

Answer 2

• As previously, Virgil is at pains to remind us of the continued - and important - presence of the Sibyl, and to present here Aeneas in equal terms.

Question 3

“omnis longo ordine posset adversos”

Answer 3

• The separation of “omnis…adversos” reflects the length of this procession of souls, and thus underscores the sense of “longo ordine.”

Question 4

“gloria…inlustris”

Answer 4

• The significant delay and enjambment of the word “gloria” places considerable emphasis upon this key word, the sense of which is underscored by the emphatically positioned “inlustris”(glorious) in the next line; the future of the Romansis going to be a glorious one.

Question 5

“expediam dictis, et te tua docebo”

Answer 5

• The framing of this line with the two diffeerent verbs by which Anchises declares his intention to reveal the future points to the enourmous significance of what he is about to say.
• They also see Anchises maintaining the role of intructing his son, which has been establish earlier in the poem

Question 6

“et te tua fata”

Answer 6

• This strikingly brief, alliterative phrase stands in contrast to the sweeping grandeur of thos which have preceeses it.
• The juxtaposition at it’s heart of “te tua” places strong emphasis on the fact that the information that is about to be revealed relates personally to Aeneas