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Aeneid

A classical Roman poet, Publius Vergilius Maro authored Aeneid, a Latin epic, somewhere in 29 and 19 BC.

The poem tells the story of the Trojan hero Aeneas who traveled to Italy where he becomes the ancestor of the Romans.


Her first appearance is two thirds into Book III when Aeneas and fleet are heading for Italy not too long after leaving Buthrotum.

"Soon sank the sun, while down the shadowed hills
stole deeper gloom; then making shore, we flung
our bodies on a dry, sea-bordering sand,
couched on earth's welcome breast; the oars were ranged
in order due; the tides of slumber dark
o'erflowed our lives. But scarce the chariot
of Night (Nox) [Nyx], on wings of swift, obedient Hours [Horai],
had touched the middle sky, when wakeful sprang
good Palinurus from his pillowed stone:
with hand at ear he caught each airy gust
and questioned of the winds; the gliding stars
he called by name, as onward they advanced
through the still heaven; Arcturus he beheld,
the Hyades, rain-bringers, the twin Bears,
and vast Orion girt in golden arms."


Book V has her appear twice. The first time is through the spirit of Anchises as he finishes talking to his son, telling him to visit the "virgin Sybil".

"Farewell, for dewy Night (Nox) [Nyx] has wheeled her way
far past her middle course; the panting steeds
of orient Morn breathe pitiless upon me."


Her second appearance in Book V is not too long after, gives indication to how much time has passed and gives opening to the appearance of her son Hypnos.

"The line in close array
was led by Palinurus, in whose course
all ships were bid to follow. Soon the car
of dewy Night (Nox) [Nyx] drew near the turning-point
of her celestial round. The oarsmen all
yielded their limbs to rest, and prone had fallen
on the hard thwarts, in deep, unpillowed slumber.
Then from the high stars on light-moving wings,
the God of Sleep (Somnus)[Hypnos] found passage through the dark
and clove the gloom,--to bring upon thy head,
O Palinurus, an ill-boding sleep,
though blameless thou."


Book VI speaks of her when The Cumaean Sibyl, the priestess presiding over the Apollonian oracle, acts as a guide to the underworld for Aeneas. In preparation, sacrifices were made to Nyx, Gaia, Persephone and Hades.

"Some struck with knives, and caught in shallow bowls
The smoking blood. Aeneas' lifted hand
Smote with a sword a sable-fleeced ewe
To Night (Nox) [Nyx], the mother of th' Eumenides [Erinyes],
And Earth [Gaia], her sister dread; next unto thee,
O Proserpine (Proserpina) [Persephone], a curst and barren cow;
Then unto Pluto [Hades], Stygian King, he built
An altar dark, and piled upon the flames
The ponderous entrails of the bulls, and poured
Free o'er the burning flesh the goodly oil."

As they go forward towards the river of Styx, they encounter Kharon who speaks of Nyx and Hypnos.

"This is the place for the shadows, for Sleep [Hypnos] and slumberous Night [Nyx],
The bodies of the living may not be ferried in my [Kharon] Stygian bark."

As they make way through Hade's realm, they finally must part ways. Sibyl gives warning to Aeneas. her first sentence speaks of Nyx.

"But Sibyl spoke the warning: 'Night [Nyx] speeds by,
And we, Aeneas, lose it in lamenting.'"


Around the beginning of Book VII Hera summons the Erinys Alekto to ensure war.

"Juno [Hera] to her (Furia Alecto) [Erinys Alekto] this goading speech addressed:
'O daughter of dark Night (Nox) [Nyx], arouse for me
thy wonted powers and our task begin!...'"


A bit farther in Book VII, Aphrodite goes to her husband, Hephaistos, and persuades him to forge armour for her son Aeneas after using her charms on him. Nyx is made mention of after Hephaistos makes love to Aphrodite.

"So saying, he gave
embrace of mutual desire, and found
deep, peaceful sleep, on her fond heart reclined.
Night's course half run, soon as the first repose
had banished sleep,--what time some careful wife
whose distaff and Minerva's humble toil
must earn her bread, rekindling her warm hearth,
adds a night-burden to her laboring day,
and by the torch-light cheers her maidens on
to their long tasks; that so her husband's bed
she may in honor keep, and train to power
her dear men-children--at such prime of morn,
with not less eager mind the Lord of Fire
fled his soft couch and to his forges tried."


Near the end of Book XII is mentioned through her offspring that appear during the last battle between Aeneas and Turnus, the King of the Rutuli.

"Two plagues there be, called Furies (Furiae) [Erinyes], which were spawned
at one birth from the womb of wrathful Night (Nox) [Nyx]
with dread Megaera, phantom out of hell;
and of their mother's gift, each Fury (Furia) [Erinys] wears
grim-coiling serpents and tempestuous wings."





Book sources:
Vergil. Aeneid. Theodore C. Williams. trans. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1910.
Notes to Palgrave's Golden Treasury of Songs & Lyrics. Books I-IV. John Henry Fowler. Macmillan & Co. 1904.



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