All 50 Uses of
descend
in
The Aeneid
- Thus while the pious prince his fate bewails, Fierce Boreas drove against his flying sails, And rent the sheets; the raging billows rise, And mount the tossing vessels to the skies: Nor can the shiv'ring oars sustain the blow; The galley gives her side, and turns her prow; While those astern, descending down the steep, Thro' gaping waves behold the boiling deep.†
Book 1 (definition 1)
- Down thro' the crannies of the living walls The crystal streams descend in murm'ring falls: No haulsers need to bind the vessels here, Nor bearded anchors; for no storms they fear.†
Book 1 (definition 1)
- But we, descended from your sacred line, Entitled to your heav'n and rites divine, Are banish'd earth; and, for the wrath of one, Remov'd from Latium and the promis'd throne.†
Book 1 (definition 1)
- Soon on the Libyan shore descends the god, Performs his message, and displays his rod: The surly murmurs of the people cease; And, as the fates requir'd, they give the peace: The queen herself suspends the rigid laws, The Trojans pities, and protects their cause.†
Book 1 (definition 1)
- As they, with joy returning, clap their wings, And ride the circuit of the skies in rings; Not otherwise your ships, and ev'ry friend, Already hold the port, or with swift sails descend.†
Book 1 (definition 1)
- And widely spread ambrosial scents around: In length of train descends her sweeping gown; And, by her graceful walk, the Queen of Love is known.†
Book 1 (definition 1)
- Thus having said, he turn'd with pious haste, And joyful his expecting friends embrac'd: With his right hand Ilioneus was grac'd, Serestus with his left; then to his breast Cloanthus and the noble Gyas press'd; And so by turns descended to the rest.†
Book 1 (definition 1)
- Thus rais'd aloft, and then descending down, It enters o'er our heads, and threats the town.†
Book 2 (definition 1)
- Thus, when a flood of fire by wind is borne, Crackling it rolls, and mows the standing corn; Or deluges, descending on the plains, Sweep o'er the yellow year, destroy the pains Of lab'ring oxen and the peasant's gains; Unroot the forest oaks, and bear away Flocks, folds, and trees, and undistinguish'd prey: The shepherd climbs the cliff, and sees from far The wasteful ravage of the wat'ry war.†
Book 2 (definition 1)
- Descending thence, I scape thro' foes and fire:
Book 2 (definition 1) *descending = moving downward
- Full on the promis'd land at length we bore, With joy descending on the Cretan shore.†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- Now from the sight of land our galleys move, With only seas around and skies above; When o'er our heads descends a burst of rain, And night with sable clouds involves the main; The ruffling winds the foamy billows raise; The scatter'd fleet is forc'd to sev'ral ways; The face of heav'n is ravish'd from our eyes, And in redoubled peals the roaring thunder flies.†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- "At length her lord descends upon the plain, In pomp, attended with a num'rous train; Receives his friends, and to the city leads, And tears of joy amidst his welcome sheds.†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- These rites and customs to the rest commend, That to your pious race they may descend.†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- A human face, And virgin bosom, hides her tail's disgrace: Her parts obscene below the waves descend, With dogs inclos'd, and in a dolphin end.†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- Thus, at the length, your passage shall be free, And you shall safe descend on Italy.†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- Our fortunes, good or bad, shall be the same: The double Troy shall differ but in name; That what we now begin may never end, But long to late posterity descend.'†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- To heav'n aloft on ridgy waves we ride, Then down to hell descend, when they divide; And thrice our galleys knock'd the stony ground, And thrice the hollow rocks return'd the sound, And thrice we saw the stars, that stood with dews around.†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- His pond'rous whistle from his neck descends; His woolly care their pensive lord attends: This only solace his hard fortune sends.†
Book 3 (definition 1)
- His worth, his actions, and majestic air, A man descended from the gods declare.†
Book 4 (definition 1)
- But first let yawning earth a passage rend, And let me thro' the dark abyss descend; First let avenging Jove, with flames from high, Drive down this body to the nether sky, Condemn'd with ghosts in endless night to lie, Before I break the plighted faith I gave!†
Book 4 (definition 1)
- The rapid rains, descending from the hills, To rolling torrents raise the creeping rills.†
Book 4 (definition 1)
- Here, pois'd upon his wings, the god descends: Then, rested thus, he from the tow'ring height Plung'd downward, with precipitated flight, Lights on the seas, and skims along the flood.†
Book 4 (definition 1)
- The beach is cover'd o'er With Trojan bands, that blacken all the shore: On ev'ry side are seen, descending down, Thick swarms of soldiers, loaden from the town.†
Book 4 (definition 1)
- Once more her haughty soul the tyrant bends: To pray'rs and mean submissions she descends.†
Book 4 (definition 1)
- With fire and sword pursue the perjur'd brood;
Our arms, our seas, our shores, oppos'd to theirs;
And the same hate descend on all our heirs!
Book 4 (definition 2) *descend = passed on (down into the future)
- Meantime Acestes, from a lofty stand,
Beheld the fleet descending on the land;
Book 5 (definition 3) *descending = coming or arriving
- Not fiery coursers, in a chariot race, Invade the field with half so swift a pace; Not the fierce driver with more fury lends The sounding lash, and, ere the stroke descends, Low to the wheels his pliant body bends.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- There Ganymede is wrought with living art, Chasing thro' Ida's groves the trembling hart: Breathless he seems, yet eager to pursue; When from aloft descends, in open view, The bird of Jove, and, sousing on his prey, With crooked talons bears the boy away.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- With hands on high, Entellus threats the foe; But Dares watch'd the motion from below, And slipp'd aside, and shunn'd the long descending blow.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- He lays on load with either hand, amain, And headlong drives the Trojan o'er the plain; Nor stops, nor stays; nor rest nor breath allows; But storms of strokes descend about his brows, A rattling tempest, and a hail of blows.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- Sternly he spoke, and then confronts the bull; And, on his ample forehead aiming full, The deadly stroke, descending, pierc'd the skull.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- Swiftly fair Iris down her arch descends, And, undiscern'd, her fatal voyage ends.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- Down to the keels, and upward to the sails, The fire descends, or mounts, but still prevails; Nor buckets pour'd, nor strength of human hand, Can the victorious element withstand.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- Scarce had he said, when southern storms arise: From pole to pole the forky lightning flies; Loud rattling shakes the mountains and the plain; Heav'n bellies downward, and descends in rain.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- 'T was dead of night; when to his slumb'ring eyes His father's shade descended from the skies, And thus he spoke: "O more than vital breath, Lov'd while I liv'd, and dear ev'n after death; O son, in various toils and troubles toss'd, The King of Heav'n employs my careful ghost On his commands: the god, who sav'd from fire Your flaming fleet, and heard your just desire.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- The steeds of Night had travel'd half the sky, The drowsy rowers on their benches lie, When the soft God of Sleep, with easy flight, Descends, and draws behind a trail of light.†
Book 5 (definition 1)
- If Orpheus, arm'd with his enchanting lyre, The ruthless king with pity could inspire, And from the shades below redeem his wife; If Pollux, off'ring his alternate life, Could free his brother, and can daily go By turns aloft, by turns descend belowWhy name I Theseus, or his greater friend, Who trod the downward path, and upward could ascend?†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- Scarce had he said, when, full before his sight, Two doves, descending from their airy flight, Secure upon the grassy plain alight.†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- There Charon stands, who rules the dreary coastA sordid god: down from his hoary chin A length of beard descends, uncomb'd, unclean; His eyes, like hollow furnaces on fire; A girdle, foul with grease, binds his obscene attire.†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- You know in what deluding joys we pass'd The night that was by Heav'n decreed our last: For, when the fatal horse, descending down, Pregnant with arms, o'erwhelm'd th' unhappy town She feign'd nocturnal orgies; left my bed, And, mix'd with Trojan dames, the dances led Then, waving high her torch, the signal made, Which rous'd the Grecians from their ambuscade.†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- …talk the flying hours they pass, The sun had finish'd more than half his race: And they, perhaps, in words and tears had spent The little time of stay which Heav'n had lent; But thus the Sibyl chides their long delay: "Night rushes down, and headlong drives the day: 'T is here, in different paths, the way divides; The right to Pluto's golden palace guides; The left to that unhappy region tends, Which to the depth of Tartarus descends; The seat of night profound, and punish'd fiends."†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- In groves we live, and lie on mossy beds, By crystal streams, that murmur thro' the meads: But pass yon easy hill, and thence descend; The path conducts you to your journey's end."†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- Nor Hercules more lands or labors knew, Not tho' the brazen-footed hind he slew, Freed Erymanthus from the foaming boar, And dipp'd his arrows in Lernaean gore; Nor Bacchus, turning from his Indian war, By tigers drawn triumphant in his car, From Nisus' top descending on the plains, With curling vines around his purple reins.†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- From Alpine heights the father first descends; His daughter's husband in the plain attends: His daughter's husband arms his eastern friends.†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- Let others better mold the running mass Of metals, and inform the breathing brass, And soften into flesh a marble face; Plead better at the bar; describe the skies, And when the stars descend, and when they rise.†
Book 6 (definition 1)
- A foreign son upon thy shore descends, Whose martial fame from pole to pole extends.†
Book 7 (definition 1)
- The god began our line, who rules above; And, as our race, our king descends from Jove: And hither are we come, by his command, To crave admission in your happy land.†
Book 7 (definition 1)
- She saw the Trojan and his joyful train Descend upon the shore, desert the main, Design a town, and, with unhop'd success, Th' embassadors return with promis'd peace.†
Book 7 (definition 1)
- Tyrrheus, the foster father of the beast, Then clench'd a hatchet in his horny fist, But held his hand from the descending stroke, And left his wedge within the cloven oak, To whet their courage and their rage provoke.†
Book 7 (definition 1)
Definitions:
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(1) (descend as in: descend the mountain) move or slope downward
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(2) (descend as in: descend from royalty) figuratively, to have come down a path from the past; i.e., to originate or come from -- such as in reference to ancestors or evolutionary origins
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(3) (descend as in: thieves descended upon us) to come or arrive -- especially suddenly or from above or as an attack