Book 6

Abstract Aeneas ‘ arrival in Italy is marked by a riding metaphor ( ‘classique immittit habenas ‘); the place where he lands is ‘Euboean Cumae ‘ ( ‘Euboicis Cumarum adlabitur oris ‘). Horse and Ox (Ev{3ota< /3ov ) interact in the Aeneid. The component of Ox marks Aeneas ‘ arrival in ‘Italia ‘ ( ‘Land of Oxen ‘) while the association of Ship-sailing with Horse-riding pursues the ‘Phorbas ‘ scene of Aeneid s. Aeneas appears as a rider (horse-tamer) only metaphorically (here and in Aeneid 12). The metaphor marks Aeneas ‘ grief for the death of Palinurus (cf. 12. 499, where it conveys his wrath); and possibly it undercuts the positive aspect of arrival in Italy with the threat of war.1 Immediately upon arriving in Italy, and before pursuing his voyage of return to Latium, Aeneas seeks a reunion \Vith his father by whom he is told about the reincarnation of the souls and of his descendants destined to return to the Upperworld. Aeneas proceeds next to consult the Sibyl. The scene of the con sultation comprises Apollo ‘s temple on the citadel of Cumae and a cave ( ‘antrum ‘) cut into the rock; the temple ‘s ‘adytum ‘ and the Sibyl ‘s cave are virtually indistinguishable during the consultation, just as the prophetess ‘s voice merges with the god ‘s voice.