Regina è speculis, ut primùm albescere lucem ventes comas, ait: Proh 590 pient Ferte citi flammas, date vela, impellite remos. 594 aiunt 600 597. Decuit te tum Tum decuit, cùm sceptra dabas. En dextra, fidesque ! cogitare de his, cùm da- Quem secum patrios aiunt portare Penates! bas sceptra tua perfido Quem subiisse humeris confectum ætate parentem! homini. En dextra, fidesque illius, quem Non potui abreptum divellere corpus, et undis. Spargere? non socios, non ipsum absumere ferro 601. Non potui absu- Ascanium, patriisque epulandum apponere mensis? mere socios, non potui Verùm anceps pugnæ fuerat fortuna: fuisset. absumere Ascanium ipsum ferro, apponereque Quem metui moritura? faces in castra tulissem: Implêssemque foros flammis: natumque patremque 605 606. Ego ipsa dedis- Cum genere extinxêm: memet super ipsa dedissem. sem memet super eos. Sol, qui terrarum flammis opera omnia lustras ; Tuque, harum interpres curarum et conscia, Juno, Nocturnisque, Hecate, triviis ululata per urbes, eum, NOTES. 587. Velis æqualis: the sails were equally distended on each side of the mast. This shows that the wind blew fair, and directly after them in nautical phrase, wing and wing. 593. Diripient alii: will not others tear iny ships from the docks, and go in pursuit of him? 596. Nunc impia facta. Mr. Davidson observes that this is the reading of the Cambridge edition, founded on the authority of Probus and the Codex Mediceus; and it makes the sense obvious. By impia facla, we are to understand the violation of her faith to Sichæus, and her amours with Eneas; by which she brought on herself infamy and disgrace. Now she feels the weight of those actions, and the punishment due to her deeds. Rumus and others, who read fala, take impia in the sense of crudelia. Nunc ultima fala, dura sors, suprema dies instant tibi, says Ruæus. Heyne and Davidson read facta. 599. Subiisse: to have carried, or borne upon his shoulders. 600. Divellere. There is here an allusion to the manner in which the Bacchanals tore the bodies of Orpheus and Pentheus in pieces. 602. Apponere: served him up to be feasted upon at his father's table Reference is here had to the story of Progne, who, to be revenged upon Tereus, for his cruel treatment of her sister Philomela, served up his son Itys for him at a banquet. See Ecl. vi. 78. 603. Fortuna: in the sense of eventus. 604. Moritura: in the sense of cùm decreverim mori. Castra: in the sense of classem. 605. Foros: the decks or hatches of his ships. Extinxêm: by syn, for extinxissem : in the sense of interfecissem. 607. Sol. Dido invokes the sun, either because he is the supporter of life in general, or because, surveying all things here below, could be a witness of her wrongs; Juno, because she was the goddess of marriage; and Hecate, because she presided over magic rites; the Furies, because they were the avengers of wrongs. Flammis: in the sense of luce. 608. Interpres: interpreter of these my cares (sorrows) and conscious of my wrongs. Servius takes interpres to mean, witness, judge, or arbitress. Ruæus interprets curarum by nuptialium negotiorum. 609. Hecate ululata: Hecate invoked, or called upon, &c. When Pluto ravished Proserpine, or Hecate, her mother Cercs traversed the earth in search of her with lighted torches, siopping at those places where two or three ways met, to invoke her name, which she did with a doleful outcry. Hence it became a custom in her sacred rites, for the matrons, on certain days, to go about the streets and crossways, filling the air with shrieks and howlings. Nocturnis triviis. The epithet nocturnis is used, because the rites of Hecate were celebrated in the night, and in a place where three ways met. See 511, supra. 611. Advertite: turn a due regard to my misfortunes. Ruus and others understand by malis, the wicked, to wit, the Trojans. But this seems not to agree with the tenor of the subject. Rumus says: applicate numen meritum à sceleratis huc. Heyne, on the other hand, says: advertite vestrum numen (vim et potestatem) contra improbos et impios Trojanos. Davidson renders the words: turn your divine regard to my wrongs. 613. Caput: properly, the head; by synec. the whole body-here, Eneas. 614. Hæret in the sense of fixus sil. 615. At bello vexatus. It was a prevailing opinion among the ancients, that the prayers of the dying were generally heard, and their last words prophetic. Thus Virgil makes Dido imprecate upon Æneas a series of misfortunes, which actually had their accomplishment in his own person, or in his posterity. After his arrival in Italy, he was engaged in a war with Turnus, a bold and warlike prince. He was torn from the embrace of his son, and as it were an exile, forced to go to Etruria, to implore the assistance of Evander. See En, viii. 80. He saw his friends slain, and lie dead before his eyes. It is said he submitted to the terms of a disadvantageous peace with king Latinus, among which it was stipulated that the Trojans should abandon their native language, drop their appellation, and adopt that of the Latins. In the third year after 612. Si necesse est infandum caput tangere portus, ac 615. At vexatus bello et armis audacis populi, extorris suis finibus, avulsus complexû lüli 624. Esto nullus amor 625 his populis, nec sunto 628. Imprecor litora contraria litoribus, undas contrarias fluctibus, arma contraria arínis : this treaty, in a war with the Tuscans, he was himself slain (ut plerique tradunt) by Mezentius their king, on the banks of the river Numicus, where his body was left unburied, and finally carried off by its waters, and never more seen. The Romans and Carthaginians were bitter enemies to each other: no league, no religious obligations, could bind them in peace; and after Hannibal arose, he proved himself Dido's avenger. He entered Italy with fire and sword: the Roman armies fled before him; and Rome itself was providentially saved from his conquering arms. 617. Indigna: cruel-undeserved. 620. Cadat ante diem: let him fall before his time-let him die an untimely death. 621. Vocem: in the sense of verba. 623. Millite hæc: present these offerings to my ashes. This is said in allusion to the sacrifices that were offered to the dead. They were usually poured upon the tomb. and consisted of milk, wine, and blood. Exercete: in the sense of persequimini. 625. Exoriare aliquis ullor: arise some This is much avenger from my bones. more forcible, and shows more fully the state of her mind, than if she had used the person. third Allusion is here made to Hannibal. Dardanios colonos: simply, the Trojans. Dardanios: an adj. from Dardanus, one of the founders of Troy. 627. Olim. This word signifies the future, as well as the past time: now, hereafter, whenever power shall present itself. 628. Contraria: in the sense of hostilia vel infesta. Hæc ait et partes animum versabat in omnes, Invisam quærens quàm primùm abrumpere lucem. 632. Affata est Barcen Tum breviter Barcen nutricem affata Sichæi, Namque suam patriâ antiquâ cinis ater habebat: 634. O chara nutrix, Annam, chara, mihi, nutrix, huc siste sororem: siste sororem Annam Dic corpus properet fluviali spargere lymphâ, huc mihi: dic ut prope- Et pecudes secum et monstrata piacula ducat. Sic veniat: tuque ipsa piâ tege tempora vittâ. Sacra Jovi Stygio quæ ritè incepta paravi, ret 639. Animus est mihi Perficere est animus, finemque imponere curis ; perficere sacra ritè in- Dardaniique rogum capitis permittere flammæ. cepta, quæ paravi Sty- Sic ait. Illa gradum studio celerabat anili. gio Jovi, imponereque At trepida, et cœptis, immanibus effera Dido, Conscendit furibunda rogos, ensemque recludit NOTES. 635. Spargere fluviali lymphâ : to sprinkle her body with river water. It was a custom of the Greeks and Romans to wash their bodies before they performed sacrifice. See Æn. ii. 719. But this was only observed in regard to the superior gods. They sprinkled themselves only, when they were to offer sacrifice to the infernal gods, as in the present case. 636. Pecudes: in the sense of victimas. Monstrata: in the sense of jussa, vel desig nata. 638. Stygio Jovi: Pluto. He was the brother of Jupiter, and in the division of the world, the infernal regions fell to him by lot. The epithet Stygius is added, from Styx, a well known fabulous river of hell. 640. Permittere: to commit the funeral pile of the Trojan (Eneas) to the flames. Capitis: by synec. for the body, or whole man-here, the Trojan, to wit, Æneas. 641. Studio: zeal-officiousness. 642. Immanibus: awful-horrid. Effra: in the sense of efferala. 644. Interfusa: spotted-streaked. 645. Irrumpit: she rushed into the inner apartment of the palace. It is plain that limen signifies any part of the house, as well as the threshold. The funeral pile was erected in penetrali side, in the inner apartment. See 504, supra. 646. Rogos. The funeral pile was called rogus, before it was set on fire: while burn 630 635 640 645 650 ing, it was called pyra; and after it was consumed, Bustum: all of which are derived from the Greek. 647. Munus non quæsitum: a present not designed, or gotten for such a use-for being the instrument of her death. From this, some infer that Eneas had made Dido this present of a Trojan sword-Dardanium ensem. But it is more probable that it was a present from Dido to Eneas; and that in his hurry to be gone, he had left it with some other things, in her bedchamber. Quæsitum. Rumus says, comparatum.— Heyne, paratum, acceptum, datum. 652. Curis: troubles-sorrows. 654. Et nunc and now my ghost (image) shall descend illustrious to the shades below. Mei: in the sense of mea, agreeing with imago. Turnebus thinks the epithet magna is used, because ghosts make their appearance at night, when to the affrighted imagination of the spectators, the object appears larger than life. But this is a very singular opinion. Dido is speaking in the language of majesty, and setting forth her illustrious deeds. She had built a flourishing city, and laid the foundation of a powerful kingdom-she had punished her brother for the death of her husband-she had reigned in glory-in a word, she had been happy in every instance, till the Trojan fleet visited her coast. In this situation of mind, nothing Urbem præclaram statui: mea mœnia vidi : Dixerat: atque illam media inter talia ferro NOTES. can be more natural than for her to conceive her ghost to be of great and illustrious rank, and distinguished even in the other world above others, as she had been herself distinguished in this. 656. Recepi panas. She had recovered from her brother her own wealth, and the treasure for which he murdered her husband. It is with great propriety, therefore, she uses the word recepi, when speaking of the revenge she had taken of Pygmalion. 659. Moriemur inultæ: shall I die unrevenged? but let me die. Thus, thus, it delights me to descend to the shades below. Inulla: unrevenged of Æneas and the Trojans. The fatal moment having arrived, the poet represents her to us in the very act of stabbing herself, by the turn of his verse. The repetition of the sic sets her before us, plunging the instrument in her breast, and thrusting it home with a kind of desperate complacency. Impressa os toro: having kissed the bed, she said, &c. 666. Bacchatur: in the sense of discurrit. Concussam: in the sense of commotam, vel altonilam. 668. Fremunt: in the sense of resonant. 669. Ruat: falls. Rumus says, subver tatur. 655 661. Crudelis Darda 660 nus hauriat hunc ignem suis oculis ab alto, et 664. Comites aspiciunt illam collapsam ferro inter media talia 665 verba, ensemque spumantem, manusque ejus sparsas cruore 670 675 680 671. Perque culmina Deorum 672. Soror exanimis audiit hæc, exterritaque trepido cursu, fœdans ora unguibus, et pectora pugnis, ruit per medios, et clamat morientem sororem nomine 676. Iste rogus parabat hoc mihi; isti ignes, aræque parabant hoc mihi? 680. etiam his manibus, vocavique patrios Deos você, ut crudelis abessem te sic positâ? O soror, extinxstî me teque Struxi rogum 670. Furentes: the furious flames were rolling through the houses of men, and the (temples) of the gods. Culmen is properly the ridge of the house; by synec. put for the whole house. 675. Hoc illud fuit: O sister, was this your design-was this the object you had in view, in erecting this funeral pile? 677. Deserta: being thus abandoned, of what shall I first complain? 678. Fata: in the sense of mortem. 679. Dolor: pain-ache-anguish. Heyne says, vulnus. 681. Sic positâ: thus lying dead. 682. Extinxsti: thou hast destroyed me and thyself, &c. Some copies have exstinxi, in the first person. By this Anna turns the reproach from Dido to herself. But most commentators prefer the second person. Sidonios patres. By these we are to understand probably the Carthaginian senators, or the legislative branch of the government. It is plain that they are distinguished from the body of the people. Extinxsti: by syn. for extinxisti. Date: in the sense of ferte. Lymphis: in the sense of This was a rite performed towards the bodies of the dead by their nearest relations. Hence the mother of Euryalus regrets that aquâ. abluam vulnera 683. Date aquam ut Sidonios, urbemque tuam. Date, vulnera lymphis 692. Ingemuitque, ea Quæsivit cælo lucem, ingemuitque repertâ. flavum crinem vertice, Tum Juno omnipotens longum miserata dolorem, Difficilesque obitus, Irim demisit Olympo, Quæ luctantem animam nexosque resolveret artus. 696. Nam Proserpina Nam, quia nec fato, meritâ nec morte peribat, nondum abstulerat illi Sed misera ante diem, subitoque accensa furore; damnaveratque caput Nondum illi flavum Proserpina vertice crinem Stygio Orco, quia Abstulerat, Stygioque caput damnaverat Orco. Ergò Iris croceis per cœlum roscida pennis, 702. Ego jussa fero Mille trahens varios adverso Sole colores, hunc crinem sacrum Devolat, et supra caput adstitit: hunc ego Diti Diti; solvoque te ab isto Sacrum jussa fero, teque isto corpore solvo. 705. Omnis calor di- Sic ait: et dextrâ crinem secat. Omnis et unà lapsus est. Dilapsus calor, atque in ventos vita recessit. corpore. NOTES. she had not shut his eyes, nor washed his wounds. En. ix. 485. 684. Siquis extremus: if any last breath remain, that I may catch it with my mouth. Virgil is here thought to allude to a ceremony among the Greeks and Romans: when a person was just expiring, the nearest relation put his mouth to his that he might catch the last breath. Rumus interprets super by adhuc. Super-errat is evidently used in the sense of superesset. The substitution of esset for errat makes the reading easy. Some copies have esset. 688. Conala: agreeing with Dido. 689. Vulnus stridet: the wound hisses, occasioned by the gushing out of the blood. Infixum made. 693. Dolorem: pain. Obitus: departure -death. 695. Resolveret animam: might separate her soul and body. Nexos artus: compacted or united limbs. 696. Quia nec fato. The ancients divided death into three kinds: natural, merited or deserved, and accidental. The natural death was when a person accomplished the ordinary term of human life, or that space alotted to him in the councils of the gods. The merited or deserved death was, when a person was deprived of life by the immediate interposition of the gods for the pu 685 690 695 700 705 nishment of atrocious conduct. The casual, or accidental, was, when a person took away his own life in some way or other: such an one was said to die before his time. This was the case with Dido. 697. Furore: passion. Diem: in the sense of tempus. 698. Nondum illi: Proserpine had not yet plucked for her the yellow lock, &c. The ancients had a notion that none could die till Proserpine, either in person, or by Atropos, had cut a lock of hair from the crown of their head. This was considered a kind of first-fruits to Pluto. This custom took its rise from sacrifices: when they used to pluck some of the hairs from the front of the victim, and cast them into the fire. 699. Orco: dat. of Orcus, a name of Pluto. 700. Iris ergò: dewy Iris flies through heaven. Iris was the messenger of the goddesses, especially of Juno. She is said to be the daughter of Thaumas and Electra. Servius observes that Iris is, for the most part, employed in matters of mischief, and contention. See En. v. 606. and ix. 803. Iris: the rainbow. This interesting appearance is occasioned by the rays of the sun, reflected by the vapors or drops of rain. It can only take place, or be seen, when the sun and cloud are opposite to each other, in regard to the spectator. |