Virgil, especially chapters viii. and ix., will be obvious from the notes. Few could write of Virgil in these days without running into debt to Warde Fowler, and least of all one who had the happiness to call him friend. In his brief note on Dido and Aeneas in Roman Essays and Interpretations he, beyond any man, looks at the matter 'from the inside of the Roman mind':1 and his chapter on 'Religious Feeling in Virgil,' the eighteenth of his Gifford Lectures,2 is the finest piece of Virgilian criticism known to me. My final debt is to Mr. J. H. Vince for his criticism and suggestions, and to my former pupil, Mr. T. B. L. Webster, of Christ Church, Oxford, who has read the proofs of the book. CHARTERHOUSE, December, 1923. 1 The words are Professor Conway's, Classical Review, Vol. XXXVI., p. 1. 2 Henceforward referred to as R.R.E. AENEIDOS IV AT regina gravi iamdudum saucia cura volnus alit venis et caeco carpitur igni. multa viri virtus animo multusque recursat gentis honos: haerent infixi pectore vultus verbaque, nec placidam membris dat cura quietem. 5 postera Phoebea lustrabat lampade terras umentemque Aurora polo dimoverat umbram, ΙΟ cum sic unanimam adloquitur male sana sororem : Anna soror, quae me suspensam insomnia terrent ! quis novus hic nostris successit sedibus hospes, quem sese ore ferens, quam forti pectore et armis ! credo equidem, nec vana fides, genus esse deorum. degeneres animos timor arguit. heu, quibus ille iactatus fatis quae bella exhausta canebat! si mihi non animo fixum immotumque sederet 15 20 THE LOVES OF DIDO AND AENEAS But she who Love long since had swallowed down, Melts with hid fire; her wound doth inward weep: The man's much worth, his nation's much renown Runs in her mind: his looks and words are deep Fixt in her breast: care weans her eyes from sleep. The Morn with Phoebus' lamp the earth survey'd And drew Heav'n's veil through which moist stars did creep, When thus to her dear sister, sick, she said, 'Anna, what frightful dreams my wavering soul invade! Who is this man that visits our abodes? How wise! how valiant! what a face he has ! Well may he be descended from the gods. Fear shows ignoble minds: but he, alas, Tost with what fates! through what wars did he pass! Were I not well resolv'd never to wed Since my first love by death bereft me was: Did I not loathe the nuptial torch and bed, To this one fault perchance, perchance I might be led. o For since my poor Sychaeus' fatal hour (Our household gods besmear'd by brother's steel) This only man, I must confess, had power 24 impulit. agnosco veteris vestigia flammae. sed mihi vel tellus optem prius ima dehiscat vel pater omnipotens adigat me fulmine ad umbras, pallentis umbras Erebo noctemque profundam, ante, pudor, quam te violo aut tua iura resolvo. ille meos, primus qui me sibi iunxit, amores abstulit; ille habeat secum servetque sepulcro.' sic effata sinum lacrimis implevit obortis. Anna refert: 'o luce magis dilecta sorori, solane perpetua maerens carpere iuventa nec dulcis natos Veneris nec praemia noris ? id cinerem aut manis credis curare sepultos? esto, aegram nulli quondam flexere mariti, non Libyae, non ante Tyro; despectus Iarbas ductoresque alii, quos Africa terra triumphis dives alit: placitone etiam pugnabis amori? nec venit in mentem quorum consederis arvis ? hinc Gaetulae urbes, genus insuperabile bello, et Numidae infreni cingunt et inhospita Syrtis; hinc deserta siti regio lateque furentes Barcaei. quid bella Tyro surgentia dicam germanique minas? 30 35 40 |