Et vacet annalis nostrorum audire laborum, 373.] Macrob. Sat. 3. 2 fancies that 'annalis' is used with singular propriety, the "annales maxumi" at Rome being made by the Pontifex Maxumus, with which character Virg. is supposed to imply that Aeneas is invested. Virg.'s love of recondite half-allusions to traditions which he does not expressly adopt is unquestionable; but where, as here, there is no more than a possibility of such a reference, we may perhaps make the question one of poetical taste, which here would certainly seem to exclude anything of the sort. The word doubtless has a propriety of its own, but it is merely as suggesting the notion of a minute and rather tedious narrative. 374.] Conponat.' The MSS. authority is divided between 'conponet' (Med., Gud.) and conponat' (Rom., Pal., the latter however altered into 'conponet'), 'conponet' being further supported by quotations in Macrob., Priscian, Nonius, and other early writers. The question is argued in favour of the future indicative by Forb. against Wagn., who in his large edition supports 'conponat,' but in his smaller edition tacitly admits 'conponet.' 'Vacet,' implying that the condition will not happen, separates this passage from such as "Si fractus illabatur orbis Im. pavidum ferient ruinae " (Hor. 3 Od. 3. 7), where it is implied that the condition may very conceivably happen, as Wagn. remarks. In the only strictly parallel passage quoted, Cic. Tusc. 5. 35. 102, "Dies deficiet, si velim paupertatis caussam defendere," there is the same variety of reading as here. Being thus left to decide between the authority of MSS., which in a case like this proves little, and what would seem to be the propriety of language, I have preferred conponat.' 'Clauso Olympo,' closing the gates of heaven through which the day issues. Comp. the expression "porta caeli " G. 3. 261. Weidner refers to Il. 5. 749 foll. Conponat,' 'would lay the day to sleep.' Comp. G. 4. 189,"Post ubi iam thalamis se conposuere." 375.] Troia' with 'vectos.' See Madv. § 275. Per auris iit,' passed through your 375 Sed nunc ut repetam coeptum pertexere dictis." With the sense generally Weidner comp. Od. 15. 403, el nou ȧKOVEIS. 376.] Diversa per aequora vectos' may merely mean over various seas,' as in v. 756, "Omnibus errantem terris et fluctibus;" or we may take it with Heyne as 'out of our course.' He quotes Od. 9. 261 (which Virg. doubtless had in view, as the entire passage shows), Otkade léμevol, ăλAny dồỏv, áλλa kéλevða "Hλloμer: but the other sense of diversa' might be sup ported from the previous lines, 'Hueîs Tol Τροίηθεν ἀποπλαγχθέντες ̓Αχαιοὶ Παντοίοις ανέμοισιν ὑπὲρ μέγα λαῖτμα θαλάσσης. 377.] Forte sua' is an adaptation of the phrase 'sponte sua' to the nature of the weather. The tempest drove us hither by mere accident without any purpose of ours. Contrast Ilioneus' language to Latinus 7. 213 foll., especially "consilio " v. 216. 378.] Οd. 9. 19, Εἴμ' Οδυσεὺς Λαερτιάδης, ὃς πᾶσι δόλοισιν ̓Ανθρώποισι μέλω, καί μεν κλέος οὐρανὸν ἵκει. Classe veho mecum, fama super aethera notus. Quisquis es, haud, credo, invisus caelestibus auras 380.] Some inferior MSS. which Burm. and Heyne follow, omit 'et.' The line would then run " Italiam quaero patriam; genus ab Iove summo,' My country is Italy which I am seeking; my descent is from Jove.' Retaining et,' we must of course couple 'genus' with 'patriam.' 'I am on my way to Italy my country, and to my forefathers, sprung from Jove,' referring not to his own descent from Jove through Venus, but to that of his nation through Dardanus. Comp. 3. 129, "Cretam proavosque petamus," and see 7. 240 foll. Rom. has love magno.' 381.] Serv. considers conscendere aequor' to be said of physically climbing the sea,—“secundum physicos, qui dicunt terram inferiorem esse aqua, quia omne quod continetur supra illud est quod continet." It would be more natural to suppose that the poet referred to some commoner appearance or sensation such as the elevation of the horizon or the rising of the wave; "climbing ever up the climbing wave" (Tennyson). Conscendo' however is so completely appropriated as a technical term for embarking, being used in that sense even without an accusative, that we can hardly avoid giving it such a meaning in a connexion like this. Here as elsewhere (see on G. 2. 364) it seems that Virg. while he secured the sense 'embark' by the use of 'conscendo,' arranged his words so as to give him the advantage at the same time of some other ideas, of which that of climbing the wave just mentioned may have been one, and the notion opposed to "demittere" ("quove magis fessas optem demittere navis " 5. 29), whether of actual ascent or of effort, may have been another. Navibus' constructed as in 10. 213, “ter denis navibus ibant." 380 385 390 382.] Serv. thinks there is an allusion to the legend that Aeneas was led by the star of Venus to Italy: see note on 2.801. 'Fata,' oracles. Comp. 3. 444, " quae rupe sub ima Fata canit;" and 4. 345, "Sed nunc Italiam magnam Grynaeus Apollo, Italiam Lyciae iussere capessere sortes." The oracle itself is given 3. 94 by Apollo at Delos. an 383.] Undis Euroque' with convolsae," not, as Serv. suggests as alternative, with supersunt.' The two however come virtually to the same thing, as the meaning seems to be 'survive the strain of wind and wave.' 384.] Ignotus,' in a land where I am unknown, far from friends. 'Libyae:' he profits by Venus' information that he is in Africa, and contrasts it with the better known parts of the globe. 385.] Nec plura querentem passa should be taken together, not interfata querentem.' There seems to be a confusion between "nec plura queri passa and "nec amplius querentem passa." 387-401.]Venus assures him of a welcome from the queen, and also of the safety of his missing ships.' 387.] Od. 3. 27, οὐ γὰρ δτω Οὐ σε θεῶν αέκητι γενέσθαι τε τραφέμεν τε. In 'quisquis es' Venus seems to speak as a Tyrian maiden, to whom the history of Troy is unknown. 'Auras vitalis' is common in Lucr., 3. 405, 575., 5. 857., 6. 1227. 389.] The commentators have been unable to find instances of "se perferre ad aliquem locum." "Se ferre ad aliquem locum" however is common enough, and "per" is naturally prefixed here as Aeneas is bidden to go on till he reaches the palace. 390.] The namque' refers to her injunction to go straight without further anxiety to the palace. Relatam' is to be Nuntio et in tutum versis aquilonibus actam, explained by reduces,' 'brought back to haven.' A few MSS. have receptam.' 391.] The wind has shifted, and instead of driving it into danger now drives it into safety. 392.] Vani,' false pretenders. Comp. 2. 80, "vanum etiam mendacemque inproba finget." She sees the swans, and professes to interpret the omen on the spot by the rules her parents have given her. The parents are those of the supposed huntress, not, as Donatus, "maiores nostri." 393.] The swans are the birds of Venus, and their number is that of the missing ships. Serv. quotes Aemilius Macer in his ὀρνιθογονία, Cycnus in augurio nautis gratissimus augur: Hunc optant semper, quia nunquam mergitur undis." Agmine,' in order,' is opposed to 'turbabat,' and explained by 'ordine longo.' Comp. agmen in v. 186, contrasted with "miscet" in v. 191. Connect laetantis agmine,' in jubilant order.' 394.]Aetheria lapsa plaga,' 'swooping from the sky; the aetheria plaga' being higher than the' caelum.' Aperto caelo,' 'the wide air,' harmonizing with 'turbabat.' As Forb. remarks, it is parallel to the wide ocean over which the ships were tossed. Forb. well comp. Ov. M. 6. 692, "Idem ego [Boreas], cum fratres caelo sum nactus aperto (Nam mihi campus is est), tanto molimine luctor." 396.] This line seems to answer in structure and therefore probably in sense to v. 400. Its meaning has been the subject of much controversy; the word 'capere' being variously understood either as to settle on or to mark out for settling ("capere oculis"), which latter would agree with the military sense of "locum capere." The difficulty in each case consists in the words 'captas despectare,' which could not very naturally, as Henry thinks, stand for the action of the swans rising again and 395 hovering over the place where they had settled, while Wagn.'s view (in his smaller edition), that some mark their ground, others look down on it after having marked it, is open to the obvious objection that such a distinction could not possibly be observed or pointed out by a spectator. It seems best then, with Burm., to take captas in the sense of " captas ab altera cycnorum parte," so that the sense would be, 'some alight, others still hover in the air and look down on those who have alighted.' 'Iam' expresses that they are just looking down on their companions and already preparing to follow them. 'Coetu cinxere polum 'is no objection to this interpretation, as Henry thinks, those words being evidently ornamental and only vaguely descriptive. Ribbeck's 'capsos respectare' ('respectare,' Pal.) is a sufficiently unhappy conjecture, introducing a most un-Virgilian word. Captos' however is read by Pal. (corrected) and Gud. ་ 397.] This and the following line express no more than the joy of the swans at their safety, the exact parallel between the swans and the ships having been anticipated at v. 396. As surely as the swans are rejoicing in their safety, so surely shall you see your ships safe again.' Reduces answers to 'reduces' in v. 390, the swans rallied from their confusion corresponding to the Trojans returning to port after the storm. Hom. has a simile from an eagle swooping on a flock of swans, Il. 15. 690. 398.] Cinxere polum' like "cinxerunt aethera nimbi " 5. 13, though there is probably a notion of the swans wheeling about. 399.] Puppesque tuae pubesque tuorum tenet' = pubes tuorum cum puppibus tuis tenet." I. 1. 179, Oĭkad' iwv ovv vnvol te oŶs kal σoîs étápotov. Tuorum' is distinguished from 'tune' merely for variety's sake. Aut portum tenet, aut pleno subit ostia velo. 401.] "Quo via ducit " E. 9. 1. 402417.] Aeneas discovers his mother as she leaves him. She makes him and Achates invisible.' 402.] "Roseum os" is attributed to Venus 2. 593. Comp. Hor. 1 Od. 13. 2, "Telephi cervicem roseam.' Comp. also Anacreon, 53, 'Pododákтvλos μèv 'Hús, 'Poδοπήχεις δὲ Νύμφαι, Ροδόχρους δ' ̓Αφροδίτη. Ροδοδάκτυλος ήώς in Homer is not a parallel, as the colour there does not stand simply for beauty. In Il. 3. 396 the first of several marks by which Helen recognizes Aphrodite is the beauty of her neck. Avertens' v. 104 above. Refulsit' probably expresses the sudden burst of splendour. Comp. v. 588 below, 2. 590, Hor. 1 Od. 12. 27, and Pers, Prol. 12. 403.] Divinum odorem.' Comp. Oetov doμns veûμa Eur. Hipp. 1391, and Ov. F. 5. 375, "tenuis secessit (dea) in auras; Man. sit odor; posses scire fuisse deam." Fragrance such as the gods diffuse.' Otherwise we might have expected 'divino vertice,' as the passage is evidently imitated from II. 1. 529, 'Aμßpóσiai d' apa xaîraι ἐπερρώσαντο ἄνακτος Κρατὸς ἀπ ̓ ἀθανά TOLO. 404.] Her short hunting tunic ("nuda genu v. 320) changed into the flowing robe ("palla") characteristic of a god or goddess. Comp. Tibull. 3. 4. 35 (of Apollo), "Ima videbatur talis illudere palla," Prop. 4. 17. 32 (of Bacchus), "Et feries nudos veste fluente pedes," &c. 400 405 410 then in her proper person, 2. 589. The expression must therefore refer to the feeling that he has been generally mocked and baffled. Falsis imaginibus' may be equivalent to "fallendo imagines," by assuming shapes not your own, by counterfeiting shapes, as in v. 683, though the contrast would still be intended with 'verae voces.' 408.] Ulysses (Od. 11. 211, which Virg. evidently had in his mind) wishes to embrace his mother, piλas wepì xeîpe Baλόντε. But Andromache (Il. 6. 206) presses Hector's hand. 409.] Veras,' without disguise on the one part or mistake on the other. The line is imitated from Catull. 62 (64). 166, "Nec missas audire queunt nec reddere voces." 411.] Aer' is here used in the sense of the Homeric anp, 'mist,' which sense however Virg. could only determine by the addition of the epithet obscuro.' See on 5. 20, "in nubem cogitur aer." This and the three following lines are an imitation of Od. 7. 14-17. See also Apoll. R. 3. 210 foll. 412.] Nebulae amictu:' from Il. 15. 308, eiμévos wμouv vepéλny, imitated by Hor. 1 Od. 2. 31, "Nube candentis humeros amictus." There is a tmesis in circum fudit,' as 'fudit' alone would have required" multum amictum." 'Dea' is added rhetorically, expressing the divine power exerted in the action of the quae line. 405.] Incessu.' Comp. v. 46, divom incedo regina," and 5. 647. 407.] Quoque,' as Forb. says, is to be taken with crudelis,' not with 'ludis.' Comp. Ε. 8. 50. Totiens: Venus has only appeared once before to Aeneas, and So exactly vv. 691, 692 below. Comp. also vv. 195, 196 above. The use of the word here may very possibly have been suggested to Virg. by Il. 3. 380 foll., τὸν δ ̓ ἐξήρπαξ ̓ ̓Αφροδίτη Ρεῖα μάλ', ὥστε θεός· ἐκάλυψε δ ̓ ἄρ ̓ ἠέρι πολλῇ. Cernere ne quis eos, neu quis contingere posset, Corripuere viam interea, qua semita monstrat. 414.] The sense of moliri moram may be either to plan or compass delay ("Insidias avibus moliri" G. 1. 270) or to create an obstacle ("moles"). Comp. generally 6. 488, from which the Longobardic and a few other MSS. read discere' here. 415.] 'Sublimis,' through the air. "Sublimis abit" occurs Livy 1. 16, of the ascent of Romulus, Id. ib. 34, of the eagle that took off Tarquin's cap. Virg. was thinking of Od. 6. 41, as well as of the passage quoted on the next line. 416.] Laeta' probably to be contrasted with "tristior" v. 228. Heyne and Wagn. take it as having reference to her love for Paphos. Serv. suggests that lacta' is the fixed epithet of Venus; and piλoμMeidhs actually occurs in the passage quoted immediately below, from which this is verbally imitated. Virg. however cannot have meant laeta' for a fixed epithet, though it is possible that he may have mistaken the character of the fixed epithet, and supposed that it was meant to have a special reference to the context, like some of the critics on Homer. Henry (Class. Mus.) once thought it more poetical to make 'calent' the verb to templum' as well as 'arae' than to understand est' with templum.' But the words are clearly imitated from Od. 8. 362, 'H 8' apa Κύπρον ἵκανε φιλομμειδής Αφροδίτη Ες Πάφον· ἔνθα δέ οἱ τέμενος, βωμός τε θυήεις, where Ovneis answers to calent' and halant' here. How Virg. came to develope the single altar of Hom. into a hundred does not appear: probably it arose from his turn for amplifying, as in G. 3. 18, A. 4. 199. The commentators observe that sacrifices of blood were not offered to Venus, citing Tac. H. 2. 3 (in Catull. 64 (66). 90 foll. the reading and interpretation are doubtful). Horace however, 1 Od. 19. 16, and 4 Od. 11. 7, refers to a 415 420 different practice. Sertis,' festoons. 418-440.] As they enter the city, they see the Carthaginians building, as busy as bees in spring.' 418.] For 'corripuere' see note on G. 3. 104. Qua semita monstrat,' like "qua te ducit via," v. 401. Elsewhere 'via' and semita' are opposed, as a main road' and 'a bye-path' (see Forc.); here 'via' is general, semita' particular. 419.] Plurimus urbi imminet,' 'hangs with mighty mass over the city.' Heyne comp. "plurima cervix," G. 3. 52. 420.] The words adversas adspectat' may contain a notion of the height of the buildings rising to meet the mountain which looks down on them. ་ 421.] Comp. Od. 7. 43, where Ulysses first sees the city of the Phacacians. Virgil too may have had his eye on Apoll. R. 3. 215 foll. Molem,' the vast buildings. Hor. 3 Od. 29. 10, "Fastidiosam desere copiam et Molem propinquam nubibus arduis." Magalia,' apparently the same as "mapalia" G. 3. 310, where see note. The word, which is a Punic one, occurs again 4. 259, Plaut. Poen. prol. 86. In these two places it seems simply to mean suburbs (comp. the fragments of Sall. and Cassius Hemina cited by Serv.); here there is evidently a disparaging sense intended, as we should say, mere huts. The contrast, as Serv. remarks, is in the poet's own mind, not in that of Aeneas. Comp. 8. 360. · 422.] Strepitum,' the hum of the crowded streets. "Omitte mirari beatae Fumum et opes strepitumque Romae," Hor. 1. c. 'Strata viarum' is from Lucr. 1. 315 (where see Munro), 4. 415. Paved streets.' The expression, which, as Madv. (§ 284, obs. 5) remarks, hovers between the partitive notion and that of quality, is used more boldly by Lucr. than by Virg., c. g. " prima virorum.” |