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692-4. subito - lævum,' with a sudden crash, it thundered upon the left, which was esteemed a happy augury: et cucurrit,' and a star, drawing a bright train behind it, shooting from the skies, ran with a vivid light through the darkness. This, with the following lines, gives a faithful description of a meteor, or large falling star.

695-9. In this order; Cernimus Illam stellam, labentem super summa culmina tecti, condere se claram Idæà silvâ.' 'Signantem vias,' pointing out the way, the direction which we were to take in our flight. tum- -lucem,' the furrow also, throughout the long pathway of the star, gave out light. 'victus,' subdued, his purpose changed: 'se auras, rose up from the ground.

703. This forewarning is from you; Troy is under your power and guardianship. Anchises considers his party as representing the city, the rest of which had fallen a prey to the enemy and the flames.

705-6. 'clarior Auditur,' the sound of the fire is heard with greater distinctness: 'volvunt æstus propiùs,' describes the spreading of the conflagration.

707-9. Ergo-humeris,' hasten then, dear father, to place yourself on my neck; I will take you up on my shoulders: Quò cadent,' however things shall turn out, whatever luck betides; 'Quò — cumque '; Gr. § 323. 4. (5.)

711. et conjux,' and my wife may follow our steps at a distance; lest, being together, their numbers should attract attention.

712. And you, servants, attend strictly to what I say. He goes on to mark out to them a place of rendezvous without the city.

714-6. 'Desertæ,' for 'desertum': 'Religione'; an idea of sanctity was often attached by the ancients to particular trees, either from their situation, or from some legend connected with them. 'ex diverso,' by different routes.

718-9. Menefas,' it would be a sin for me to touch them, having just returned from so great a contest and recent slaughter.

721-4. subjecta— leonis,' and bent neck, I cover over with a garment and a tawny lion's skin. Dextra se Implicuit,' takes hold of my right hand: non passibus æquis'; a graphic and pleasing touch, that shows the careful observation of the poet.

9.

725-9.per-locorum,' through obscure by paths; Gr. § 205. Rem. Et Nunc omnes auræ terrent me, quem - Tela,' and now every breath of wind terrifies me, whom just before no levelled weapons disturbed: Suspensum,' 'me' understood; throws me into suspense: 'comiti,' Iulus oneri,' Anchises.

730-2. omnem - vicem,' and I seemed to have escaped every dangercreber sonitus pedum,' the sound of many feet.

735-7. Here, I know not what unfriendly deity took away all presence of mind from me, confused and trembling. For while I ran off by unfrequented paths, and left the known direction of the route, &c.

739-40. erravit — Încertum,' whether she missed the way, or seated herself from weariness, is uncertain.

741. Nor did I perceive that she was lost, nor turn my attention towards her before we came to the appointed spot.

744. fefellit,' disappointed the expectations.

745. What one of gods or men did I not blame in my frenzy? Eneas appears anxious to defend himself from the imputation of having deserted his wife; very naturally, as Dryden observes, since Dido was his hearer.

750. 'Stat omnes,' I resolve again to run every hazard.

753-4. repeto,' I revisit: Quà extuleram,' by which I had quitted the city et lustro,' and I trace back my steps, heedfully noted in the darkness, and look carefully around; lumine' for 'oculis.' 755-7. He was overcome with apprehension, and even the stillness in parts of the city appeared fearful. Inde - refero,' then I returned

to my house, to see if perchance she had gone thither; 'si fortè '; this repetition marks the disturbed and anxious state of the speaker's mind.

759. exsuperant auras,' the flames envelope the building, and the raging fire mounts on high. Æneas prosecutes the search by going back to the citadel. This gives the poet an opportunity to describe the appearance of things after the Trojans had ceased to resist. The spoil was collected in heaps under guard, and the captive women and children stood near.

761. 'vacuis'; that is, abandoned by their former owners: asylo,' temple, which was often an asylum for criminals.

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764-5. mensæ deorum,' the sacred vessels taken from the temples: 'Crateres solidi,' and goblets of massive gold.

768. I even dared to cry aloud under cover of the darkness, though there was danger of being heard by the enemy.

771-3. In this order; Infelix simulacrum atque umbra ipsius Creuse, et imago major notâ Visa est ante oculos mihi Quærenti et furenti sine fine tectis urbis'; ‘imago — notâ '; it was believed, that the ghost of a person appeared larger than the natural size. furenti - urbis,' hurrying madly and unceasingly through the various buildings of the city.

774-5. I was stupefied, my hair stood up, and my voice stuck in my throat. 'affari,' 'cœpit' understood.

777-8. non-Eveniunt,' these things do not happen without the will of the gods.

780. Tedious exile must be borne by you, and a vast extent of sea must be ploughed over by your ships.

781-4. Hesperiam'; see note to Book I. 530. 'Lydius Tybris'; this epithet is applied to the Tiber, because a colony of Lydians once settled on its banks. leni agmine,' with a gentle current: opima virum,' populous. Eneas is here distinctly informed, by supernatural means, that his place of destination is Italy and the banks of the Tiber. Yet in the next book, we shall find him encountering great difficulties, because ignorant of the will of the gods in respect to the situation of his intended settlement, and misinterpreting an oracle, to which this passage affords an obvious and certain explanation. The poet probably forgot himself. 'res lætæ, a prosperous condition: Parta tibi,' is obtained for you: pelle lacrymas,' dry your tears.

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786-9. ibo servitum'; Gr. § 276. II. Dardanis - nurus,' I who am a Trojan woman, and the daughter-in-law of the goddess Venus: 'magna — genetrix,' the great mother of the gods; that is, Cybele, who gave Creusa a place in her band of nymphs. ́ ́et — ainorem,' and keep your affection for our common son.

792. Thrice I attempted to clasp my arms about her neck.

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794-5. Like the free winds, like a fleeting dream; somno,' for 'som nio.' 'consumptâ nocte,' the night having elapsed. The occurrences described in this book took place in a single day and night.

797-8. Invenio admirans,' to my surprise I found: 'miserabile vulgus,' a pitiable crowd of common people.

800-2. In terras,' to go to whatever country I should wish to conduct them by sea. Jamque diem,' and now the morning star was rising behind the summit of mount Ida, and bringing on the day.

803-4. 'spes opis,' hope of rendering aid. Cessi,' I yielded, consented to prepare for exile: 'sublato genitore,' having taken up my father: montem'; a part of mount Ida.

This book was one of those selected by Virgil to be read to Augustus, as a specimen of the whole work; which fact shows the estimation put upon it by the poet himself. After ages have confirmed his judgment in this respect, justly considering it as the masterpiece, not only of the writer's own works, but of all Latin poetry. The subject is one of thrilling interest, and gives full scope to Virgil's power of description,

and to his command over the deeper feelings of our nature. The account of the apparition of Hector, the picture presented by the burning city, as first seen by Eneas from the roof of the house, and the account of the attack on the palace and the death of Priam, are inimitable in point of pathos and sublimity. Many slight touches are interspersed, which betray nice observation and delicate feeling, and serve to heighten the illusion, till the scene seems actually to pass before the eyes of the reader. The character of the hero is well preserved throughout, deepseated piety and filial affection being the principal traits, while his courage and patriotism are sufficiently manifested to preserve respect.

THE ENEID.

BOOK III.

ENEAS narrates his adventures after the fall of Troy. Having built a fleet of twenty ships, he sails to Thrace, but is prevented from establishing a colony there by a preternatural event, through which he learns, that a younger son of Priam had been cruelly murdered by the king of that country. He then repairs to the island of Delos, to consult the oracle of Apollo there respecting his future destination. Being commanded to seek out the country, which was the birthplace of his family and nation, and Anchises wrongly supposing that Crete was this place, Eneas sails to that island and begins to erect a city. But a pestilence breaks out and commits great ravages among the people, and he is on the point of sending for further instruction to the oracle, when he is informed by the Penates in a dream, that Italy was the true cradle of the Trojan race, and that he must transport his settlement thither. Once more he embarks, and is driven by a tempest to the Strophades islands, infested by the Harpies, one of whom affrights him by her gloomy predictions. Sailing thence, he arrives at the promontory of Actium, and celebrates games there in honor of Apollo. Then passing onward to Epirus, he finds there Andromache, now the wife of Helenus, who receives him kindly, and gives him directions for the remainder of the voyage. After leaving this place, he passes near the country of the Cyclops in Sicily, and receives on board Achemenides, a Greek, who had been left behind by Ulysses in the cave of Polyphemus. Subsequently he arrives at the port of Drepanum in Sicily, where his aged parent Anchises dies. Sailing thence, he is overtaken by the storm described in the opening of the first book, and is thrown upon the African coast.

1-2. Postquam Superis,' after it had pleased the gods to overthrow the kingdom of Asia, and the innocent people of Priam; Asia'; Asia Minor is intended, a great part of which was subject to Priam. 'Immeritam; they suffered not through their own fault, but from the crimes of Laomedon and Paris.

4-9. Diversa,' remote: desertas,' uninhabited, and therefore fit for the establishment of a colony. 'Auguriis; the divine admonitions to seek safety in flight were conveyed through the speech of Hector in the dream, the flame which surrounded the head of Ascanius, and the last words of Creusa. molimur classem,' we build a fleet. Antandrus was a harbour to the south of Troy, near the foot of mount Ida, where timber could be obtained in abundance for constructing a fleet.

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'ubi- detur,' where we should be permitted to remain. 'prima æstas,' the early part of summer: 'fatis, in accordance with the fates: 'dare vela,' to loose the sails.

10-2. A brief but pathetic expression of feeling, as Æneas leaves for ever his once flourishing birthplace. feror'; Æneas did not go willingly, but was compelled by the Destinies. magnis dis'; Jupiter, Juno, Mars, &c., in distinction from the Penates,' who were of inferior rank. Of course, the effigies of these deities are here spoken of. 13-5. Afar off, a land sacred to Mars is inhabited in large plains, which the Thracians cultivate, formerly governed by the fierce Lycurgus. Mars was the tutelary deity of Thrace. Lycurgus was an ancient king of that country, who had a contest with Bacchus. Hospitium,' a league of peace and friendly intercourse.

17-8. fatis - iniquis, entering upon the land under adverse fates, since this was not the country appointed for him. I give them the appellation of Eneade, after my own name.

19-21. Dionææ matri'; Venus; see note to Ecl. IX. 47. Auspicibus operum,' who were the favorers of the work now commenced: superoque regi Calicolum,' to the supreme ruler of the gods; that is, to Jupiter: nitentem taurum'; a white bull was commonly selected on such occasions.

22-4. 'tumulus,' a mound; not a sepulchre, for the body of Polydorus was thrown out unburied; only the winds had covered it with sand. quo- myrtus,' on the top of which were cornel shrubs, and a myrtle tree, rough with many spear-like shoots. 'silvam,' young tree. The myrtle was sacred to Venus, whence the propriety of covering her altars with its branches.

27-8. For, the first tree which was torn up from the ground with broken roots, from this drops of black blood distil.

31-2. Again, I go on to pull up the slender trunk of another tree, and to search out fully the hidden causes of this prodigy.

34-5. Nymphas agrestes'; that is, the Hamadryads, who were born and died with the trees, to which they were attached. Æneas feared, that he had caused the death of one of these nymphs. Gradivum patrem'; Mars, called 'Gradivus' from 'gradior,' to advance against the foe: Geticis'; see note to Geor. III. 462.

36. That they would render favorable the portent, and avert the ill omen. 38. 'genibus -arenæ,' and strive hard with my knees pressed against the sand. Tasso, Ariosto, and Spencer have each happily imitated this description of blood flowing from an uprooted tree.

41-4. Quid - manus,' why, Aneas, do you mangle me, an unhappy being? Spare one who is already buried, let me rest in my grave; forbear to pollute your pious hands. Externum,' a foreigner, a stranger. littus avarum'; the epithet applied to the country, which belonged to its king.

45-7. ego,' sum' understood: 'Hic acutis,' here an iron growth of weapons covered my pierced body, and has shot up into trees fit for sharp javelins; that is, the weapons, with which he was pierced, had taken root and sprung up as young trees. Polydorus was a younger son of Priain. 'mentem'; Gr. § 234. II.: 'pressus,' for ' 'oppressus.'

50-5. alendum Threicio regi,' to be educated by the Thracian king Gr. § 225. III. Ille'; the king, Polymnestor: Res Agamemnonias,' the party of Agamemnon, which then promised to be victorious: omne Fas, all law and justice.

56-7. Quid fames,' accursed thirst for gold, to what crimes do you not urge the hearts of men! ossa reliquit,' had left my bones; to show how much he was overcome by fear.

59. Monstra refero,' I report the miracle caused by the gods. 61. dare -austros'; to set sail; Gr. § 323. 4. (3.)

62-3. 'instauramus ; a technical term in religious ceremonies; we

perform the funeral rites: ingens tellus,' much earth: 'stant,' are erected: Manibus,' to the departed spirit.

64-5. In mourning array, with black fillets and branches of the gloomy cypress tree; and the Trojan matrons stand around, with their hair loose, according to custom.

66-68. The description of the funeral ceremony is minute and complete. The cymbia' were long and narrow vessels, in the shape of a boat, filled with milk and the blood of the sacrifices. animamCondimus,' and we consign the spirit to the sepulchre; the ghosts of those who were unburied were condemned to wander on the banks of the Styx for a hundred years. 'et - ciemus,' and we utter the final invocation with a loud voice. The spirit was thrice invoked by name, in order to recall it to its resting-place.

69-71. ubi pelago '; as soon as navigation appeared safe: 'vocat,' invites us, 'in altum,' to make sail upon the deep: Deducunt,' push off; when not in use, the ships were drawn upon shore.

73-6. The island of Delos, a beautiful land, is inhabited in the midst of the sea, sacred to Doris and Neptune. This island formerly floated about on the waters, but was made to stand firm by Apollo, because it had afforded a refuge to his mother Latona. 'Nereidum matri'; the nymph Doris: 'Neptuno Egæo'; according to the poets, Neptune had his chief habitation in the Ægean sea. The verse is spondaic. Arcitenens,' ('arcus' and 'tenens') the bearer of the bow, an epithet of Apollo, who was most distinguished for archery. Gyaro-revinxit,' fastened by Gyarus and mountainous Myconus, the two islands between which Delos is situated.

78-80. hæc,' 'insula' understood. 'Egressi,' having disembarked. Anius was a son of Apollo and Rhea. The union of the regal and the sacerdotal office was common in the heroic age.

81. With fillets and the sacred bay bound around his temples.

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85-7. Da,' point out to us; for Apollo had not the power to give, but to prophesy and direct: Thymbrae,' O Thymbraan god; see note to Geor. IV. 323. propriam domum,' a lasting habitation: mœnia,' a city. genus,' issue, posterity: serva Pergama,' preserve the second hope of Troy; Pergama,' the citadel, was the heart and strength of the city, and the party of Eneas might now be considered as representing it. 'reliquias Achilli'; see note to Book I. 30.

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89. animis nostris,' enter into, enlighten, our minds. 92-3. Mons'; that is, Cynthus, the sacred mountain of Apollo: 'et-reclusis,' and the covering of the tripod moaned in the opened recesses of the temple; the doors were opened by the shaking of the earth. This is a grand description of the imposing circumstances, with which the delivery of an oracle was attended. The tripod was a three-footed stool, on which the inspired priestess sat; the 'cortina' was its covering, supposed to be the skin of the serpent Python. "Submissi―terram'; they fell with their faces to the earth.

94-7. O much-enduring Trojans, the land which first brought you forth from the parental stock, the same shall receive you, brought back, into its fruitful bosom. Seek out your ancient mother. Italy was intended, whence Dardanus came, the founder of their nation. 'domus,' the family, the posterity.

99-102.Hæc,' 'dixit' understood: 'quæ- monia,' what city this was. 'volvens,' turning over in his mind: monumenta,' the traditions. 104-5. Crete was called the island of Jupiter, because that god was concealed there in his infancy; see note to Geor. IV. 150-2. There was a mount Ida there, as well as in the Troad. 'cunabula,' cradle, birthplace.

107-9. Whence, if I rightly recollect what I have heard, our great ancestor Teucer first came to the Rhatean shores. Rheteum was a promontory of the Troad. Anchises was deceived by the double origin of