batch.motif.roman-aeneid-mackail-gutenberg-l4267-l4357
---
record_id: batch.motif.roman-aeneid-mackail-gutenberg-l4267-l4357
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
passage_locator:
label: BOOK SIXTH / THE VISION OF THE UNDER WORLD / BOOK SEVENTH / THE LANDING IN
LATIUM, AND THE ROLL OF THE ARMIES OF ITALY; lines 4267-4357
start: '4267'
end: '4357'
translation: The Aeneid of Virgil
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'After Caieta''s burial, Aeneas sails from the haven. The Trojans pass
the coast of Circe, whose magic has transformed men into beasts, and Neptune gives
them winds to avoid her shore. At dawn they enter the Tiber. The poet invokes
Erato and turns to Latium, where King Latinus faces omens concerning his daughter
Lavinia: bees swarm on a sacred laurel, Lavinia''s hair catches fire at the altar,
and Faunus'' oracle commands that she not marry a local husband but receive foreign
sons whose descendants will rule widely.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Caieta, described as Aeneas' nurse, is honoured after death by rites, a grave
mound, and a place-name on the shore.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Aeneas leaves the haven by sail after the seas become calm.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The Trojans pass the shores of Circe's land at night, where her house shines
with burning cedarwood and sounds of captive beasts are heard.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Circe has changed men in face and body into wild beasts by potent herbs.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Neptune supplies favourable winds so the Trojans avoid Circe's haven and dangerous
shore.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: At dawn, Aeneas sees a forest and the Tiber flowing through it to the sea,
and orders the ships toward land.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: The poet invokes Erato before narrating the kings, circumstances, and coming
wars of Latium.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Latinus is an aged king of Latium, genealogically linked through Faunus, Marica,
Picus, and Saturn.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: Latinus has no living male heir, and his daughter Lavinia is of marriageable
age with many suitors, especially Turnus.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: A sacred laurel in Latinus' palace is associated with Phoebus and with the
naming of the Laurentines.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:11
text: Bees gather on the top of the sacred laurel and hang together from its branches.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:12
text: An unnamed prophet interprets the bees as indicating a foreigner and an army
that will come from the same quarter and rule in the fortress.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:13
text: While Lavinia stands beside her father at the altars, her hair and clothing
appear to catch fire, and fire spreads through the palace.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:14
text: The fiery sign is reported as predicting fame and fortune for Lavinia and
a great war for her people.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:15
text: Latinus seeks an oracle from Faunus at the groves under Albunea, where suppliants
sleep on fleeces of slaughtered sheep and receive voices and visions.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:16
text: Faunus' voice tells Latinus not to marry his daughter locally, but to expect
foreign sons whose descendants will raise the Latin name and rule broadly.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:17
text: Rumour spreads Faunus' answer among the Ausonian cities before the Trojans
moor their fleet on the grassy river bank.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Caieta
description: Aeneas' nurse, honoured after death on the shore.
role_refs:
- role:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Aeneas
description: Leader who performs rites for Caieta, sails onward, sees the Tiber,
and orders the fleet to land.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Trojans / children of Laomedon
description: The seafaring people with Aeneas, protected from Circe's shore and
later mooring their fleet by the river bank.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:10
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Circe
description: Daughter of the Sun dwelling on the shore, singing at her loom and
transforming men into beasts with herbs.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Neptune
description: Sea god who gives the Trojans favourable winds and carries them past
Circe's shallows.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Erato
description: Divine muse invoked by the poet before the account of Latium and the
wars.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Latinus
description: Aged king of Latium, father of Lavinia, descendant of Faunus' line,
and seeker of Faunus' oracle.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Lavinia
description: Daughter of Latinus, of marriageable age, associated with the altar
fire omen and the foreign-marriage oracle.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Turnus
description: Foremost suitor of Lavinia, of long and lordly ancestry.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Faunus
description: Father of Latinus' line and oracular speaker who gives counsel in the
night.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Marica
description: Nymph of Laurentum named in Latinus' ancestry.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Picus
description: Ancestor in Latinus' line, father of Faunus.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Saturn
description: Named as first source of Latinus' ancestral blood through Picus.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Unnamed prophet
description: Interpreter who explains the bee swarm on the palace laurel as a sign
of a foreigner and an army.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:15
name_or_label: Phoebus
description: Divine recipient to whom Latinus is said to have dedicated the sacred
laurel.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:16
name_or_label: Rumour
description: Personified agency that carries Faunus' answer through the Ausonian
cities.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
roles:
- id: role:1
label: deceased nurse and local honoree
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Caieta is called Aeneas' nurse and receives funeral honour and a name marking
her resting-place.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: voyaging Trojan leader
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Aeneas directs rites, sails onward, sees the Tiber, and orders the prows
toward land.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- id: role:3
label: foreign seafaring army
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The Trojans sail past Circe's coast and are later identified with the children
of Laomedon mooring at the river bank.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:10
- id: role:4
label: divine transformer
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Circe is described as divine and as having changed men into wild beasts by
herbs.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: protective sea god
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Neptune gives winds and escape so the Trojans avoid Circe's dangerous shore.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: invoked poetic muse
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The poet addresses Erato and asks the divine one to inspire the narration.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:7
label: aged king and oracle seeker
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Latinus rules Latium, is troubled by omens, and seeks Faunus' oracle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:8
- id: role:8
label: marriageable daughter and omen bearer
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Lavinia is the king's daughter, sought in marriage, and is the focus of the
altar-fire omen and oracle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: role:9
label: foremost local suitor
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Turnus is named fairest and foremost among Lavinia's suitors.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: ancestral oracle speaker
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: Faunus is part of Latinus' genealogy and gives an oracle in the night.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:9
- id: role:11
label: genealogical ancestor
assigned_to:
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:13
basis: Marica, Picus, and Saturn are named in the royal ancestry of Latinus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:12
label: omen interpreter
assigned_to:
- fig:14
basis: The prophet announces the meaning of the bee swarm on the laurel.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:13
label: deity of dedication
assigned_to:
- fig:15
basis: The palace laurel is said to have been dedicated to Phoebus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:14
label: spreader of prophetic news
assigned_to:
- fig:16
basis: Rumour is said to carry Faunus' answer among the Ausonian cities.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: honoured grave and place-name
literal_form: Caieta's resting-place, grave mound, and name on the shore
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: water route to Latium
literal_form: high seas, moonlit sea, Tiber stream, river bank
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:10
- id: sym:3
label: transformed wild beasts
literal_form: lions, bears, swine, and wolves that were once men
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: sacred laurel
literal_form: laurel of sacred foliage in Latinus' palace, dedicated to Phoebus
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:15
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:5
label: bee swarm omen
literal_form: bees hanging with interlinked feet from the laurel bough
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:14
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:6
label: altar fire in Lavinia's hair
literal_form: flame in Lavinia's tresses, attire, circlet, and palace
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:7
label: oracle grove and holy well
literal_form: groves under Albunea, holy well, dim vapour, night voices
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:8
label: incubation fleeces and sacrifice
literal_form: hundred woolly ewes and spread fleeces used for sleeping in the oracle
rite
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:10
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Caieta's burial and departure by sea
summary: Caieta receives rites and a grave mound; Aeneas sails away from the haven
by night.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Passage past Circe's shore
summary: The fleet passes Circe's land, hears beasts that were once men, and is
carried safely past by Neptune's favourable winds.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Entry into the Tiber
summary: At dawn Aeneas sees the forest and Tiber, turns the ships toward land,
and enters the shady river.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Invocation before the Latian war narrative
summary: The narrator invokes Erato and announces a larger account of kings, armies,
and wars in Italy.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Latinus' household and blocked marriage
summary: Latinus' ancestry and lack of a male heir are stated; Lavinia has many
suitors, but heavenly omens obstruct the marriage to Turnus.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:13
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:6
label: Palace omens of bees and fire
summary: Bees swarm on the sacred laurel and are interpreted as a sign of a foreign
army; Lavinia's hair catches fire and is interpreted as foretelling fame for her
and war for the people.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:14
- fig:15
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:7
label: Oracle incubation and command of foreign marriage
summary: Latinus performs sacrifice at Faunus' oracle, sleeps on the fleeces, and
hears the command not to give Lavinia to a local husband but to accept foreign
sons whose line will rule widely.
figure_refs:
- fig:7
- fig:8
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:8
label: Rumour before the Trojan landing
summary: The oracle's answer spreads through Ausonian cities as the Trojans moor
on the grassy bank of the river.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:16
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: safe passage past a dangerous enchantress
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: Circe's magic has transformed men into beasts, but Neptune prevents the Trojans
from entering her haven and carries them past.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy label is applied to the transformation episode; Circe herself
is not said to change her own shape in this passage.
- id: motif:2
label: arrival by water at destined territory
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: Aeneas leaves the prior haven, sails through the night, and directs the fleet
into the Tiber at Latium.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage shows a voyage stage and landing rather than the initial departure
of the whole epic journey.
- id: motif:3
label: sacred tree omen of foreign rule
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_tree_axis
basis: A sacred laurel in the palace, dedicated to Phoebus, receives a sudden swarm
of bees; the prophet interprets this as a foreigner and army coming to rule in
the fortress.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The laurel is sacred and central to the royal citadel, but the passage
does not explicitly make it a cosmic axis.
- id: motif:4
label: fiery omen on a bride-to-be
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Lavinia, the marriageable daughter, catches fire in hair and attire while
at the altars; the sign is interpreted as fame for her and war for her people.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied motif-family taxonomy exactly matches this omen without overinterpretation.
- id: motif:5
label: oracle incubation through sacrifice and dream-vision
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: Latinus seeks Faunus' answer by sacrifice and sleeping on sheep fleeces in
a sacred grove, where suppliants hear voices, see phantoms, and converse with
divine and underworld powers.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the specific practice is divinatory incubation.
- id: motif:6
label: foreign marriage as source of imperial lineage
taxonomy_refs:
- royal_legitimacy
basis: Faunus commands Latinus not to choose a local marriage for Lavinia and foretells
foreign sons whose descendants will raise the name to heaven and rule the world
under the sun.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: The motif is dynastic and prophetic; the passage does not present an actual
marriage ceremony.
- id: motif:7
label: omens announcing war before settlement
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The bee omen and Lavinia's fire omen are interpreted as signs of a foreign
army, future rule, fame, and a great war for the people before the Trojans moor
their fleet.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: This is a passage-level pattern rather than a supplied named taxonomy
family.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 4267-4278
quote_or_summary: Caieta, Aeneas' nurse, gives the shore renown in death; rites
are paid, the mound is smoothed, and Aeneas sails away from the haven.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 4278-4296
quote_or_summary: The fleet passes Circe's land; her house glows at night, beasts
rage in pens, and Circe has transformed men into wild beasts with herbs; Neptune
gives winds so the Trojans avoid her shore.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 4297-4306
quote_or_summary: At dawn, Aeneas sees a forest and the Tiber flowing to the sea;
birds fill the banks, and he orders the ships toward land into the shady river.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 4308-4317
quote_or_summary: The poet invokes Erato and announces the narration of kings, circumstances,
battle preludes, wars, and Italian armies.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 4318-4330
quote_or_summary: Latinus rules in peace, is descended from Faunus, Marica, Picus,
and Saturn, lacks a living son, and has one marriageable daughter sought by many,
especially Turnus, though omens block the match.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 4330-4340
quote_or_summary: A sacred laurel in the palace, dedicated to Phoebus, is covered
by a sudden swarm of bees; a prophet says a foreigner and army will come and reign
in the fortress.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 4340-4349
quote_or_summary: Lavinia stands beside Latinus feeding the altars when her hair,
attire, and circlet catch fire; the sign is said to foretell glory for her and
great war for her people.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 4349-4354
quote_or_summary: Latinus visits Faunus' oracle in the groves under Albunea; Italian
tribes seek answers there by gifts, sleep on fleeces of slaughtered sheep, see
phantoms, hear voices, and speak with gods and Acheron.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 4354-4357
quote_or_summary: 'After sacrificing a hundred ewes and lying on their fleeces,
Latinus hears Faunus'' voice: do not unite the daughter in Latin marriage; foreigners
will come as sons, and their descendants will rule widely.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: '4357'
quote_or_summary: Faunus' answer spreads by Rumour through Ausonian cities before
the children of Laomedon moor their fleet at the grassy river bank.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/aeneid-mackail.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary derived from supplied passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is strongly supported by the supplied passage. Motif taxonomy
assignments are cautious where available categories are broad. No comparison claims
were added because the passage itself does not explicitly compare these events
to another tradition or motif family.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Used only the supplied passage and metadata. Candidate motifs are passage-level and evidence-linked; unsupported comparisons are omitted.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:roman-aeneid-mackail-gutenberg__l4267-l4357
passage_sha256=c520c532f8393be436d50236f5090ea9cdc7b035a491528f842dcc0a61b07939