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Interior spatioque subit Sergestus iniquo,
Infelix saxis in procurrentibus hæsit.
Concussæ cautes, et acuto in murice remi
Obnixi crepuere, illisaque prora pependit.
Consurgunt nautæ et magno clamore morantur,
Ferratasque trudes et acuta cuspide contos
Expediunt, fractosque legunt in gurgite remos.
At lætus Mnestheus successuque acrior ipso
Agmine remorum celeri ventisque vocatis
Prona petit maria et pelago decurrit aperto.
Qualis spelunca subito commota columba,
Cui domus et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi,

205

210

Fertur in arva volans, plausumque exterrita pennis 215
Dat tecto ingentem, mox aëre lapsa quieto

Radit iter liquidum, celeres neque commovet alas :
Sic Mnestheus, sic ipsa fuga secat ultima Pristis
Equora, sic illam fert impetus ipse volantem.
Et primum in scopulo luctantem deserit alto.
Sergestum brevibusque vadis frustraque vocantem
Auxilia et fractis discentem currere remis.
Inde Gyan ipsamque ingenti mole Chimæram
Consequitur; cedit, quoniam spoliata magistro est.
Solus jamque ipso superest in fine Cloanthus :
Quem petit, et summis adnixus viribus urguet.
Tum vero ingeminat clamor, cunctique sequentem
Instigant studiis, resonatque fragoribus æther.
Hi proprium deeus et partum indignantur honorem

203. Interior] Cf. v. 170, and note.

207. morantur] are brought to a dead stop.

211. Agmine] 'movement.' Cf. 2. 782, "leni fluit agmine Thybris;" 12. 687, "fertur magno mons improbus actu."

212. Prona] flowing towards the shore, and therefore helping on the ship in its course.

-

aperto] free from rocks, such as that on which Sergestus had just struck.

214. dulces] beloved for the sake of her brood. Cf. E. 1. 3,

"dulcia linquimus arva."

220

225

218. ultima] i. e. the part of the course after passing the 'meta.'

220. alto] in reference to the ship which struck upon it it was high enough.

224. cedit] lets the Pristis pass her.

227. sequentem] i. e. Mnestheus, who was close behind Cloanthus.

228. studiis] Cf. v. 148. 229. proprium decus] the glory he had now fairly won.

Ni teneant, vitamque volunt pro laude pacisci ; 230
Hos successus alit: possunt, quia posse videntur.
Et fors æquatis cepissent præmia rostris,

Ni palmas ponto tendens utrasque Cloanthus
Fudissetque preces, divosque in vota vocasset:

Di quibus imperium pelagi est, quorum æquora

curro,

Vobis lætus ego hoc candentem in litore taurum
Constituam ante aras, voti reus, extaque salscs
Porriciam in fluctus et vina liquentia fundam.
Dixit, eumque imis sub fluctibus audiit omnis
Nereïdum Phorcique chorus Panopeaque virgo,
Et pater ipse manu magna Portunus euntem
Impulit illa Noto citius volucrique sagitta
Ad terram fugit, et portu se condidit alto.
Tum satus Anchisa, cunctis ex more vocatis,
Victorem magna præconis voce Cloanthum
Declarat, viridique advelat tempora lauro;
Muneraque in naves ternos optare juvencos
Vinaque et argenti magnum dat ferre talentum.

:

230.] Compare the sentiment of Euryalus, 9. 206, " (est animus) istum Qui vita bene credat emi, quo tendis honorem."

231. videntur] sc. sibi. Cf. Tennyson: "My desire, like all strongest hopes, By its own energy fulfilled itself."

232. aquatis rostris] with their prows in a line with each other; a dead heat.

233. ponto] towards the sea. Vide note to 2. 276.

- palmas utrasque] Tù xeîpe. Cf. 6. 685.

234. in vota] to hear the promised offerings. Cf. vv. 236238. In vota vocare is a variation of votis vocare (dat.).

235. aquora] the cognate acc. Vide note to 2.690.

238.] Cf. v. 776. Cic. de Nat. D. 3. 20, "Nostri quidem duces

235

240

245

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Ipsis præcipuos ductoribus addit honores :

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260

Victori chlamydem auratam, quam plurima circum 250
Purpura Mæandro duplici Melibea cucurrit,
Intextusque puer frondosa regius Ida
Veloces jaculo cervos cursuque fatigat,
Acer, anhelanti similis; quem præpes ab Ida
Sublimem pedibus rapuit Jovis armiger uncis;
Longævi palmas nequidquam ad sidera tendunt
Custodes, sævitque canum latratus in auras.
At qui deinde locum tenuit virtute secundum,
Levibus huic hamis consertam auroque trilicem
Loricam, quam Demoleo detraxerat ipse
Victor apud rapidum Simoënta sub Ilio alto,
Donat habere viro, decus et tutamen in armis.
Vix illam famuli Phegeus Sagarisque ferebant
Multiplicem, connixi humeris; indutus at olim.
Demoleos cursu palantes Troas agebat.
Tertia dona facit geminos ex ære lebetas,
Cymbiaque argento perfecta atque aspera signis.
Jamque adeo donati omnes opibusque superbi
Puniceis ibant evincti tempora tæniis,
Cum sævo e scopulo multa vix arte revulsus,
Amissis remis atque ordine debilis uno,

249, præcipuos] special, as dis- | tinguished from the prizes above mentioned, which were to be equally divided.

251. Maandro] a wavy line, from the windings of the river Mæander.

Melibaa] for 'Meliboensis.' Cf. Lucr. 2. 499, "Meliboaque fulgens Purpura Thessalico concharum tincta colore." Melibea was a town in Thessaly.

252-257.] Two devices are here intended; in the one Ganymede is represented hunting, in the other the eagle is carrying him off.

259.] Vide note to 3. 467. 261. Ilio alto] Cf. 3. 211;

E. 3. 79; 6. 44; G. 1. 281.

265

270

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Irrisam sine honore ratem Sergestus agebat.
Qualis sæpe viæ deprensus in aggere serpens,
Aerea quem obliquum rota transiit, aut gravis ictu
Seminecem liquit saxo lacerumque viator;
Nequidquam longos fugiens dat corpore tortus,
Parte ferox, ardensque oculis, et sibila colla
Arduus attollens; pars vulnere clauda retentat
Nixantem nodis seque in sua membra plicantem.
Tali remigio navis se tarda movebat;
Vela facit tamen, et velis subit ostia plenis.
Sergestum Æneas promisso munere donat,
Servatam ob navem lætus sociosque reductos.
Olli serva datur, operum haud ignara Minervæ,
Cressa genus, Pholoë, geminique sub ubere nati.
Hoc pius Æneas misso certamine tendit
Gramineum in campum, quem collibus undique curvis
Cingebant silvæ, mediaque in valle theatri
Circus erat; quo se multis cum millibus heros
Consessu medium tulit exstructoque resedit.
Hic, qui forte velint rapido contendere cursu,
Invitat pretiis animos, et præmia ponit.

273. sæpe] Vide note to 1. 148. aggere] the centre or crown of the causeway. The Roman roads were made level like our railways, and any one who compares an embankment with an earthwork, will understand the phrase munire viam,' and the uses of the word 'agger.'

274. gravis ictu] coming down with a heavy blow. Saxo depends an seminecem.

276. dat tortus] dare in poetry often = = facere.

279. Nixantem nodis] supporting itself on its coils. Al. "nexantem nodos."

280. tarda] = 'tarde.' Vide

note to 4. 494.

282. promisso] each having been promised some prize or other.

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Cf. vv. 70 and 305.

275

280

285

290

284. datur] For the lengthening of the final syllable before a vowel, cf. E. 9. 66.

286-361.] A foot race follows. Cf. Hom. II. 23. 740 sqq.

288. theatri] the natural theatre formed by the plain and the hills which enclosed it on all sides.

290. Consessu exstructo] a place prepared for the spectators, answering to the raised seats of an amphitheatre.

292. animos] sc. 'animos eorum qui.' Vide note to 4. 597.

ponit] sc. in medio.' Cf. v. 109. Præmia is distinguished from pretia, as it is from honos in v. 308; the prizes themselves from the glory of winning them.

Undique conveniunt Teucri mixtique Sicani,
Nisus et Euryalus primi,

Euryalus forma insignis viridique juventa,
Nisus amore pio pueri; quos deinde secutus
Regius egregia Priami de stirpe Diores ;

Hunc Salius simul et Patron, quorum alter Acarnan,
Alter ab Arcadio Tegeææ sanguine gentis;

295

Tum duo Trinacrii juvenes, Helymus Panopesque, 300
Assueti silvis, comites senioris Acesta;

Multi præterea, quos fama obscura recondit.
Eneas quibus in mediis sic deinde locutus:
Accipite hæc animis, lætasque advertite mentes :
Nemo ex hoc numero mihi non donatus abibit.
Gnosia bina dabo levato lucida ferro
Spicula cælatamque argento ferre bipennem ;
Omnibus hic erit unus honos. Tres præmia primi
Accipient, flavaque caput nectentur oliva.
Primus equum phaleris insignem victor habeto,
Alter Amazoniam pharetram plenamque sagittis
Threïciis, lato quam circumplectitur auro
Balteus, et tereti subnectit fibula gemma;
Tertius Argolica hac galea contentus abito.
Hæc ubi dicta, locum capiunt, signoque repente
Corripiunt spatia audito limenque relinquunt,
Effusi nimbo similes, simul ultima signant.
Primus abit longeque ante omnia

corpora Nisus

305

310

315

296. pueri] the young man | bably one of the spoils. Cf. 3. Euryalus.

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286.
316. spatia] the course.
G. 3. 203.

Cf.

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