Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE ENTRANCE TO HELL, FR. THE AENID, by PUBLIUS VERGILIUS MARO


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE ENTRANCE TO HELL, FR. THE AENID, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Thay walkit furth so derk oneith they wist
Last Line: Under ilk leif ful thik they stik and hing.
Alternate Author Name(s): Virgil; Vergil
Subject(s): Hell; Scottish Translations


THAY walkit furth so derk oneith they wist
Whidder thay went amyddis dim schaddois thare,
Whare ever is nicht, and never licht doth repare,
Throwout the waste dungeoun of Pluto king,
Thay roid boundis and the gousty ring;
Siklyke as wha wald throw thick woodis wend,
In obscure light whare none may not be kend,
As Jupiter the king etherial
With erdis skug hydis the hevynnys al,
And the mirk nicht with her vysage gray
From every thing has reft the hew away.

Before the portis and first jawis of hel
Lamentacioun and wraikful Thochtis fel
Thare loging had, and thereat dwellis eik
Pale Maledyis that causis man be seik,
The fereful Drede and als unweildy Age,
The felone Hunger with her undantit rage:
There was also the laithly Indigence,
Terribil of schape and schameful her presence;
The grisly Dede that mony ane has slane,
The hard Laubour and diseisful Pane,
The slottry Slepe Dedis cousin of kynd,
Inordinat Blithnes of perversit mind:
And in the yett, forganis thaym did stand

The mortal Battel with his dedely brand,
The irne chalmeris of hellis Furies fel,
Witles Discord, that woundring maist cruel.
Womplit and buskit in ane bludy bend,
With snakis hung at every haris end.
And in the myddis of the uttir ward,
With brade branchis sprede over al the sward,
Ane rank eleme tre stude, huge, grete and stok auld.
The vulgar pepil in that samyn hauld
Belevis thare vane Dremes makis thare dwelling,
Under ilk leif ful thik they stik and hing.





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