Page images
PDF
EPUB

origin of a word, when known, is stated at the commencement of the article treating of it, if connected with another Latin, or Greek, word; at the end of it, if derived from any other source. Further still, the primary or etymological meaning is always given, within inverted commas, in Roman type, and so much also of each word's history as is needful to bring down its chain of meanings to the especial force, or forces, attaching to it in the particular “Text.”

Moreover, as an acquaintance with the principles of GRAMMAR, as well as with ETYMOLOGY, is necessary to the understanding of a language, such points of construction as seem to require elucidation are concisely explained under the proper articles, or a reference is simply made to that rule in the Public Schools Latin Primer, or in Parry's Elementary Greek Grammar, which meets the particular difficulty. It occasionally happens, however, that more information is needed than can be gathered from the above-named works. When such is the case, whatever is requisite is supplied, in substance, from Jelf's Greek Grammar, Winer's Grammar of New Testament Greek, or the Latin Grammars of Zumpt and Madvig.

LONDON: November, 1875.

ARGUMENT.

DIDO discloses to Anna her love for Æneas. Anna's reply increases her passion. Dido and Anna endeavour to propitiate certain deities by sacrifices. Dido's conduct. With the view of keeping Æneas away from Italy, Juno tries to induce Venus to consent to the marriage of Æneas and Dido. Venus, fathoming Juno's real purpose, bids her ask the consent of Jupiter, which Juno undertakes to do. Juno discloses her plan. Dido and Æneas go to a hunt. Juno raises a storm, by which Dido and Æneas are driven to take shelter in a cave, where Juno's purpose is effected. Description of the goddess Fame. Fame spreads a report, far and wide, respecting Dido and the Trojan prince. Iarbas, an African sovereign and a suitor of Dido, indignant at the preference shown to a stranger, complains to his father, Jupiter Ammon. Jupiter sends Mercury to remonstrate with Æneas, and to bid him depart to Italy. Description of Mercury's equipment and of his flight from heaven to Carthage. Mercury delivers his message. Æneas makes secret preparations for departure. Dido discovering his purpose endeavours to dissuade him from it, both personally and also through Anna. Unable to induce him to remain, prays for death. Her horrible visions. Resolves to kill herself. By false representa

tions induces Anna to erect a funeral pile, on which the arms of Æneas and her marriage-couch are placed. Other preparations for effecting her purpose. Night. Dido's reflections. Mercury appears a second time to Æneas, and urges instant departure. Æneas starting in terror from his sleep orders the Trojans to set sail at once. At day-break Dido descries from a watch-tower the Trojan fleet under sail. Her despair and rage. Prays to the gods to avenge her and to punish Æneas. Despatches Barcë, the nurse of Sichæus, for Anna. Mounts the funeral pile. Her last words. Throws herself on a sword. Alarm through the whole city. to Dido, and mounting the funeral pile stanch the blood. Dido's death-agony. sends Iris to release her struggling spirit.

Anna hastens endeavours to Juno in pity

P. VIRGILII MARONIS ENEIDOS

LIBER IV.

6

AT regina, gravi jamdudum saucia curā,
Vulnus alit venis, et cæco carpitur igni,
Multa viri virtus animo multusque recursat
Gentis honos hærent infixi pectore vultūs
Verbaque; nec placidam membris dat cura quietem.
Postera Phoebeã lustrabat lampade terras
Humentemque Aurora polo dimoverat umbram,
Quum sic unanimam alloquitur malè sana sororem:
"Anna; soror! quæ me suspensam insomnia terrent?
Quis novus hic nostris successit sedibus hospes? 10
Quem sese ore ferens ! quàm forti pectore et armis !
Credo equidem, nec vana fides, genus esse deorum.
Degeneres animos timor arguit. Heu quibus ille
Jactatus fatis! quæ bella exhausta canebat!

Si mihi non animo fixum immotumque sederet, 15
Ne cui me vinclo vellem sociare jugali,

Postquam primus amor deceptam morte fefellit ;
Si non pertæsum thalami tædæque fuisset ;

B

20

Huic uni forsan potui succumbere culpæ.
Anna, fatebor enim, miseri post fata Sichæi
Conjugis et sparsos fraternă cæde Penates,
Solus hic inflexit sensūs, animumque labantem
Impulit agnosco veteris vestigia flammæ.
Sed mihi vel tellus optem priùs ima dehiscat ;
Vel Pater omnipotens adigat me fulmine ad
umbras-

Pallentes umbras Erebi-noctemque profundam,
Antè, Pudor, quàm te violo, aut tua jura resolvo.
Ille meos, primus qui me sibi junxit, amores
Abstulit ille habeat secum servetque sepulcro."
Sic effata sinum lacrimis implevit obortis.

Anna refert: "O luce magìs dilecta sorori,
Solane perpetua mærens carpere juventā ?
Nec dulces natos, Veneris nec præmia nôris?
Id cinerem aut Manes credis curare sepultos?
Esto ægram nulli quondam flexere mariti ;
Non Libyæ, non antè Tyro: despectus Iarbas,
Ductoresque alii, quos Africa terra triumphis
Dives alit: placitone etiam pugnabis amori ?
Nec venit in mentem quorum consederis arvis ?
Hinc Gætulæ urbes, genus insuperabile bello,
Et Numidæ infreni cingunt, et inhospita Syrtis ;
Hinc deserta siti regio, latèque furentes
Barcæi. Quid bella Tyro surgentia dicam
Germanique minas ?

25

30

35

40

Dîs equidem auspicibus reor et Junone secundā 45 Huc cursum Iliacas vento tenuisse carinas.

Quam tu urbem, soror, hanc cernes, quæ surgere

regna,

« PreviousContinue »