Laeva aciem ferri, dextra nervoque papillam.
Extemplo teli stridorem aurasque sonantis
Audiit una Arruns, haesitque in corpore ferrum.
Illum exspirantem socii atque extrema gementem
Obliti ignoto camporum in pulvere linquunt;
Opis ad aetherium pennis aufertur Olympum.

Prima fugit, domina amissa, levis ala Camillae;
Turbati fugiunt Rutuli, fugit acer Atinas,
Disiectique duces desolatique manipli

Tuta petunt, et equis aversi ad moenia tendunt.
Nec quisquam instantis Teucros letumque ferentis
Sustentare valet telis, aut sistere contra;

865

870

Sed laxos referunt humeris languentibus arcus,
Quadrupedumque putrem cursu quatit ungula campum.
Volvitur ad muros caligine turbidus atra
Pulvis, et e speculis percussae pectora matres

862.] Aciem ferri,' the point or blade of the arrow, as it lay on the centre of the arch of the bow. Wagn. says this is the only instance in Virg. of the elision of a long 'a' before a short vowel, and attempts to get rid of it by pronouncing' aciem ' as a disyllable.

863.] See above, vv. 801, 802.

864.] It is just possible, as was sug. gested on 6. 559, that Virg. may have written hausit:' the MSS. however present no variety though they spell 'haesit' in various ways ('haessit,' 'hessit '), except that one of no authority has exit.' Serv. quotes a characteristic parallel from Stat. Theb. 8. 439, "heu celeres Parcae! iam palpitat arvis Phaedimus, et certi nondum tacet arcus Amyntae."

865.] "Extremosque ciet gemitus" G. 3. 517.

866.] Obliti:' we may infer from this that he had not proclaimed what he had done, in spite of his pride in it. Ignoto camporum in pulvere' for "ignoto in loco campi pulverulenti," as Forb. remarks. Donatus says, "quod erat ultionis argumentum ut socii illius obliviscerentur."

867.] "Pennis ablata" 3. 258. 868-895.] There is a general rout of the Rutulians, who fly to the town. The gates are closed, and many perish miserably outside. Even the women, in desperation, attempt to defend the wall.'

876

two places, though Dryden wished to substitute him for Asilas in 12. 550. But for the difference in quantity, it would be natural to connect him with the town Atina, mentioned 7. 630.

870.] 'Disiecti' borne apart in the mêlée, so as to leave their troops desolati.' With 'desolati' comp. Aesch. Pers. 297, τῶν ἀρχελείων, ὅστ ̓ ἐπὶ σκηπτουχίᾳ Ταχθεὶς ἄνανδρον τάξιν ἠρήμου θανών.

871.] Tuta capessunt" 9. 366. Pal. and Gud. have equos.' The oblonga and Medicean of Pierius had 'adversa.' 'Aversi' of flight 12. 464. Equis' better with 'tendunt' than with 'aversi.'

873.] Sustentare telis ' like "ipsumque morando sustinuit" 10. 798.

874.] Gossrau comp. Hor. 3 Od. 8. 23, "Iam Scythae laxo meditantur arcu Cedere campis."

875.] Nearly repeated from 8. 596. Rom. and originally fragm. Vat. have quadripedo,' which may possibly be right, though Forc. cites no higher authority for " "quadrupedus than Ammianus (14. 2).

876.] "Quis globus, o cives, caligine volvitur atra!" 9. 36.

877.] Comp. 4. 586, 589, the first of which will illustrate e speculis,' the second percussae pectora.' Virg. not unfrequently imitates himself in this way: e. g. vv. 871, 872 above supply a hint to 12. 463, 464, while v. 872 was partly suggested by 10. 797, the next line, as has just been remarked, similarly suggesting

869.]" Acer Atinas" 12. 661, which shows that 'acer' here does not go with 'fugit.' Atinas is only mentioned in these

Femineum clamorem ad caeli sidera tollunt.
Qui cursu portas primi inrupere patentis,
Hos inimica super mixto premit agmine turba;
Nec miseram effugiunt mortem, sed limine in ipso
Moenibus in patriis atque inter tuta domorum
Confixi exspirant animas. Pars claudere portas;
Nec sociis aperire viam, nec moenibus audent
Accipere orantis; oriturque miserrima caedes
Defendentum armis aditus, inque arma ruentum.
Exclusi ante oculos lacrimantumque ora parentum
Pars in praecipitis fossas urguente ruina

v. 873. Taken separately, each of these resemblances would be a mere coincidence; but when two come together, we feel that there must be something conscious in the self-reproduction. Med., fragm. Vat., and one of Ribbeck's cursives originally omitted 'e,' perhaps, as Ribbeck thinks, from a notion about the quantity of pulvis,' as Serv. remarks that the last syll., though short here, is long 1. 478. See Excursus to Book 12. Some copies, including another of Ribbeck's cursives, give 'e muris.'

878.] "Femineo ululatu " 4. 667, where however the word simply ="feminarum," while here, as in 7. 345, it is 'woman-like.' "Clamores ad sidera tollit" 2. 222. "Sidera caeli " G. 2. 1, &c.

879.] Cursu,' at full speed, 2. 321. Heyne comp. with this description Il. 13. 122 foll.; but the resemblance is not very marked. We might also comp. generally the latter part of Il. 21. See too above, 9. 722 foll.

880.] The enemies, following on their heels, blend with them (mixto agmine'), and fall upon them (super'), killing them on the threshold of the gates, and even after they have got into their dwellings. Forb. erroneously takes inimica turba' of the Latins, who tumble on and destroy each other, understanding 'confixi' of their being pierced by the weapons of their friends, and making super' mean 'beside the danger from the enemy.'

881.] One of Ribbeck's cursives has 'fugiunt.'

882.] Intra' Med., Rom., which may be right. Wagn.'s argument for inter,' that Virg. meant not that they had got inside their houses, but that they were within the gate and in the neighbourhood of their houses, is futile, as Virg. evidently

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880

885

intends the former, not the latter. There is a gradual climax: they are killed on the threshold of the gate, killed within the walls, killed even within the houses. Inter' however would stand equally well for either. Tuta domorum :' see on 1. 422, and Madv. there referred to, Munro on Lucr. 1. 315. Here it is difficult to say whether the notion of quality, the security of home,' or the partitive notion, i. q. "domorum penetralia," is the prominent one.

885.] "Oriturque miserrima caedes" 2. 411, where, as here, it is the slaughter of countrymen by countrymen. With the structure of these lines comp. 12. 410, "It tristis ad aethera clamor Bellantum iuvenum et duro sub Marte cadentum."

886.] The commentators have made considerable difficulty about this line, but the sense is perfectly plain. The Latins already within the walls close the gates, and finding that their pursued countrymen attempt to force their way in, repel them as they would the enemy: the pursued rush on, and fight as they would if they were an invading force; and so there is carnage on both sides.

887.] "Ante oculos et ora parentum" 2. 531. The shutting of the gates has been mentioned (v. 883) as the act of a part of those within, who would naturally be divided in their counsels; and the relatives of those shut out would lament the act, even if they did not resist it. For 'exclusi' divided into 'pars-pars' comp. 12. 277 foll.

888.] As the rout hurries on, some miss the causeway that leads to the gate, and are carried down the bank of the moat on each side of it. · Ruina' is the rout pouring headlong, not, as Heyne thinks, the breaking down of the sides of the moat.

Volvitur, inmissis pars caeca et concita frenis
Arietat in portas et duros obiice postis.
Ipsae de muris summo certamine matres,—
Monstrat amor verus patriae―ut videre Camillam,
Tela manu trepidae iaciunt, ac robore duro
Stipitibus ferrum sudibusque imitantur obustis
Praecipites, primaeque mori pro moenibus ardent.
Interea Turnum in silvis saevissimus inplet

889.] "Inmissis habenis" 5. 662. They spur on, blind and headlong, and charge the gates almost unconsciously.

890.] For 'arietat' see Forc. One instance of it is quoted from Att. Brutus fr. 1 in its natural sense, the butting of a ram; the rest are more or less metaphorical. In a passage like the present it may be doubted whether the metaphor is from the animal or the battering-ram. Seneca appears to be rather fond of the word. Duros obiice postis,' i. q. "dura obiice postis," as "pictas abiete puppis" 5. 663 i. q. "picta abiete puppis," a construction which is especially common in Pers. It is even possible that the words in Book 5 may have suggested those here, 'inmissis frenis' having recalled to the poet's mind his own "inmissis habenis," cited just above. See on v. 877. Postis' the door, 2. 480.

891.] Ipsae matres' 5. 767. 'De muris' with 'iaciunt.' 'Summo certamine' as in 5. 197, not, as Serv. explains it, “in extremo discrimine," in spite of v. 476, which he comp. This whole description is not quite harmonized with the preceding: both illustrate the crisis of the Latin fortunes, but one gives a melancholy picture, warriors wasting their strength on each other in the instinct of self-preservation, the other a more cheerful and hopeful one, women roused to deeds of manly daring. It may be said to be one of the few instances in which traces of imperfection are found in these later books.

892.] 'Monstrat,' i. e. "monstrat ia. cere:" so "conferre manum pudor iraque monstrat" 9. 44, comp. by Wagn., who rightly rejects Heyne's two alternatives "monstrat Latinas matronas, earum animam et virtutem declarat" and "monstrat Camillam, insignem reddit." "Ut videre Camillam' is no part of the parenthesis, as Gossrau, Forb., and Ribbeck make it, but goes with 'iaciunt:' the sight of Camilla's valour has such an effect on them that they try to imitate her in their way. Serv. well remarks "ut videre

890

895

Camillam: scilicet quae pro aliena patria
cecidisse videtur. Sane ut videre, non
relatam ex pugna, sed ut exemplum virtu-
tis eius viderunt." Heyne, who discusses
this latter question, remarks that nothing
is said about the carrying away of her
body, which had doubtless been done by
Diana, v. 593. For verus' Rom. has
'versus,' which seems a mere blunder,
though Pierius tries to explain it. It is
just conceivable that it may have arisen
from a misapprehension of Serv.'s note
"Monstrat amor verus:' qui apparet in
adversis."

893.] "Tela manu iaciunt" 10. 264. Robore duro' qualifies stipitibus,' rather an awkward agglomeration of adjectives. 894.] Comp. 7. 505 foll,, 524 foll.

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895.] Praecipites' like 'trepidae.' 'Pro moenibus,' not for "in moenibus," as Forb., but like "pro patria mori," 'Ardent,' restored by Heins., is found in Med. (first reading), Pal., fragm. Vat., Rom. and Gud. originally. Audent' is the second reading of Med., and is found in Gud, corrected and two other of Ribbeck's cursives. Either would be sufficiently good, but external authority and the occurrence of audent' at the end of v. 884 are reasons for preferring 'ardent.'

Primae' may possibly mean in the front rank: comp. 10. 125 and its context. It matters little whether we take it with ardent' or (by attraction) with 'mori.'

896-915.] Acca takes the news to Turnus, who breaks up his ambush and hastens to the city. Immediately afterwards Aeneas comes up, passes the defile safely, and marches towards the city himself. Night however prevents an engagement.'

896.] Nuntius' may either be Acca, spoken of generally, or the message, which is perhaps more probable. See on 4. 237, where I have decided too strongly against the probability of this latter use in Virg. With the latter sense comp. Il. 18. 18, ή μάλα λυγρῆς Πεύσεαι ἀγγελίης, ἢ μὴ peλλe yevéobal. Turnum inplet' like

Nuntius, et iuveni ingentem fert Acca tumultum :
Deletas Volscorum acies, cecidisse Camillam,
Ingruere infensos hostis, et Marte secundo
Omnia corripuisse, metum iam ad moenia ferri.
Ille furens-et saeva Iovis sic numina poscunt-
Deserit obsessos collis, nemora aspera linquit.
Vix e conspectu exierat campumque tenebat,
Cum pater Aeneas, saltus ingressus apertos,
Exsuperatque iugum silvaque evadit opaca.
Sic ambo ad muros rapidi totoque feruntur
Agmine, nec longis inter se passibus absunt,
Ac simul Aeneas fumantis pulvere campos
Prospexit longe Laurentiaque agmina vidit,
Et saevum Aenean adgnovit Turnus in armis

899.] Many early editions have infestos, without authority. "Secundo Marte" 10, 21.

900.] Corripuisse' may be meant to suggest the notion of a conflagration (10. 407) or an inundation (G. 3. 254). This last would harmonize with Marte secundo,' which is not, as Heyne explains it, "pugna facta," but denotes the irresistible onset of the Trojans.

901.] Heins. restored 'et' for 'iam,' which seems to have little or no authority. Some MSS. are said to have 'nam,' and one 'si.' Ribbeck strangely conj.' en.' Et' is like 'que' in the parenthetical clause "Mansissetque utinam fortuna " 3. 615, which Wagn. Q. V. 35. 9 comp. "Sic fata Iovis poscunt" 4. 614. Rom. has 'pellunt,' which Ribbeck adopts, but without explaining or illustrating the use of the word.

902.] See above, vv. 522 foll. One of Ribbeck's cursives corrected has 'linquens,' perhaps from 7. 562.

903.] "Vix e conspectu" 1. 34. Med. (first reading) has camposque.'

904.] Apertos,' left open by Turnus.

900

905

910

907.] Inter se' might be constructed with longis passibus,' i. q. " longis passibus inter se interiectis:" but it may go with 'absunt,' 'abesse' being constructed on the analogy of "distare." Gossrau comp. Sall. Iug. 55, "Duobus locis haud longe inter se castra faciebant," where "longe inter se"="longe inter se distantibus.” Longis passibus' for length of distances like " longos annos 10. 549 (comp. by Gossrau) for length of life, the plural in each case being taken collectively.

908.] Pal, and Rom. have 'tum pater Aeneas,' an unseasonable repetition from v. 904; and so Gud., giving ac simul' as a variant. 'Simul' is not, as Jahn and Forb. think, for "simul atque," 'que' in v. 912 making the apodosis, but means that Aeneas and Turnus become conscious of their proximity to each other at the same time. Fumantis pulvere campos :' Germ. comp. Eur. Tro. 1320, kóvis & toa kavą πtépvyɩ πpòs aieép', where, however, the comparison may only be meant to extend to the motion, not to the form. In 2. 609 actual smoke is of course intended.

909.] One of Ribbeck's cursives has 'conspexit,' the Balliol MS. 'aspexit.'

910.] The Balliol MS. gives simul' for 'saevum,' plausibly enough, if its authority

Adventumque pedum flatusque audivit equorum. Continuoque ineant pugnas et proelia temptent, Ni roseus fessos iam gurgite Phoebus Hibero Tinguat equos noctemque die labente reducat. Considunt castris ante urbem et moenia vallant.