Aeneid, Book 6 (Death's door)

羅馬古公傳

1970 Mandelbaum, 6.174-182, p.135

Born of the blood
of gods and son of Troy's Anchises, easy ---
the way that leads into Avernus: day
and night the door of darkest Dis is open.
But to recall your steps, to rise again
into the upper air: that is the labour;
that is the task. A few, whom Jupiter
has loved in kindness or whom blazing worth
has raised to heaven as gods' sons, returned.

1981 Fitzgerald, 6.185-193, p.305

Offspring
Of gods by blood, Trojan Anchises' son,
The way downward is easy from Avernus.
Black Dis's door stands open night and day.
But to retrace your steps to heaven's air,
There is the trouble, there is the toil. A few
Whom a benign Jupiter has loved or whom
Fiery heroism has borne to heaven,
Sons of gods, could do it.

1990 West, p.118--119, 6.125--131

Trojan, son of Anchises, sprung from the blood of gods, it is easy to go down to the underworld. The door of black Dis stands open night and day. But to retrace your steps and escape to the upper air, that is the task, that is the labour. Some few have succeeded, sons of gods, loved and faoured by Jupiter or raised to the heavens by the flame of their own virtue.

2006 Fagles, p.176, 6.148-155

Born of the blood of gods, Anchises' son, / man of Troy, the descent to the Underworld is easy. / Night and day the gates of shadowy Death stand open wide, / but to retrace your steps, to climb back to the upper air --- / there the struggle, there the labour lies. Only a few, / loved by impartial Jove or borne aloft to the sky / by their own fiery virtue---some sons of the gods / have made their way.

2007 Ahl, 6.125-131, p.132

O Trojan child of Anchises, / Born from the blood of the gods, going down to Avernus is easy. / All nights, all days too, dark Dis's portals lie open. / But to recall those steps, to escape to the fresh air above you, / There lies the challenge, the labour! A few have succeeded, those people / Fair-minded Jupiter loved or whom blazing manliness wafted / High to the heavens, men born of the gods.

2008 Ruden, 6.124-131, p.121

You, Trojan of the gods' line,
Anchises' son, the road down to Avernus
Is easy. Black Dis' door gapes night and day.
The work, the effort is to walk back up
Into the open air. A few could: godborn,
Favoured by Jove, or transported skyward
by burning righteousness.

2016 Seamus Heaney, 6.171-172, p.9

Blood relation
Of gods, Torjan, son of Anchises,
It is easy to descend in to Avernus.
Death's dark door stands open day and night.
But to retrace your steps and get back to upper air,
That is the task, that is the undertaking.
Only a few have prevailed, sons of gods
Whom Jupiter favoured, or heroes exalted to glory
By their own worth.

2017 Ferry, 6.175-183, p.172

Offspring of gods, son of Anchises of Tory,
The way to Avernus is easy, the door is open,
Night and day, down to the darkness of Dis.
But how to come back, how to retrace one's steps
And return to the upper air, that is the task,
That is the labour. Only a few have been raised
Up to the heavens, because their virtue earned it,
or because, sons of the gods, Jupiter loved them,
And granted them special favour.

2021 Ruden (revised), 6.124-131, p.144

Sowed from the gods' blood, Trojan
Anchises' son! The road down to Avernus
Is easy. Black Dis' door gapes night and day.
The toil, the struggle is to walk back up
Into the open air. A few could: godborn;
Those Jove loved justly; those whose burning valor
Raised them to heaven.