287. Hic est chorus Populeis adsunt evincti tempora ramis. juvenum, ille est chorus Hic juvenum chorus, ille senum; qui carmine laudes senum; qui Herculeas et facta ferunt: ut prima novercæ 288. Ut premens manu eliserit prima monMonstra manu, geminosque premens eliserit angues, stra novercæ Junonis, Ut bello egregias idem disjecerit urbes, geminosque angues: Trojamque, Echaliamque; ut duros mille labores 293. Tu, O invicte he- Rege sub Eurystheo, fatis Junonis iniquæ, ros, mactas bimembres Pertulerit. Tu nubigenas, invicte, bimembres, nubigenas 296. Cerberus janitor Hylæumque, Pholumque manu; tu Cressia mactas Ocri, recubans cruento Prodigia, et vastum Nemeæ sub rupe leonem. antro super semesa ossa, Te Stygii tremuere lacus: te janitor Orci, tremuit te: nec ulla fa- Ossa super recubans antro semesa cruento. 300. Lernæus anguis Nec te ulla facies, non terruit ipse Typhous cum turba capitum cir- Arduus, arma tenens: non te rationis egentem cumstetit te non egen- Lernæus turbâ capitum circumstetit anguis. tem rationis. Salve, vera Jovis proles, decus addite Divis; 302. Tu dexter adi et Et nos, et tua dexter adi pede sacra secundo. cies terruerunt te nos et tua sacra NOTES. Numa in honor of Mars. Virgil supposes that Evander was the founder of it in honor of Hercules, so called from salio. Evander divided his band into two choirs; the one consisting of youths, the other of old men. 286. Adsunt: in the sense of accedunt vel saltant. Cantus: music-song. Rumus says, inter cantus. 288. Ferunt carmine: they celebrate in song the praises of Hercules, and his heroic deeds. The chief of these are ten, which are denominated labors. 1. When in his cradle, he killed the two serpents that Juno sent to devour him; 2. He took Troy in the reign of Laomedon, because he refused to pay the promised reward for delivering his daughter Hesione from a whale; 3. He destroyed the city of Echalia, in Thessaly, because Eurytus, its king, refused to give him his daughter after he had promised her to him; 4. The servitude imposed upon him by Eurystheus, king of Mycena; 5. His victory over the centaurs, a people of Thessaly; 6. His victory over the bull that ravaged Crete. This bull vomited or breathed flames. Some say he killed him, others that he carried him to Eurystheus; 7. His victory over the lion in the Nemean grove; 8. His descent into hell; 9. He assisted the gods in the war against the giants; 10. He killed the hydra of a hundred heads in the lake of Lerna. It is said he built a funeral pile on mount ta, in Thessaly, on which he threw himself; and having become purified from all mortal pollution, he ascended to heaven, and took a seat among the gods. See Lex. under Hercules. Ferunt: in the sense of memorant vel celebrant. 289. Premens: grasping in his hand, he killed the first monsters, &c. Ut: how. 292 Eurystheo. Eurystheus was king of Mycne, to whom Hercules was made subjeo, by the fates for a term of years. He 290 235 300 imposed on him the severest labors, at the instance of Juno, with an intention to destroy him. Juno was the bitter enemy of her stepson. Hence she is called inique Junonis. Fatis: by the order-destination. Per potestatem Junonis, says Ruæus. 293. Nubigenas: the cloud-born sons.— They were fabled to have been the sons of Ixion and Nubes. Their upper part was human, their lower part a horse. Hence they are called bimembres : double membered. The truth of the fable is this: Mount Pelion was infested by a species of wild cattle or bulls, that proved very troublesome to the inhabitants of the adjacent country. Ixion, king of Thessaly, offered a great reward to any who should destroy them. Whereupon, the young men of a village called Nephele undertook it. For this purpose they mounted on horseback, and attacked them with such success, that, in a short time, they were utterly destroyed. Hence the fable of their being begotten by Ixion on a cloud, Nephele being the Greek word for a cloud. They were called Centauri, from the circumstance of their killing these bulls. Tu, invicle. This is a beautiful transition from the third person to the second. This figure, properly used, renders composition animated and lively. 294. Cressia prodigia: the bull that breathed fire, and the hind with brazen feet. Prodigia: monsters. 296. Tremuere: in the sense of timuerunt. 299. Egentem rationis: wanting presence of mind-reason. Circumstetit: surrounded-assaulted on every side. 301. Addite: added to the gods as an honor to their assembly. Addite: a part. agreeing with vero proles, in the voc. 302. Dexter: favorable-propitious. Adi: approach-visit. Rumus says, veni. Secundo pede: with favorable omens signs. Talia carminibus celebrant; super omnia Caci 310 315 320 Tum rex Evandrus, Romanæ conditor arcis : NOTES. 303. Super omnia: above all—in addition to all other things. 307.Obsilus ævo: sown thick with agewith gray hairs, and other marks of age. This is a metaphor taken from a field of corn. 310. Faciles oculos: his rolling eyes-his eyes eager to observe the various scenes that presented to his view. 311. Capitur: is captivated-charmed. 312. Singula: all-every one. This word signifies all taken singly-one by one. 313. Conditor Romana arcis. Evander's city Pallanteum was built upon the hill, afterward called mons Palatinus; where Romulus laid the foundation of Rome. 314. Indigena: properly, a sub. here used as an adj.: born in the place-native of the country-not foreign. 315. Gens virûm nata: a race of men sprung from the trunks of trees and hard oak. At first men inhabited the deserts and forests. Hence they were thought to have sprung from trees. Mos: in the sense of leges. Cultus: civil institutions. 317. Aut parcere parto: or to use frugaly what they had acquired. This descrip 325 330 tion of the state of the spot where Rome was afterward built, and its comparison with its state when the poet wrote, must have been highly gratifying to his countrymen. 318. Asper: in the sense of durus. 320. Regnis ademptis: his possessions (kingdom) being taken from him—banished from his throne and kingdom. 322. Composuit: he united together-he formed into society a race, &c. 326. Donec deterior: till, by little and little, a depraved and corrupt age, and a rage for war, &c. Here is an allusion to the silver, brass, and iron ages. See Ecl. iv. 6. 327. Habendi: of possessing-getting wealth. 329. Posuit nomen: changed its name laid it down. 330. Tybris. He was a king of the Tuscans, and, being slain near the river, gave his name to it. Its original name was Albula. Some derive its name from Tiberinus, king of the Albans, who was drowned in it. Asper: fierce. 332. Diximus: called. Apellavimus, saya Ruæus. 336. Tremendaque monita Carmentis Nymphæ meæ matris, et Deus Apollo auctor egêre me huc. Me pulsum patriâ, pelagique extrema sequentem, Vix ea dicta, dehinc progressus, monstrat et aram, 335 310 Quam memorant Nymphæ priscum Carmentis honorem 337. Vix ea dicta fue- Vatis fatidicæ; cecinit quæ prima futuros runt, dehinc Evander Eneadas magnos, et nobile Pallanteum. progressus monstrat Hinc lucum ingentem, quem Romulus acer asylum memorant fuisse priscum Rettulit, et gelidâ monstrat sub rupe Lupercal, honorem Nymphæ Car- Parrhasio dictum Panos de more Lycæi. Necnon et sacri monstrat nemus Argileti : 339. Quam homines mentis gentem 345 342. Hinc monstrat in- Testaturque locum, et letum docet hospitis Argi. Hinc ad Tarpeiam sedem et Capitolia ducit, Aurea nunc, olim sylvestribus horrida dumis. Jam tum relligio pavidos terrebat agrestes 351. Evander inquit: Deus (sed quis Deus, est Dira loci; jam tum sylvam saxumque tremebant. incertum,) habitat hoc Hoc nemus, hunc, inquit, frondoso vertice collem, Quis Deus, incertum est, habitat Deus. Arcades ipsum nemus, et hunc NOTES. 350 333. Sequentem: experiencing the dangers 345. Argileti. Argiletum was a place beof the sea. Ruæus says, quærentem ultima_tween mount Aventinus and Capitolinus, so spatia maris. Heyne takes extrema pelagi, called because it belonged to Argus; or bein the sense of ultimum mare. cause he there hospitably entertained Evander on his arrival in Italy; or, lastly, because he was buried there. For some cause or other, Argus was killed by the new comers, without the knowledge of Evander, who gave him a sumptuous burial. 336. Auctor. By this Servius understands the author of oracles. Ruæus takes it in the sense of suasor: persuader, or adviser. This is the sense given to the word by Davidson. ess. 337. Dehinc in the sense of cùm. Cecinit: in the sense of prædixit. 344. Dictum de: so called from the Arcadian manner of Lycæan Pan. Parrhasio: an adj. from Parrhasia, a district and city of Arcadia. Lycai: an adj. from Lycæus, a mountain in Arcadia, where Pan was particularly worshipped. 346. Testatur locum: he calls the place to witness, &c. On seeing the place, the remembrance of his friend and host sensibly affected him. He began immediately to make protcstations of his innocence, and call the place to witness that he was clean from the foul deed. Docet: he relates-he informs Eneas of the death of his host. This is so called by anticipation. It was f 349. Dira relligio: even then the awful sanctity of the place terrified the fearful rustics. Dr. Trapp observes, there is something wonderfully grand and awful in this image, both as it is in itself, and as it is connected with what follows; the capitol is to be built upon it. A god had already chosen it for his residence. Rumus says, horrida sanctitas. 350. Tremebant: they feared even then the grove, &c. Credunt se vidisse Jovem ; cùm sæpe nigrantem Talibus inter se dictis ad tecta subibant Ut ventum ad sedes: Hæc, inquit, limina victor Aude, hospes, contemnere opes, et te quoque dignum Dixit: et angusti subter fastigia tecti Finge Deo, rebusque veni non asper egenis. 355 355. Prætereà vides hæc duo oppida 358. Janiculum fuerat nomen huic, Saturnia 360 fuerat nomen illi. 365 370 375 At Venus haud animo nequicquam exterrita mater, NOTES. 354. Agida: acc. sing. of agis, a shield made of goat skin, from a Greek word signifying a goat. Nimbos: nimbus properly signifies those deep and black clouds, which brew storms, thunder, and lightning -the tempest itself. 355. Muris disjectis: their walls being demolished-thrown down. 361. Carinis. Carina was the name of a magnificent street in Rome, where Pompey had his house. 362. Ad sedes: to the palace of Evander. Ventum est is understood: in the sense of venerunt. 364. Aude: be not afraid to despise. Davidson says, "have greatness of mind to undervalue magnificence," &c. 365. Finge te quoque: manifest yourself worthy of a god. By Deo, some understand Hercules, whom Evander would have Eneas to imitate. But the quoque seems to determine it to be taken in a general sense: as Hercules acted worthy of a god, so do you. Veni non asper: come not displeased with our poverty. Finge: Rumus says, oslende. Asper: for offensus. 380 370. At Venus. This is a fine episode. It consists, properly, of three parts: the conversation between Venus and her husband the casting and forging of the arms by the Cyclops, with a description of the place -the sculpture upon the shield of Eneas, &c. The whole is in imitation of the Iliad, lib. 18. where Thetis entreats Vulcan to make arms for her son. But Virgil is superior to Homer in dignity of sentiment. 373. Aspirat. Some copies have inspirat. The sense is the same in either case. She inspires into her husband a divine love, by her endearing words. 375. Debita: destined-doomed to destruction, in consequence of the perjury of Laomedon. After which, Neptune and Apollo became the enemies of Troy. See Geor. i. 502. 379. Deberem: I owed very much to the sons of Priam. 382. Eadem venio: I, the same affectionate wife, who have always been so tender of your honor, and so loth to give you trouble, come to you a suppliant, and ask of your divinity, sacred to me, arms, a 383. Thetis filia Nerei Arma rogo, genitrix nato. Te filia Nerei, potuit flectere te, et Ti- Te potuit lachrymis Tithonia flectere conjux. thonia conjux potuit flectere te suis lachryAspice, qui coëant populi, quæ monia clausis mis Ferrum acuant portis, in me excidiumque meorum. Dixerat: et niveis hinc atque hinc Diva lacertis Deum Cunctantem amplexu molli fovet: ille repentè cunctantem molli am- Accepit solitam flammam; notusque medullas 388. Fovet plexu. 393 Conjux ejus læta dolis, et conscia forme sua sensit id Intravit calor, et labefacta per ossa cucurrit: Tum pater æterno fatur devinctus amore : Quid causas petis ex alto? fiducia cessit Quò tibi, Diva, mei? similis si cura fuisset, Tum quoque fas nobis Teucros armare fuisset. Nec pater omnipotens Trojam, nec fata vetabant Stare, decemque alios Priamum superesse per annos. Et nunc, si bellare paras, atque hæc tibi mens est: 401. Quicquid cure Quicquid in arte meâ possum promittere curæ, est in mea arte possum Quod fieri ferro, liquidove potest electro, promittere tibi. 403. Quantùm ignes Quantùm ignes animæque valent: absiste precando animæque valent, proViribus indubitare tuis. Ea verba locutus, mitto id: Optatos dedit amplexus: placidumque petivit Conjugis infusus gremio per membra soporem. Inde, ubi prima quies medio jam noctis abactæ NOTES. mother for a son. Verbs of asking, &c. govern two accusatives. 383. Filia Nerei: the daughter of Nereus-Thetis, the reputed mother of Achilles. See Ecl. iv. 37. 384. Tithonia conjux: Aurora. 1 385. Mania: cities-fortified towns. Here put for the inhabitants, by meton. Acuant: sharpen-prepare. 386. In me: against me. Venus here identifies herself with Æneas and the Trojans. 388. Cunctantem: hesitating-loth to undertake the business. 391. Atque in the sense of quàm. Olim: sometimes. This word signifies time past, future, and indefinite. This last is the meaning here. 392. Ignea rima. Ruæus says, flammeus hiatus, apertus fulgenti fulmine. Nimbos: in the sense of nubes. Servius, whom Dr. Trapp follows, takes corusco, for darted or brandished. Rumus interprets it by fulgenti, shining. The former is the best, inasmuch as thunder does not shine; it is the lightning alone that becomes visible. There may be reference here to the darting of the thunderbolt of Jove. It pierces the cloud, and disengages the lightning, which, let loose, runs across the heavens in forked light. Ignea rima, very beautifully expresses a stream of fire, bursting through a rived cloud-lightning. 394. Pater: Vulcan is meant. 385 390 395 400 405 395. Quid causas petis: why do you seek reasons from far? Instead of coming to the point at once, you have recourse to farfetched arguments. 398. Nec pater. It hath been observed by commentators, upon this and similar passages of Virgil, that though the fates could not be changed, they might be deferred. But Mr. Dryden hath made it appear, that this very deferring is in consequence of a decree. In this sense these words of Vulcan are to be understood. Troy did fall at such a time; but it was not necessary it should. The fates would have permitted me to defer its doom for ten years longer; and I would have done it, if you had desired it: but I could have done it no longer-it being then destined to be destroyed. 401. Cura: skill. 402. Liquido electro. A composition of gold and silver is called electrum. Pliny makes the proportion to be four fifths of silver, and one fifth of gold. Here put for metals in general: the species for the genus. 403. Anima: the wind or breath of the bellows. Absiste: cease to distrust your power at entreaty. 406. Infusus gremio: and resting on the bosom of his spouse, he sought soft sleep, &c. Ruæus says, jacens. 407. Medio curriculo noctis jam: in the middle course of night, now being past. This marks the time to be just after mid |