Final answer:
In Virgil's 'Aeneid,' Aeneas asks the Sibyl about the location of Anchises as they journey through the underworld. The Sibyl, acting as Aeneas's guide, facilitates his search for his father, showing that this character fulfills the role of the guide in the katabasis tradition.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the narrative of Virgil's Aeneid, Sibyl is asked by Aeneas for the whereabouts of his father Anchises in the underworld. This occurs during their journey through the afterlife, highlighting Sibyl's role as a guide. The scene parallels various traditions of the katabasis, including Orphic and Judeo-Christian influences, where a guide often accompanies the protagonist on a descent into the underworld.
These encounters are marked by exchanges that involve the guide explaining to the inquiring protagonist the nature or identity of what they encounter, as with Aeneas inquiring about the souls on the bank of the river, to which Sibyl responds with information about who they are.
The inquiry into the whereabouts of Anchises serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative, with Sibyl facilitating the progression of the hero's journey through the realm of the dead, adding depth to the epic's exploration of fate, family, and the endurance of the human spirit.