throwing his head on this side, and on that." So exhausted was he, that as he was led off, his head fell now on this shoulder, now on that.

473. Superans animis. "Elated in soul."-476. Revocatum. "Rescued."-479. Libravit arduus. "He levelled from on high."-Media inter cornua. Here the skull is strongest.-481. Tremens indicates a sudden convulsion or quivering, the immediate precursor of death.Bos. To end an hexameter with a monosyllable is not proper, unless some particular end is sought to be gained by this, as in the present instance, to make the sound an echo to the sense, the heavy fall of the animal being well expressed by the closing cadence of the line.

482. Super. "Standing over it."-483. Hanc tibi, &c. "This more suitable victim do I offer unto thee."-484. Persolvo carries with it the idea of paying or fulfilling an obligation or vow. Eryx had been the instructor of Entellus in the pugilistic art, and the latter, therefore, owed it to his preceptor not to let the skill which he had imparted to his pupil be triumphed over by another.

Artemque. Referring to the art of wielding the cestus.-Repono. He now lays aside the art for ever, like a gladiator who has obtained his exemption from further service, and has hung up his arms, in consequence, on the doorposts of the temple of Hercules.

487. Ingentique manu. "And with his powerful hand." Servius understands by this, "with the aid of a numerous party;" but the other explanation is better, as said of a hero, and of heroic times.

488. Volucrem trajecto, &c. "A swift-winged dove, on a cord passed through." The dove is bound to the line, and this last is inserted through a hole in the extremity of the mast.

490. Dejectamque area, &c. "And a brazen helmet received the lot (of each) cast into it." These lots consisted of small pieces of wood or other material, and each competitor had either his name written upon one, or else some private mark made thereon, by which it might be distinguished from the rest.-491. Clamore secundo, i. e. with exulting shouts on the part of his friends.-492. Exit. "Comes forth." The lots were placed in the helmet, and the latter was shaken by some one who kept his face turned away from it, until a lot leaped forth. This was the successful one. Virgil here imitates Homeric usage. The lots were not drawn, as was customary in a later age.-Locus. "The lot." The lot of each is called locus, because it assigns the place, in point of order, in which each of the archers should shoot, that is, whether he should be first, second, third, &c.

496. Jussus. "Having been instigated (by Minerva)." The goddess appeared to Pandarus under the guise of Laodocus, son of Antenor, and prevailed upon him to break the truce by discharging an arrow at, and wounding Menelaus.-497. Consult Homer, 17. iv. 86, seqq. where the whole story is given. 498. Extremus galeáque, &c. i. e. the lot of Acestes remained, &c.-499. Jurenum laborem. Archery, an exercise more suited to those in the bloom and vigour of life.

501. Pro se quisque. "Each according to his strength."-502. Nervo stridente. "(Sent forth) from the twanging string."-506. Ingenti plausu. "With immense applause," i. e. from the spectators. Heyne refers plausu to the "flapping" of the bird's pinions; but the epithet ingenti plainly disproves this.

507. Adducto. The string of the bow and the hand that held it,

were brought in contact with his bosom, the bow at the same time being fully bent.-508. Alta. Supply loca.-Pariterque oculos, &c. He strained his eye, and directed his arrow, at the bird, as simul

taneous acts.

509. Ferro. "With the arrow," i. e. with the iron-headed shaft. -512. Illa notos atque atra, &c. "She, taking wing, hath begun to escape into the wide air and dusky clouds." Literally, "into the winds," &c. In ventos is equivalent merely to in aera. Compare the well-known expression in ventos recessit. The preposition in governs notos as well as nubila. This is in imitation of a common Greek idiom, where two substantives are connected by a copula, and the latter of the two has the preposition before it, which extends its government to the former also. Compare Bentley, ad Horat. Od. iii. 25, 2.

513. Rapidus. "In haste." Equivalent to rapide or confestim.Jamdudum. arcu contenta, &c. "Holding his arrow long since stretched on the ready bow," i. e. long since fitted to the bow.-514. Fratrem. He invokes his brother Pandarus as a hero, or deified person, on account of his pre-eminent skill with the bow. Servius says that Pandarus was worshipped as a hero by the Lycians.—In rota. "To his vows," i. e. to crown his vows.-515. Jam vacuo lætam, &c. "(And) now (for an instant) having eyed the dove, joyous amid the open sky, and flapping with her pinions, he pierces her under a dark cloud." Wagner thinks that this is one of the passages left by Virgil for future correction.

519. Amissa palmá. All further chance of success was now frustrated by the death of the bird. Hence the palm was lost to Acestes. -Superabat. "Remained." Put for supererat.—520. Contendit. "Discharged." This is the reading of the best MSS. and editions. The common text has contorsit, a strange term to apply to an arrow, though perfectly proper in the case of a javelin.-521. Ostentans artemque pater, &c. "Displaying, revered chieftain, both his skill and twanging bow." Acestes, having no longer a mark at which to shoot, may have chosen to display his skill by showing to what height he could make the arrow mount.-Pater. The reading of the best MSS. The common text has artem pariter. Whether we read pater or pariter, however, the last syllable is lengthened by the cæsura, or

arsis.

522. Subitum. The true reading. The common text has subito.-523. Docuit post exitus ingens, &c. "The great event subsequently proved this, and fear-inspiring soothsayers interpreted the omen too late." The arrow taking fire in the air typified and preceded the burning of the ships, which was the exitus ingens; and the soothsayers applied the prodigy too late, namely, not until after the event itself had taken place. Terrifici, a general term, indicating the office and functions of augurs considered as interpreters of the fearful and mysterious omens of the gods. This is the most natural explanation of this somewhat obscure passage, referring the omen of the arrow to the burning of the Trojan ships mentioned towards the close of the present book. Heyne, however, thinks that the poet alludes to the wars waged at a later period in Sicily, between the Carthaginians, Sicilians, and Romans. Wagner is of opinion that the omen was intended to point to the war between Eneas and Turnus.

525. Liquidis in nubibus. "Amid the liquid clouds." It would have been a very singular prodigy under any circumstances, but

much more so when the air was moist and cloudy.-527. Cœlo refixa. "Loosened from the sky." Alluding to what are called shooting or falling stars.-528. Crinem ducunt. "Draw (after them) a long train of light." Crinis is commonly applied to the long train of a comet.

529. Precati. Supply sunt.-530. Nec maximus omen abnuit, &c. Eneas was deceived and regarded the omen as one portending good. -533. Sume. Supply hæc, i. e. munera.-Te exsortes ducere honores. "That thou shouldst enjoy honours superior to the rest." Literally, "that thou draw honours out of lot." The poet having the idea of lot in mind, employs ducere, " to draw," in the sense of accipere, “to receive."-534. Exsortes. Equivalent to extra sortem, or, in other words, præcipuas or extraordinarias. The poet alludes to a Grecian custom of dividing plunder. Certain captives, or valuable articles of plunder, were at once assigned to individuals distinguished by rank or by valour, and were not included in the general mass divided by lot. Compare ix. 271.

535. Ipsius Anchisæ, &c. "Which once belonged to the aged Anchises himself."-536. Impressum signis. "Embossed with figures," i. e. adorned with figures raised from the surface, called by ancients opus anaglyphum, and resembling what are termed cameos.-537. In magno munere. "For a great gift." Observe here the peculiar use of the preposition in, derived from a similar usage in Greek (not, however, of frequent occurrence), in the case of iv. The paraphrase would be, quod pro magno munere (or, in numero maximorum munerum) habendum esset.-Cisseus. A Thracian monarch, the father of Hecuba.

540. Appellat. "He proclaims."-541. Nec bonus Eurytion, &c. "Nor did the good-natured Eurytíon envy the honour ranked before his own," i. e. envy Acestes, who had been preferred to himself. Heyne, whose explanation this is, seems more inclined, however, to regard prælato as equivalent to prærepto, as if the meaning were, "the honour which had been borne (or snatched) away by another." Wagner condemns this, and doubts if any passage can be produced where prælatus has the force of præreptus.-543. Proximus ingreditur donis, &c. "That one advances next (to Eurytion) in (the value of) his gifts, who cut the cords; that one, last in order, who pierced," &c., i. e. that one is next to Eurytion in the value of the prize which he received. The allusion is to Mnestheus. Servius makes donis equivalent to ad dona, "for a prize;" and La Cerda, on the other hand, takes ingreditur donis for incedit gloriabundus cum donis. Both of these explanations are inferior.-544. Extremus. Referring to Hippocoön.

546. Custodem Comitemque. Virgil here follows the custom of his own age, by which such protectors and attendants were assigned to the boys of noble or wealthy families. Compare Horace, Ep. ad Pis. 161.-547. Epytiden. "The son of Epytus." Homer calls him Periphas or Periphantes, son of Epytus the herald. (Il. xvii. 323.)— 550. Avo. "In honour of his grandsire." These games were celebrated in memory of Anchises. The poet now introduces us to a mock-engagement performed by the Trojan boys on horseback. This species of exercise was in general repute among the Romans, and was called Ludus or Lusus Trojanus. It was frequently exhibited by Augustus, until it was discontinued in consequence of the complaint of Asinius Pollio, whose grandson Æserninus had the misfortune to break his leg while he was performing his part in it. (Sueton. Vit.

Aug. 43.) Virgil, in order to pay his court to Augustus, represents this military exercise as of Trojan origin.

553. Lucent is equivalent to lucent armis.-555. Mirata fremit. "Gaze upon with admiration, and loudly applaud."

556. Tonsâ coma pressa corona. "The hair was pressed by a garland of leaves." The corona tonsa, or tonsilis, was made of leaves only, stripped from the bough, and was so called in contradistinction to the corona nexilis, in which the whole branch was inserted.—Coma. This term must not be taken here very strictly. The garland, in fact (see 1. 673), was placed around a helmet worn by each boy, and in this sense only can here be said to rest upon the brow.

557. Præfixa. "Headed." Virgil, in describing the equipments of the Trojan boys on this occasion, merely gives us those which he had himself seen in his own day at such exhibitions. According to Babius Macer, as quoted by Servius, Augustus gave the Roman boys who performed the Ludus Trojanus a helmet and two spears each. So, again, Suetonius informs us (Vit. Aug. 43) that the same emperor bestowed a golden torques on the young Asprenas, who had been injured by a fall on one of these occasions.-558. Leves. "Polished." Observe the long penult.

It pectore summo, &c. "A pliant circular chain of twisted gold goes from the upper part of the breast over the neck," i. e. hangs down from the neck on the breast. The poet here describes the torques, an ornament or kind of chain, of gold, twisted spirally, and bent into a circular form, which was worn around the neck.

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560. Vagantur. Gallop to and fro."-561. Pueri bis seni, &c. The whole number of boys, exclusive of the leaders, was thirty-six ; and these were divided into three troops, or turma, of twelve each, with a separate leader for each troop.-562. Agmine partito. "In a distinct band."-Paribusque magistris. "And with field-guides equipped alike." Each turme had a magister, or riding-master, to superintend the evolutions, and see that no harm happened to the boys. These magistri must not be confounded with the ductores. We have made paribus equivalent to pariter armatis, as Wagner explains it.

563. Una acies juvenum, &c. "One squadron of youths (is that) which," &c.-564. Polite. Polites has already been mentioned in ii. 526, &c., as having been slain by Pyrrhus, in the presence of his father Priam.--565. Auctura Italos. "Destined in after days to increase the Italians," i. e. to augment the population of Italy by his own race of descendants; for, as Servius informs us, quoting from the Origines of Cato, he separated subsequently from Æneas, in Italy, and founded the city of Politorium, named by him after his father Polites.-Thracius albis, &c. "A Thracian steed, dappled with white spots." The Thracian horses were held in high repute. Hence Hesiod speaks of Орýкη≤ iππотрópov (Op. et D. 505), and an ancient oracle classes together, as superior of their kind, the horses of Thrace, the women of Sparta, and the men who drink the waters of the fair Arethusa :

Ἵπποι Θρηίκιοι, Λακεδαιμόνιαι δὲ γυναῖκες,

*Ανδρες δ' οἳ πίνουσιν ὕδωρ καλῆς ̓Αρεθούσης

566. Vestigia primi pedis is merely a pleonasm for primos pedes. 568. Alter Atys. "A second (leader is) Atys."-Atti Latini. "The Latin Attii," i. e. the Roman family of the Attii.-569. Pueroque puer dilectus Iulo. "And a boy, beloved by the boy Iulus."

Here the poet designs another compliment to his patron, in allusion to the subsequent union between the families thus derived from Trojans. M. Attius Balbus married Julia, sister to M. Julius Cæsar; their daughter Attia married C. Octavius; she was mother of C. Octavius, whom Julius Cæsar adopted, and who was afterward named Augustus.

570. Extremus. i. e. the leader of the third troop.-571. Sidonio. Equivalent here, in all probability, to Africo.-572. Esse. A poetic pleonasm, founded on a Græcism. The prose form would be ut esset. -Sui. Agreeing with amoris.

575. Paridos. "Full of eager excitement," i. e. eager for fame. Pavor, in its primitive and generic sense, indicates a palpitation, common either to fear or joy, or, indeed, to any violent emotion. Hence paridos denotes not so much a sensation of alarm as a throbbing feeling of eager excitement, arising from the wish of gaining the applause of those present.-576. Veterumque agnoscunt, &c., i. e. and trace a resemblance between them and their sires. Veterum, equivalent here merely to ætate provectiorum.

577. Postquam omnem, &c. " After that they, joyous, had passed in review, on their steeds, before the whole assembly, and the eyes of their fathers."-578. Paratis. "To them when (now) ready." After riding around, one after the other, they all form in a line abreast, and wait for the signal to commence.

580. Olli discurrere pares, &c. "They (thereupon) rode forth in parted order, keeping the same front, and broke up the main troop (as they moved along), by threes in separate bands." Pares, equivalent to pares loco, or eodem ordine. They rode forth in detached troops of three each (observe here the force of dis in the verb discurrere), but kept all moving in one line, or abreast.-Terni. We have adopted here the explanation of Nöhden, who supposed the whole line of thirty-six boys to be broken up into small bands (chori) of three each, but all, as we have just remarked, keeping the same front. Heyne and others make terni refer merely to three bands of twelve each.-Agmina. The main troop of thirty-six. Observe the force of the plural.

581. Rursusque vocati, &c. "And again, at the word of command, they wheeled about, and bore (against one another) hostile spears." -Vocati. Supply a ducibus.

583. Inde alios ineunt cursus, &c. "Then they commence other charges and other retreats, confronting one another (from time to time), after making long circuits, and they involve alternately circle within circle, and call up the (various) images of a battle with arms," i. e. exhibit the various aspects of a real engagement. In other words, they represent a mock-fight.-584. Most commentators make spatiis refer merely to the intervals between every two lines, as they successively confront each other. The term, however, appears to be borrowed rather from the movements of the circus.-586. Nunc spicula vertunt infensi. "Now, with hostile bearing, they direct their javelins (against one another)."-587. Pariter. "Side by side," i. e. again formed into one line, as at first.

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588. Ut quondam Cretâ, &c. As, in former days, the labyrinth in lofty Crete is said to have had a path intricately formed by means of walls interrupting the view, and (to have contained within it) an artifice perplexing by means of a thousand (different) avenues, whereby the once going wrong, incapable of being detected (at the