Properata malis inopina senectus et dolor, jussit inesse suam.
Hastened by misfortune, unexpected (inopina) old age and suffering, uninvited, arrived (appointed [iubeo, jussit, appoint]themselves [suam] to be in; in-sum, inesse, to be in).

Intempestiui funduntur capillae cani et tremit effeto corpore laxa cutis. 
Untimely, I got white (cani) hair, and loose skin quivers (tremit) on my exhausted body (effeto corpore).

Eheu, quam surda miseros avertitur aure et flentes oculos claudere negat.
Alas, who averts ears (avertitur aure) to silent misery (surda miseros) and refuses to close (claudere) eyes that weep.

Haec dum mecum tacitus ipse reputarem, mihi supra verticem visa est mulier reverendi admodum vultus, oculis ardentibus.
While I was pondering this in silence, above the top of my head (verticem) appeared (visa, video) woman whose entire looks (admodum vultus) inspired awe (reverendi), whose eyes burned with inner fire.

Vestes erant tenuissimis filis subtili artificio indissolubili materia perfectae.
Her clothing was made with the thinest (tenuissimis) thread by subtle workmanship from indestructible (indissolubili ) perfect material.

Harum in extremo margine Pi graecum, in supremo Theta legebatur. 
The lower hem of her (dress) was embroided with the Greek letter Pi, the upper with Theta.
(the first letters of the Greek words denoting Practical and Theoretical, the two divisions of philosophy).

Intextum atque inter utrasque litteras in scalarum modum gradus quidam insigniti videbantur,
Between these two letters there were ladder-like grades (modum gradus) conspicuously visible,

quibus ab inferiore ad superius elementum esset ascensus.
to ascent from the inferior to the superior.

Et dextra quidem eius libellos, sceptrum uero sinistra gestabat.
In her right hand she carried books, in her left hand she had a scepter.

At ego, cuius acies lacrimis mersa caligaret nec dinoscere possem quaenam haec esset mulier tam imperiosae auctoritatis.
For my part, my eyes were dimmed with tears, and I could not discern who was this woman of such commanding power.


Obstupui visuque in terram defixo quidnam deinceps esset actura exspectare tacitus coepi.
Stupefied (ob-stupeo), looking (visuque, video) to the ground, in silence I began (tacitus coepi) to expect what (quidnam) subsequently (deinceps)will happen (esset actura).

Tum illa propius accedens in extrema lectuli mei parte consedit.
Then she approached nearer and sat down upon the end of my couch.

Meumque intuens vultum luctu grauem atque in humum maerore deiectum,
Looking on (intuens) my facial expression (vultum) with grief (luctu) heavy (gravo, grauem) and to the ground dejected (deiectum) by sorrow (maeror),

his de nostrae mentis perturbatione conquesta est:
then complained over the perturbed state of my mind:

Hic quondam caelo liber aperto.
He once has been free under the open skies.

 
Suetus in cernebat lumina solis et uisebat gelidae sidera lunae.
He used to watch light of the sun and contemplate coldness of the moon.

Unde hesperias sidus casurum rutilo surgat ab ortu, 
Where does the evening star fall to rise again in the east;

Quid ueris placidas temperet horas ut terram roseis floribus ornet,
What is the cause of seasons that in spring cover the earth with rose-blossoms;

Quis dedit ut pleno fertilis anno autumnus gravidis influat uvis rimari botros atque latentis naturae varias reddere causas:
Why, in the years of plenty, autumn is heavy with (gravidus, gravidis) and overflows (influat) with teeming (uvis, uvidus, moist rimari, rimor, to tear up) vines: he wanted to investigate these causes and to reveal nature's secrets.

Nunc effeto lumine mentis et pressus grauibus colla catenis decliuem, stolidam cernere terram.
Now, mental faculties exhausted (effeto), neck in heavy (grauibus, gravo) chains inclined down (declivis), the dull (stolidus) earth is all he can see (cerno, perceive, see).

Tum vero totis in me intenta luminibus:
Then fixing her eyes wholy on me, she said:

Tune ille es, ait, qui nostro quondam lacte nutritus, nostris educatus alimentis in virilis animi robur euaseras?
Are you that who was once fed by my milk, nourished (alimentis) by my learning, until your robust (robur) virile spirit appeared (euaseras, evado, come out, escaped)? 

Agnoscisne me? Quid taces?
Do you recognize me? Why do you keep silence?

Cumque me non modo tacitum sed elinguem prorsus mutumque vidisset, ammouit pectori meo leniter manum et:

When she saw (vidisset) that I was not only silent, but speechless (elinguem) and utterly (prorsus) mute (mutum, mutumque), she put her hand gently upon my breast, and said,'

Nihil, inquit, pericli est.

There is no danger.

Haec dixit oculosque meos fletibus undantes contracta in rugam veste siccauit.

So saying, she folded (contracta in rugam, contracted into wrinkles) her robe and dried my swelling (undantes) moist eyes.

Tunc liquerunt nocte tenebrae et ego rediit vigor.
Then disappeared (liqueo, liquerunt, to go away) night's shadows and I regained (redeo, rediit, return) my strength.