The Aeneid: Book 6 Summary & Analysis

Aeneas and the Trojans arrive at Cumae. While his men go hunting and exploring, Aeneas climbs to Apollo's temple and the Sibyl's cave. Long ago, Daedalus flew here (using the wings he constructed) and built this temple for Apollo. The doors to the temple depict the story of the Minotaur, who Daedalus helped to outwit. But Daedalus was too sad to depict the story of Icarus, his fallen son, on the doors.

The Sybil urges Aeneas and Achates to sacrifice animals to Apollo. They do, and she calls out, her voice echoing through a hundred doors. She sees Apollo and enters a trance, possessed by the god. Aeneas asks to hear his fate, promising to build Apollo a temple and honor him as guardian of his future kingdom. As Helenus had counseled, Aeneas asks the Sibyl not to write the prophecy on easily-scattered leaves, but to say it aloud. The violently possessed Sibyl answers as the hundred doors fly open. The Trojans will reach and rule in Italy, but must first fight a terrible war.

Aeneas asks how he can descend to the Underworld to see Anchises again. The Sibyl answers that it's easy to go down to hell, but difficult to come back up. To visit the ghosts, he must find a nearby tree with a golden bough, which he must present as a gift to Proserpina, queen of the Underworld. Only those fated to go to the Underworld can remove the bough. But before all that, he should bury the body of his friend that has washed up on the shore.

Having located the body of their countryman Misenus on the shore, the Trojans build a tomb for him. Aeneas prays to find the tree with the golden bough, and Venus sends two doves to help him. He finds the tree near the entrance to the Underworld, and successfully removes the bough.

The Trojans bury Misenus, then Aeneas performs sacrifices for good luck in the Underworld. The Sibyl leads Aeneas to the Underworld's entrance. Monsters and embodiments of Hunger, War, and Discord (among many others) stand before the entrance. Aeneas wants to fight them with his sword, but the Sibyl tells him that the sword will have no effect on their ghostly forms. Heading deeper into the Underworld, they reach Charon, who will ferry them across the river Styx.

The shores of the river are crowded with the ghosts of those who were not properly buried and therefore must wait a hundred years before crossing the river. Aeneas sees the ghost of Palinurus among those who are waiting. Aeneas says that Palinurus shouldn't have died, since a prophecy predicted that he'd reach Italy. In fact, Palinurus explains that after falling from the ship he did float to Italy, only to be killed by locals. He asks for a proper burial, or for Aeneas to help him cross the river. The Sibyl tells him not to cheat his fate by trying to get across the river before he is destined to, but comforts him by saying that he will be long remembered on Earth.

Charon tells Aeneas he cannot take a living person across the river, but the Sibyl displays the golden bough, and Charon ceases his objections. After crossing, the Sibyl subdues the three-headed guard dog Cerberus with drugged cake. After passing Cerberus, Aeneas and Sibyl encounter a variety of dead people, who are being categorized (babies, suicides, those who died for love, etc) or, for particularly bad people, judged for punishment. Among the dead-for-love group wanders Dido. Aeneas tells her he left her unwillingly, begging her to stay, but she angrily ignores him, and runs to Sychaeus, who "meets her love with love."

The fascinated ghosts crowd around Aeneas—except for the fallen Greeks, who are frightened of him and avoid him. Aeneas speaks with the disfigured Deiphobus, son of Priam, who describes how his wife betrayed him to the Greeks. Aeneas and the Sibyl pass the section of the Underworld devoted to tormenting the guilty souls, noting diverse methods including whips and a liver-eating vulture.

Aeneas leaves the golden bough at the gate to the happy part of the Underworld, the Elysian Fields. He and the Sibyl cross into the beautiful meadows, where the shades enjoy music, dancing, and athletic contests. They see Trojan ancestors and great poets. Aeneas asks one Trojan where he can find Anchises, and the Trojan points them to a ridge where they'll have a better view of the Elysian fields. When they find Anchises, he .joyously greets Aeneas. Aeneas explains that he came specifically to see Anchisees, and tries three times to hug Anchises, but each time the ghost fades away.

Aeneas then notices the souls crowded near a river. Anchises explains that those souls have passed a thousand years in the Underworld, and, finally cleaned of their mortal pasts, they are preparing to re-enter the world in new bodies. He points out Aeneas's descendents, who will be great kings in Italy, and eventually in Rome. Anchises describes Rome's seven hills, and how it will be blessed above all cities and will rule the world. He identifies Augustus Caesar, who will preside over a golden age and describes the greatness of other Roman heroes who will live during Augustus's rule. He then describes the great defining characteristic of Rome: "These will be your arts: to put your stamp on the works and ways of peace, to spare the defeated, break the proud in war." Aeneas asks about a particularly beautiful soul, but Anchises mourns that this soul, Marcellus, a promising nephew of Augustus, will only live a short time on Earth.

The time comes for Aeneas to leave the Underworld. There are two exits to the underworld. One is the gate of horn for true shades, and the other is the gate of ivory for false dreams. Anchises escorts Aeneas and the Sibyl to leave through the gate of false dreams.