Silius Italicus, Tiberius Catius, Punica

a Belo series, stat gloria gentis Agenor

from Belus; there stands Agenor, the glory of the race,

et qui longa dedit terris cognomina Phoenix.

and Phoenix, who gave lasting names to lands.

ipsa sedet tandem aeternum coniuncta Sychaeo.

She herself sits, joined at last forever to Sychaeus.

ante pedes ensis Phrygius iacet, ordine centum

Before her feet lies the Phrygian sword; in a row, a hundred

stant arae caelique deis Ereboque potenti.

altars stand to the gods of heaven and to mighty Erebus.

hic, crine effuso, atque Hennaeae numina diuae

Here, with hair streaming loose, the divinity of the goddess of Henna

atque Acheronta uocat Stygia cum ueste sacerdos.

and Acheron too the priestess summons, in Stygian robe.

immugit tellus rumpitque horrenda per umbras

The earth bellows, and through the shadows bursts dreadful

sibila; inaccensi flagrant altaribus ignes.

hissing; unkindled fires blaze on the altars.

tum magico uolitant cantu per inania manes

Then, roused by magic chant, the shades flit through the void,

exciti, uultusque in marmore sudat Elissae.

and the face of Elissa sweats in the marble.

Hannibal haec patrio iussu ad penetralia fertur,

Hannibal, by his father’s command, is brought to this inner shrine,

ingressique habitus atque ora explorat Hamilcar.

and Hamilcar scrutinizes his bearing and face as he enters.

ex acie rapit et tutis a turbine pugnae

he snatches [him] from the battle line and, in a camp safe from the whirlwind of the fight,

constituit castris. medicas hinc ocius artes

settles him. Then quickly he summons the healing arts

et senioris opem Synhali uocat. unguere uulnus

and the help of aged Synhalus. In anointing a wound

herbarum hic sucis ferrumque e corpore cantu

with the juices of herbs, and driving iron from the body by chanting,

exigere et somnum tacto misisse chelydro

and sending sleep into a water-snake with a touch,

anteibat cunctos, nomenque erat inde per urbes

he surpassed everyone, and from then on his name was famous through the cities

perque Paraetoniae celebratum litora Syrtis.

and along the shores of the Paraetonian Syrtis.

ipse olim antiquo primum Garamanticus Hammon

Long ago Garamantian Hammon himself had first granted the ancient

scire pater dederat Synhalo morsusque ferarum

Synhalus, as a father, to know [how to soothe] the bites of beasts

conqueriturque tibi et sperat responsa remitti.

and complains to you and hopes that answers will be sent back.

non umquam spem ponit amor: iam tecta domumque

Love never lays hope aside: now she leaves house and home

deserit et rursus portus furibunda reuisit,

and again, frenzied, revisits the harbour,

si qui te referant conuerso flamine uenti.

in case the winds, the breeze turned about, might bring you back.

ad magicas etiam fallax atque improba gentis

Even to magic arts the deceitful and wicked

Massylae leuitas descendere compulit artes.

fickleness of the Massylian race drove her to stoop.

heu sacri uatum errores! dum numina noctis

Alas, the holy delusions of seers! While they draw out the powers of night

eliciunt spondentque nouis medicamina curis,

and promise remedies for new cares,

quod uidi decepta nefas! congessit in atram

what wickedness I saw, deceived! She heaped onto a black

cuncta tui monumenta pyram et non prospera dona.’

pyre all the memorials of you, and your unlucky gifts.’

Tunc sic Aeneas dulci repetitus amore:

Then Aeneas spoke thus, his sweet love renewed:

‘Tellurem hanc iuro, uota inter nostra frequenter

‘I swear by this land, often [named] among our prayers

iamque dies iterumque dies absumpta querelis:

And now day after day was consumed in laments:

uersatur species ante ora oculosque parentum.

the image of his parents hovers before his face and eyes.

ergo excire parat manis animasque suorum

So he prepares to call up the shades and souls of his own

adloquioque uirum tantos mulcere dolores.

and to soothe such great griefs by speaking with the men.

hortatur uicina palus, ubi signat Auerni

A nearby marsh urges him on, where Avernus’

squalentem introitum stagnans Acherusius umor.

squalid entrance is marked by the stagnant Acherusian water.

noscere uenturos agitat mens protinus annos.

His mind is eager, besides, to learn the years to come.

Sic ad Cymaeam, quae tum sub nomine Phoebi

So to the Cumaean woman, who then in the name of Phoebus,

Autonoe tripodas sacros antrumque tenebat,

Autonoe, held the sacred tripods and the cave,

fert gressus iuuenis consultaque pectoris aegri

the young man turns his steps, and the counsels of his sick heart

pandit et aspectus orat contingere patrum.

he lays open, and begs to look upon his fathers.

nec cunctata diu uates ‘Mactare repostis

And the seer, without delaying long: ‘It is the custom to slaughter for the buried

mos umbris’ inquit ‘consueta piacula nigras

shades,’ she said, ‘as customary atonement, black

sub lucem pecudes reclusaeque abdere terrae

beasts before dawn, and to hide in the opened earth

manantem iugulis spirantum caede cruorem.

the gore flowing from the throats of the still-breathing victims at the slaughter.

tunc populos tibi regna suos pallentia mittent.

Then the pale kingdoms will send you their peoples.

cetera quae poscis maiori uate canentur.

The rest you ask will be sung by a greater seer.

namque tibi Elysio repetita oracula campo

For I will call forth for you oracles fetched back from the Elysian plain,

eliciam ueterisque dabo inter sacra Sibyllae

and among the rites I will let you see the ancient Sibyl’s

cernere fatidicam Phoebei pectoris umbram.

prophetic shade, with its heart full of Phoebus.

uade, age et, a medio cum se nox umida cursu

Go now, and when the dewy night has turned from the middle of its course,

flexerit, ad fauces uicini castus Auerni

to the jaws of nearby Avernus, chaste,

duc praedicta sacris duro placamina Diti:

bring the offerings I have named for the rite, to appease harsh Dis;

mella simul tecum et puri fer dona Lyaei.’

bring with you honey also, and the gifts of pure Lyaeus.’

Hoc alacer monitu et promissae nomine uatis,

Eager at this counsel and at the name of the promised seer,

adparat occulto monstrata piacula coepto.

he makes ready, in a secret undertaking, the offerings shown him.

inde ubi nox iussam procedens contigit horam,

Then, when the advancing night reached the appointed hour,

et spatia aequarunt tenebras transacta futuras,

and the spaces passed equalled the darkness to come,

consurgit stratis pergitque ad turbida portae

he rises from his bed and goes to the murky mouth of the gate

ostia Tartareae, penitus quis abdita uates

of Tartarus, where the seer, hidden deep within,

promissa implerat Stygioque sedebat in antro.

had fulfilled her promises and sat in the Stygian cave.

tum, qua se primum rupta tellure recludit

Then, where first, through the broken earth, opens

inuisus caelo specus atque eructat acerbam

a cave hateful to the sky, and belches up the bitter

Cocyti laxo suspirans ore paludem,

marsh of Cocytus, sighing from its slack mouth,

inducit iuuenem ferroque cauare refossam

she leads the young man in, and urges him to dig out with iron

ocius urget humum atque arcanum murmur anhelans

the turned earth quickly, and, panting out a secret murmur,

ordine mactari pecudes iubet. ater operto

orders the beasts slain in order. Black, to the king

ante omnis taurus regi, tum proxima diuae

of the hidden world, first of all a bull; then next, to the goddess

caeditur Hennaeae casta ceruice iuuenca.

of Henna, a heifer of untouched neck is slain.

inde tibi, Alecto, tibi, numquam laeta Megaera,

Then for you, Alecto, for you, Megaera never glad,

corpora lanigerum procumbunt lecta bidentum.

the chosen bodies of woolly sheep fall.

fundunt mella super Bacchique et lactis honorem.

They pour over them honey, and the honour of Bacchus and of milk.

Sta, iuuenis, faciemque, Erebo quae surgit ab omni,

‘Stand, young man, and the faces that rise from all Erebus

exclamat uates ‘patere. accedentia cerno

endure,’ cries the seer. ‘I see approaching