Vergil Georgics, Book IV

Orpheus, holding his lyre, leads Eurydice out of the underworld Before we jump into the core work for this module, let's introduce ourselves to Vergil's earlier work, The Georgics. This particular passage recounts the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. If you are not familiar with this myth, Orpheus was a famous musician while Eurydice was a beautiful nymph. They fell in love, but Eurydice died tragically. Orpheus went to Hades to attempt to retrieve his beloved, only to tragically lose her by not fulfilling the kind of the underworld's instructions.

Image note: Edward Poynter created this dramatic painting of Orpheus and Eurydice in 1862 CE. Our story picks up at this very moment in the story. What sort of emotions does Poynter seem to impart to both characters in his depiction?

Meter Review

Vergil wrote The Georgics in dactylic hexameter, like Ovid's Metamorphoses and Vergil's most famous work, Aeneid. Remember that the key to dactylic hexameter is that each line must have six feet and that the final two must be a dactyl (long short short) and a spondee (long long).

English Reading Reminder

You should continue reading through Vergil's Aeneid in translation. By now, we would suggest that you should be well into Book II.

Reading Notes

Please note that the text for this poem does not include notes. Focus on reading as a skill for this passage to see how much you can comprehend without resources.

**Vergil, Georgics: Book IV, Lines 485-527 (Orpheus and Eurydice)**

Iamque pedem referēns cāsūs ēvāserat omnēs; 485
redditaque Eurydicē superās veniēbat ad aurās,
pōne sequēns, namque hanc dederat Prōserpina lēgem,
cum subita incautum dēmentia cēpit amantem,
ignōscenda quidem, scīrent sī ignōscere mānēs.
Restitit Eurydicēnque suam iam lūce sub ipsā 490
immemor heu! victusque animī respexit. Ibi omnis
effūsus labor atque immītis rupta tyrannī
foedera, terque fragor stāgnīs audītus Avernīs.
Illa, "Quis et mē", inquit, "miseram et tē perdidit, Orpheu,
quis tantus furor? Ēn iterum crūdēlia retrō 495
Fāta vocant, conditque natantia lūmina somnus.
Iamque valē: feror ingentī circumdata nocte
invalidāsque tibī tendēns, heu nōn tua, palmās!"
dīxit et ex oculīs subitō, ceu fūmus in aurās
commixtus tenuēs, fūgit dīversa, neque illum, 500
prēnsantem nēquīquam umbrās et multa volentem
dīcere, praetereā vīdit, nec portitor Orcī
amplius obiectam passus trānsīre palūdem.
Quid faceret? Quō sē raptā bis coniuge ferret?
Quō flētū Mānīs, quae nūmina vōce movēret? 505
Illa quidem Stygiā nābat iam frīgida cumbā.
Septem illum tōtōs perhibent ex ōrdine mēnsēs
rūpe sub āeriā dēsertī ad Strȳmonis undam
flēsse sibi et gelidīs haec ēvolvisse sub antrīs
mulcentem tigrēs et agentem carmine quercūs; 510
quālis pōpuleā maerēns philomēla sub umbrā
āmissōs queritur fētūs, quōs dūrus arātor
observāns nīdō implūmēs dētrāxit; at illa
flet noctem rāmōque sedēns miserābile carmen
integrat et maestīs lātē loca questibus implet. 515
Nūlla Venus, nōn ūllī animum flexēre hymenaeī.
Sōlus Hyperboreās glaciēs Tanaimque nivālem
arvaque Rhīpaeīs numquam viduāta pruīnīs
lūstrābat raptam Eurydicēn atque inrita Dītis
dōna querēns; sprētae Ciconum quō mūnere mātrēs 520
inter sacra deum nocturnīque orgia Bacchī
discerptum lātōs iuvenem sparsēre per agrōs.
Tum quoque marmoreā caput ā cervīce revulsum
gurgite cum mediō portāns Oeagrius Hebrus
volveret, Eurydicēn vōx ipsa et frīgida lingua 525
āh miseram Eurydicēn! animā fugiente vocābat:
Eurydicēn tōtō referēbant flūmine rīpae".

**Practice Questions: Vergil, Georgics: Book IV, Lines 485-527 - Content Review**

Read through the text, then complete the questions in the interactive activity.

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