Aeneid Book I: The Storm, Part 3

Let's read! For this page, read Book I, lines 124-156. For notes on vocabulary and grammar along with additional insights, please download the Aeneid Reading Guide.

Additionally, download and use the Aeneid Reading Notes Handout for taking notes and practicing scansion. As you read, remember to occasionally stop and attempt to scan (check the meter) a few lines. Being able to determine the meter of a line of poetry is an important, and continuing, part of the process of reading it correctly!

Image note: the painting to the right is called Clearing Up - Coast of Sicily and was painted in 1847 by Andres Achenbach. Achenbach captures very well why it would be so difficult to sail in a storm off the coast of Italy, as Aeneas and the Trojans faced in Book I.

Aeolus unleashes his winds. The Trojan fleet is battered and buffeted. Aeneas cries out, fearing that his end should come in such a way. Hope seems completely lost.

Aeneid Book I: 124-156 - Neptune Intervenes

Intereā magnō miscērī murmure pontum
ēmissamque hiemem sēnsit Neptūnus et īmīs 125
stāgna refūsa vadīs, graviter commōtus, et altō
prōspiciēns summā placidum caput extulit undā.
Disiectam Aenēae tōtō videt aequore classem,
flūctibus oppressōs Trōas caelīque ruīnā;
nec latuēre dolī frātrem Iūnōnis et īrae. 130
Eurum ad sē Zephyrumque vocat, dehinc tālia fātur:

'Tantane vōs generis tenuit fīdūcia vestrī?
Iam caelum terramque meō sine nūmine, ventī,
miscēre et tantās audētis tollere mōlēs?
quōs ego—sed mōtōs praestat compōnere flūctūs. 135
Post mihi nōn similī poenā commissa luētis.
Mātūrāte fugam rēgīque haec dīcite vestrō:
nōn illī imperium pelagī saevumque tridentem,
sed mihi sorte datum. Tenet ille immānia saxa,
vestrās, Eure, domōs; illā sē iactet in aulā 140
Aeolus et clausō ventōrum carcere rēgnet.'

Sīc ait, et dictō citius tumida aequora plācat
collēctāsque fugat nūbēs sōlemque redūcit.
Cӯmothoē simul et Trītōn adnīxus acūtō
dētrūdunt nāvēs scopulō; levat ipse tridentī 145
et vāstās aperit syrtēs et temperat aequor
atque rotīs summās levibus perlābitur undās.
Ac velutī magnō in populō cum saepe coorta est
sēditiō saevitque animīs ignōbile vulgus
iamque facēs et saxa volant, furor arma ministrat; 150
tum, pietāte gravem ac meritīs sī forte virum quem
cōnspexēre, silent arrēctīsque auribus astant;
ille regit dictīs animōs et pectora mulcet:
sīc cūnctus pelagī cecidit fragor, aequora postquam
prōspiciēns genitor caelōque invectus apertō 155
flectit equōs currūque volāns dat lōra secundō.

Notes on Names

This section refers to several proper nouns. Below is a list of these nouns to help you make sense of the references.

Cymothoe = a sea nymph (pronounced Kew-moh-toh-eh - the y is a transcription of the Greek letter upsilon, which is usually pronounced as the letter u; oe is not a diphthong with the final -e being scanned as a long vowel by itself)
Eurus = the East (or Southeast) wind
Triton = a minor sea god
Troas = Troes – the Trojans. Literally: the people of Tros (a king of Troy). Troas = Greek accusative.
Zephyrum = Zephyrus - the West wind

Practice Activity

Now that you've read these lines, see if you can answer the following practice questions.

[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION - INTENDED ONLY FOR USE WITHIN LESSON.