ENEIDOS LIBER PRIMUS. THE subject of the Æneid of Virgil, is the settlement of Æneas in Italy. The object of the Poem is to celebrate the adventures of Æneas, while sailing from Troy, after the destruction of this city. Virgil is said to have taken eleven years in the composition of this noble production, which consists of Twelve Books, and comprehends a period of eight years. In the First Book, the hero Æneas is introduced, in the seventh year of his expedition, sailing from Sicily, and shipwrecked upon the coasts of Africa; Dido, the Queen of Carthage, kindly receives him. The description of the storm in this Book, beginning at the 80th line, is particularly admired. PUBLII VIRGILII MARONIS, ENEIDOS LIBER PRIMUS. [Ille ego, qui quondam gracili modulatus avená Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine læso, **The first four lines are not reckoned as part of the poem itself. Many consider these lines to have been inserted by some later writer. 2. Lavinia. Lavinium was a city of Latium, built by Eneas, and called by that name in honour of 10 Lavinia, the daughter of Latinus, whom he married. In scanning this line, make Laviniaque four syllables-La-vinyaque. 5. Dum conderet. The word conderet is taken in a potential force; viz., till he was able to build. Urbs antiqua fuit-Tyrii tenuere coloni,Carthago, Italiam contra Tiberinaque longè Ostia, dives opum, studiisque asperrima belli, Quam Juno fertur terris magis omnibus unam Posthabitâ coluisse Samo; hìc illius arma, Hìc currus fuit; hoc regnum dea gentibus esse, Si quà fata sinant, jam tum tenditque fovetque. Progeniem sed enim Trojano a sanguine duci Audierat, Tyrias olim quæ verteret arces; Hinc populum, latè regem, belloque superbum, Venturum excidio Libya; sic volvere Parcas. Id metuens, veterisque memor Saturnia belli, Prima quod ad Trojam pro caris gesserat Argis.. Nec dum etiam causæ irarum sævique dolores Exciderant animo; manet altâ mente repôstum Judicium Paridis, spretæque injuria formæ, Et genus invisum, et rapti Ganymedis honores; His accensa super, jactatos æquore toto 15 20 25 Troas, reliquias Danaûm atque immitis Achilli, 30 13. Carthage was a powerful city, built by a colony of Tyrians, under their queen Dido, about 100 years before the foundation of Rome. Carthage was destroyed by Scipio Africanus the younger, in the third Punic war, B.C. 146. 16. Sămos was an island in the Egean Sea, near the coast of Ionia, sacred to Juno. In scanning this line, the o is not elided. 22. Parcas,-the three Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. As they spin the thread of each individual's destiny, they are said to cause the wheel to revolve (volvere); hence we have in Latin the expression, volvere fatum.Sic volvere Parcas, "thus (it is that) the Fates ordain." 24. Argos was the capital of Argolis, in Peloponnesus. Agamemnon was king of the united kingdom of Argos and Mycenæ, during the Trojan war. Juno was worshipped with special honours at Argolis. 27. Judicium Păridis. This refera to the decision of Paris, who gave the golden apple to Venus, as being superior in beauty to Juno and Minerva. 40 45 Vix, e conspectu Siculæ telluris, in altum Vela dabant læti, et spumas salis ære ruebant; 35 Quum Juno, æternum servans sub pectore vulnus, Hæc secum: "Mene incepto desistere victam, Nec posse Italiâ Teucrorum avertere regem? Quippe vetor fatis !-Pallasne exurere classem Argivûm, atque ipsos potuit submergere ponto Unius ob noxam et furias Ajacis Oïlei? Ipsa, Jovis rapidum jaculata e nubibus ignem, Disjecitque rates, evertitque æquora ventis, Illum, exspirantem transfixo pectore flammas, Turbine corripuit, scopuloque infixit acuto; Ast ego, quæ divûm incedo regina, Jovisque Et soror et conjux, unâ cum gente tot annos Bella gero. Et quisquam numen Junonis adorat* Prætereà, aut supplex aris imponet* honorem?" Talia flammato secum dea corde volutans, Nimborum in patriam, loca fœta furentibus Austris, Eoliam venit. Hic vasto rex Æolus antro Luctantes ventos tempestatesque sonoras Imperio premit, ac vinclis et carcere frenat. Illi indignantes, magno cum murmure montis, Circùm claustra fremunt. Celsâ sedet Æolus arce, Sceptra tenens, mollitque animos et temperat iras: Ni faciat, maria ac terras cœlumque profundum Quippe ferant rapidi secum, verrantque per auras. Some editions have adoret-imponat. 50 55 41. Ajācis Oilei. There were two heroes named Ajax. The one here is the son of Oïleus. The greater Ajax, who contended for the arms of Achilles, was son of Telamon, king of Salamis. ei, one syllable. 52. Eoliam. Now the Lipari Isles, seven in number. They formed the kingdom of Eolus," the God of winds and storms. 70 Sed pater omnipotens speluncis abdidit atris, 60 75 Unà Eurusque Notusque ruunt, creberque procellis Africus, et vastos volvunt ad litora fluctus. 67. Tyrrhenum æquor. The Trojan fleet was now approaching the western coast of Italy. 68. Pěnātes. The Penates were household gods, and were worshipped in the interior parts of the house. The word is derived from penus, "provisions." 78. Tu mihi, The literal trans 86 lation, "whatever of sovereignty this (may be)," meaning, "whatever of sovereignty I here enjoy." Juno typifies the Air, and olus the Wind. Eolus owes to her all his power, since the air, when aroused, produces the winds. 85. Procellis. Procella is a strong wind, accompanied with rain. |