Chapter 25 - Page 2

remained
unburied, are not permitted to pass the flood, but wander a
hundred years, and flit to and fro about the shore, till at last
they are taken over." AEneas grieved at recollecting some of his
own companions who had perished in the storm. At that moment he
beheld Palinurus, his pilot, who fell overboard and was drowned.
He addressed him and asked him the cause of his misfortune.
Palinurus replied that the rudder was carried away, and he,
clinging to it, was swept away with it. He besought Aeneas most
urgently to extend to him his hand and take him in company to the
opposite shore. But the Sibyl rebuked him for the wish thus to
transgress the laws of Pluto, but consoled him by informing him
that the people of the shore where his body had been wafted by
the waves, should be stirred up by the prodigies to give it the
burial, and that the promontory should bear the name of Cape
Palinurus, which it does to this day. Leaving Palinurus consoled
by these words, they approached the boat. Charon, fixing his
eyes sternly upon the advancing warrior, demanded by what right
he, living and armed, approached the shore. To which the Sibyl
replied that they would commit no violence, that AEneas's only
object was to see his father, and finally exhibited the golden
branch, at sight of which Charon's wrath relaxed, and he made
haste to turn his back to the shore, and receive them on board.
The boat, adapted only to the light freight of bodiless spirits,
groaned under the weight of the hero. They were soon conveyed to
the opposite shore. There they were encountered by the three-
headed dog Cerberus, with his necks bristling with snakes. He
barked with all his three throats till the Sibyl threw him a
medicated cake, which he eagerly devoured, and then stretched
himself out in his den and fell asleep. AEneas and the Sibyl
sprang to land. The first sound that struck their ears was the
wailing of young children, who had died on the threshold of life,
and near to these were they who had perished under false charges.
Minos presides over them as judge, and examines the deeds of
each. The next class was of those who had died by their own
hand, hating life and seeking refuge in death. Oh, how willingly
would they now endure poverty, labor, and any other infliction,
if they might but return to life! Next were situated the regions
of sadness, divided off into retired paths, leading through
groves of myrtle. Here roamed those who had fallen victims to
unrequited love, not freed from pain even by death itself. Among
these, AEneas thought he descried the form of Dido, with a wound
still recent. In the dim light he was for a moment uncertain,
but approaching perceived it was indeed herself. Tears fell from
his eyes,