Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
The Infernal Regions explained
Aeneas, guided by the Sibyl, descends into the underworld.
What happens
Aeneas, guided by the Sibyl, descends into the underworld. They cross the river Styx with Charon, pass Cerberus, and witness the various punishments of the damned, including those who died by their own hand, victims of unrequited love, and legendary figures like Tityus, Ixion, Sisyphus, and Tantalus. Aeneas encounters the shade of Dido and speaks with fallen heroes. Finally, they enter the Elysian fields, where Aeneas meets his father Anchises, who reveals the souls awaiting rebirth and the future glory of Rome.
Themes in this chapter
Heroism and the Quest
Aeneas's descent into the underworld is a heroic quest to seek his father and learn the destiny of his people, demonstrating courage and piety.
Mortality and Immortality
The chapter contrasts the mortal realm with the eternal punishments of Tartarus and the blessed peace of Elysium, exploring the fate of souls after death.
Fate and Free Will
Anchises reveals the predetermined future of Rome, while the punishments in Tartarus reflect moral choices made in life, highlighting the interplay of fate and personal responsibility.
Characters to notice
- Aeneas
The hero descends into the underworld guided by the Sibyl, encounters Dido, speaks with fallen warriors, and meets his father Anchises in Elysium.
- Ovid
The Sibyl, a prophetic figure, guides Aeneas through the underworld, explaining the regions and the fates of the souls.
- Dido
The shade of Dido appears in the myrtle groves of those who died for love; Aeneas addresses her but she turns away silently.
- Anchises
Anchises resides in the Elysian fields, where he shows Aeneas the souls awaiting rebirth and foretells the destiny of Rome.
- Orpheus
Orpheus is seen in Elysium, playing his lyre and producing ravishing sounds.
- Sir Palamedes
Palinurus, Aeneas's pilot, is encountered among the unburied souls; the Sibyl consoles him with a prophecy about his burial and the naming of Cape Palinurus.
Key passages
“The boat, adapted only to the light freight of bodiless spirits, groaned under the weight of the hero.”
Charon's boat, meant only for weightless souls, creaked and strained under the living hero's weight.
Highlights Aeneas's unique status as a living visitor to the underworld.
“Unhappy Dido! was then the rumor true that you had perished? and was I, alas! the cause?”
Aeneas laments upon seeing Dido's shade, acknowledging his role in her tragic death.
Shows Aeneas's guilt and sorrow over his past actions.
“Here is the judgment hall of Rhadamanthus, who brings to light crimes done in life, which the perpetrator vainly thought impenetrably hid.”
Rhadamanthus judges the dead, exposing secret sins that the guilty believed were hidden forever.
Emphasizes the theme of divine justice and accountability.
“Tityus, the giant, whose form is so immense that as he lies he stretches over nine acres, while a vulture preys upon his liver, which as fast as it is devoured grows again, so that his punishment will have no end.”
The giant Tityus lies stretched over nine acres, his liver endlessly regenerating as a vulture feasts on it, ensuring eternal torment.
Illustrates the concept of eternal punishment for transgressions against the gods.
“They are souls to which bodies are to be given in due time. Meanwhile they dwell on Lethe’s bank, and drink oblivion of their former lives.”
These are souls destined for rebirth; they linger by the river Lethe, drinking forgetfulness of their past existences.
Explains the cycle of reincarnation and the soul's journey before a new life.
