Servantem, et tacitam secretâ in sede latentem NOTES. gled passions with which his mind must then have been racked, who could have blamed him if he had avenged his own and his country's sufferings upon her, who was justly chargeable with the guilt of so many thousand deaths, and the utter desolation of a whole innocent people-a once flourishing and powerful kingdom? But when, instead of giving way to the first emotions of a just resentment, he checks himself, deliberates upon the merits of the action, and is at length prevented from doing it by the interposition of his goddess mother; or, in other words, by the force of superior judgment, there is no reason even for the severest critics to censure his conduct. Lastly: Herodotus informs us that he learned from some Egyptian priests, who had received the same from Menelaus himself, that the Trojans had sent Helen to Egypt before the Greeks redemanded her. Of this fact, the historian appears to have been fully convinced. But whether Virgil was acquainted with this piece of his history or not, it is sufficient that he had poetical tradition on his side; and that he is supported by the authority of Homer and Euripides. A moment's attention to the style and manner of expression in these lines, will convince any one that they are no interpolation. Unus: in the sense of solus. 563. Servantem limina Vesta; the verb servare signifies to look after any thing with anxiety, and solicitude; with a jealous eye, and watchful of every danger. Limina: in the sense of templum. 569. Tyndarida: acc. of Tyndaris, a name of Helen, the daughter of Jupiter and Leda; so called, because Tyndarus, king of Sparta, married Leda, her mother. 572. Deserti conjugis: her deserted, or abandoned husband, Menelaus. 573. Permetuens: dreading-greatly fearing. The per in composition increases the signification of the simple word. Helen proved fatal both to Greece and Troy; to the former, in the loss of so many heroes; to the latter, in being the cause of its ruin She is therefore styled the common fury Erinnys, a name common to the three furies. See Geor. i. 278. 574. Invisa: hated-an odious sight; rather than unseen, as Rumus has it. 575. Ignes exarsere: flames flashed in my mind. Ira subit: my resentment rose to avenge my falling country. 576. Sumere sceleratas pænas: to take severe punishment. Or, perhaps, to take punishment of such a cursed woman. The same as, sumere pœnas de scelerata fœmina. Rumus says, panas sceleris. Heyne, pænas sumptas à scelerata. : 577. Mycenas: Mycenae was not the place of her own nativity, but of Menelaus, her husband. She was born at Sparta. Scili cet hæc shall she, indeed, in safety behold? &c. These are all animated interrogatories, and show the mind of Æneas hurrying from object to object, and agitated with a tide of passions. At last he concludes it must not be. She must suffer the punishment due to her crimes. 578. Parto triumpho: having obtained a triumph-a triumph being obtained. 580. Comitata turbâ: accompanied by a train of Trojan matrons, and Phrygian servants, shall she see her former marriage bed? &c. Iliadum: gen. plu. of Ilias, a Trojan woman. Conjugium: pristinum conjugem, says Heyne. Patres: for parentes. 582. Dardanium : an adj. the same as Trojanum. 583. Nomen: glory-renown. 585. Tamen laudabor: nevertheless, I shall Laudabor pœnas; animumque explêsse juvabit 587. Meorum civium. Ultricis flammæ, et cineres satiâsse meorum. Talia jactabam, et furiatâ mente ferebar, 589. Cùm alma pa- Cùm mihi se, non antè oculis tam clara, videndam rens, non visa tam clara meis oculis antè, obtulit Obtulit, et purâ per noctem in luce refulsit 596. Non aspicies priùs, ubi liqueris parentem Anchisen, fessum se videndam mihi, et re- Alma parens, confessa Deam; qualisque videri fulsit per noctem Calicolis et quanta solet; dextrâque prehensum 592. Continuit me pre- Continuit, roseoque hæc insuper addidit ore: hensum dextrâ Nate, quis indomitas tantus dolor excitat iras? Quid furis? aut quònam nostri tibi cura recessit? Non priùs aspicies, ubi fessum ætate parentem 598. Circùm quos, Liqueris Anchisen? superet conjuxne Creusa, omnes Graise acies er- Ascaniusque puer? quos omnes undique Graiæ rant undique Circùm errant acies: et, ni mea cura resistat, 600. Tulerint eos, et inimicus ensis hauserit Jam flammæ tulerint, inimicus et hauserit ensis. eorum sanguinem. Non tibi Tyndaridis facies invisa Lacænæ, evertit 602. Sed inclementia Culpatusve Paris: Divûm inclementia, Divûm, Divûm, Divûm, inquam, Has evertit opes, sternitque à culmine Trojam. Aspice: namque omnem, quæ nunc obducta tuenti Mortales hebetat visus tibi, et humida circùm Caligat, nubem eripiam : tu ne qua parentis 604. Namque eripiam omnem nubem,quæ nunc obducta hebetat NOTES. be praised for having put an end to the monster of wickedness, and taken vengeance of one so justly deserving it. Nefas, very forcibly expresses the enormity of her crimes: she was wickedness itself. We are told that Helen was first ravished by Theseus. Afterward she married Menelaus, whom she left for Paris. She also committed incest with her son-in-law Orythus, the son of Paris and Enone. It is also said that she had an amour with Achilles. She may truly be called (nefas) a monster of wickedness. Merentis: part. of Mereor, agreeing with ejus understood: of her deserving or meriting it. 586. Juvabit: it will delight me to have satisfied my desire of burning or ardent revenge. Flamme may here be used in the sense of flammeæ vel ardentis. Animum: in the sense of desiderium. Animus may signify any affection of the mind; especially in the plural. For ultricis flamma, Ruæus says, ardentis ultionis. Heyne says, flamma sive irâ ultrice (hoc est) ultione. 589. Clara: manifest-clear: attended with evident marks of Divinity. 591. Confessa Deam: manifesting the goddess. Qualisque, et quanta: such, and as illustrious as she used to be seen, &c. Venus was the most proper deity to interpose in behalf of Heien, whom she had long protected, and had conferred on Paris, as a reward for his adjudging the prize of beauty to her, rather than to Juno or Minerva. See Æn. i. 27. This interposition of Venus was very seasonable in another respect; to check the ardor of his soul, to divert him 590 595 600 605 from his present object, and to direct his regard to his own-to his aged father, his infant son, and his beloved wife, who otherwise might have fallen victims to the fury of the Greeks. 593. Addidit hæc: she added these words. 595. Tibi: in the sense of tua: thy care regard. Quònam: the compound in the sense of the simple quò. 597. Superet: in the sense of superest. 600. Tulerint: would have carried them off-consumed them. 601. Lacana Tyndaridis: of Spartan Helen. See 569. supra. Invisa tibi: hateful or odious to you. 602. Divûm inclementia. This reading is much more emphatic than verùm inclementia Divûm, as in the common editions: and it is supported by the authority of ancient manuscripts: it is the reading of Heyne and Valpy. Homer makes Priam exculpate Helen, and lay the blame of the destruction of his country to the gods themselves. Iliad iii. 164. 603. Has opes: in the sense of hanc potentiam. Opes, is, properly, power acquired by wealth. 604. Quæ nunc obducta: which now spread before you, looking earnestly, blunts your mortal sight, &c. This passage Milton appears to have had in view, where the angel prepares Adam for beholding the future vision of his posterity, and their history; which he is going to set before him. See Paradise Lost, lib. xi. verse 411. Humida: moist-impregnated with vapor so as to increase the darkness. Jussa time, neu præceptis parere recuŝa. Jam summas arces Tritonia, respice, Pallas : Tum verò omne mihi visum considere in ignes NOTES. 610. Hic Neptunus quatit: here Neptune shakes the walls, &c. Neptune took an active part against the Trojans, having become their enemy on account of the perfidy of Laomedon. See Geor. i. 502. This fable is explained by supposing that Laomedon employed the money which had been destined for the service of that god, in building the walls of Troy. Emota: in the sense of evulsa. 612. Hic Juno: here Juno, most fierce, occupies the Scean gate in front, &c. It is most probable that prima, here, has reference to the place of her standing, before, or in front of the gate. It may, however, mean that Juno was the first, or chief, in urging on the Greeks in the work of destruction. We are told the gates of Troy were six in number: the gate of Antenor; the gate of Dardanus; the Ilian; the Catumbrian; the Trojan; and the Scean. Through this gate the Trojan horse is said to have entered. On which account, it is probable, the poet placed Juno at this gate, clad in armour, and calling upon her Greeks. 615. Pallas. She is sometimes called Tritona: hence the adj. Tritonia. See 171. supra. 616. Effulgens nimbo: resplendent with a cloud. By nimbo, in this place, Servius understands a lucid circle, resembling a diadem about the head, to distinguish the gods from mortals. Gorgone: the three daughters of Phorcus and Ceto, Medusa, Euryale, and Stenyo, were called Gorgones, Gorgons, or terrible sisters. The name is of Greek derivation, and signifies fierceness. It is said they had but one eye, which served them all by turns. They had great wings: their heads were attired with vipers instead of hair: their teeth were tusks like those of a boar: they were armed with sharp and crooked claws. Medusa having been ravished in the temple of Minerva by Neptune, the goddess gave her serpents the quality of transforming men into stones at the sight of them. Perseus cut off her head by the aid of Minerva's buckler, which, being so finely polished, that it reflected the image of the Gorgon's head, secured him from the fatal influence of her eye. This head Minerva afterward wore un her shield or buckler, to render her more awful and tremendous. See Lexicon, sub Ægide. 617. Pater ipse: the father himself gives courage and successful strength to the Greeks. Juno and Minerva opposed the Trojans from selfish motives, because they had been slighted by Paris; but Jove was an enemy to them, because their cause was unjust, in detaining Helen against the laws of nations, when properly demanded. 620. Abero: in the sense of relinquam. 622. Diræ facies: horrid images appearthe images of desolation, death, and despair. 623. Magna numina Deûm. The Romans divided the gods into two classes: the Dii majorum, and the Dii minorum gentium. In the first were ranked Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Juno. The three last, in an especial manner, are represented as hostile to Troy; and Jove, on this occasion, is opposed to them also. The magna numina Deûm may simply mean the great gods; or rather, the great powers of the gods, hostile to Troy. The overthrow of Troy is all along represented to have been effected, not so much by the power of the Greeks, as by the power of the gods. I am now persuaded of the inutility of making any further resistance, since it evidently appears that the great powers of the gods are against us. ornum in summis monti 625. Ac veluti cùm Ilium, et ex imo verti Neptunia Troja. agricolæ certatim in- Ac veluti summis antiquam in montibus ornum stant eruere antiquam Cùm ferro accisam crebrisque bipennibus instant bus, accisam ferro Eruere agricolæ certatim; illa usque minatur, 628. Illa usque mina- Et tremefacta comam concusso vertice nutat: tur ruinam, et tremefac- Vulneribus donec paulatim evicta, supremùm ta quoad comam Congemuit, traxitque jugis avulsa ruinam. se 625 630 Descendo, ac, ducente Deo, flammam inter et hostes 636. Quemque primùm Expedior: dant tela locum, flammæque recedunt. petebam, abnegat Ast ubi jam patriæ perventum ad limina sedis, posse producere vitam, Antiquasque domos: genitor, quem tollere in altos 635 Trojâ excisâ Optabam primùm montes, primùmque petebam, 638. Ait: O vos, qui- Abnegat excisâ vitam producere Trojâ, bus est sanguis integer ævi; quibusque vires Exiliumque pati. Vos ô, quibus integer ævi stant solidæ suo robore Sanguis, ait, solidæque suo stant robore vires; 642. Est satis supèr- Vos agitate fugam. dia, et que vidimus una exci- Me si calicolæ voluissent ducere vitam, 644. O vos, affati meum corpus, sic, sic positum, discedite. NOTES. 626. Ac veluti, &c. This simile is taken from Homer, Iliad xvi. 481, who applies it to the death of Sarpedon; but the copy exceeds the original. 627. Bipennibus. The axe is here used for the stroke, or blow of the axe, by me ton. Accisam in the sense of circumcisam. 628. Usque in the sense of dru. 629. Nutat comam. It is usual with Virgil to consider a tree in analogy to a human body, and to call the extended limbs, or branches, brachia, arms; and the leaves, comam, hair, or locks. This diversifies his style, and renders it pleasant. 630. Vulneribus: in the sense of ictibus. This is beautifully figurative. The allusion to the human body is still kept up. 631. Avuisa jugis: torn from the sides of the mountains. 632. Deo ducente. Deus is either a god or goddess. Here it means Venus. Under her conduct, Eneas made his way through the dangers that beset him, to the house of his father. 633. Expedior. Habeo liberum iter, says Heyne. 634. Ast ubi perventum. The imp. verb perventum est is used for the personal verb perveni. This mode of expression is very common among the poets. Our language will not admit of it, and we are under the necessity of rendering such impersonals by the personals of the correspondent verb, as in the present case: perventum est: I came, or had come. 637. Abnegat: refuses to prolong his life. We learn from Varro that the Greeks having given permission to Encas to carry off what was dearest to him, he took his father 640 upon his shoulders. The Greeks, struck with this eminent example of filial tenderness and affection, gave him a second option, when he carried off his gods. Upon this, they were induced to grant him full liberty to take along with him his whole family and all his effects. 638. Integer ævi: unimpaired, or entire, on account of age. Causâ, or some word of the like import, is probably to be understood, to govern the gen. O ye, whose blood is not chilled and wasted by age, and who are yet in the full vigor of youth, do ye attempt your flight. The repetition of the vos is emphatical. For robore, Ruæus says firmitate. 642. Satis supèrque: it is enough, and more, that I have seen one destruction of my country, and survived the captured city. This is an allusion to the siege and capture of Troy by Hercules, in the reign of Laomedon, a fact mentioned by historians as well as by poets. And Virgil says of Anchises, that he had been twice saved from the ruins of Troy. Æn. iii. 476. 644. Sic, O, sic affati: O ye, having addressed my body, thus, thus laid out, depart. There is a peculiar emphasis in the repetition of the word sic. Anchises considers himself as already dead, and his body laid out in burial: corpus positum, placed on the funeral pile: at which time it was usual for the friends of the deceased to take a solemn farewell, by repeating the word vale three times. The repetition of the sic shows his determined purpose of dying, and his earnest desire of being left to pursue his resolution. It is used in the same way in the fourth book, where Dido, bent 645 647. Inutilis homini 648. Ex tempore, quo Ipse manu mortem inveniam: miserebitur hostis, Talia perstabat memorans, fixusque manebat. Rursus in arma feror, mortemque miserrimus opto. NOTES. on death, is just going to plunge the dagger into her bosom. She breaks forth into this abrupt exclamation: Sic, sic juvat ire sub umbras. 645. Manu. Servius understands by manu, the hand of the enemy; but it is easier to understand it of his own hand. Rumus says, propria manu. Hostis: the enemy will take pity on me. This strongly marks the anguish of his soul. He was so weary of life, that he would consider it a favor in the eneiny to put an end to it. 646. Jactura: the loss of burial is easythe deprivation of burial rites is a matter of no concern to me. 643. Demoror annos: I linger out my years. Traho vitam, says Ruæus. 649. Aflavit me: blasted me with the winds of his thunder, and struck me with his lightning. The ancients supposed the winds were the efficient cause of thunder. It is said that this calamity was inflicted upon Anchises for divulging his amour with Venus. Some say he was struck blind: others, with more propriety, say that he was blasted in his limbs. Memorans: in the sense of dicens. 651. Nos effusi: on the other hand, we, bathed in tears, (beseech) my father that he would not destroy all with himself, and press upon the calamity (fato) already weighing us down-that he would not, by the afflicting circumstance of his own death, increase the calamity already pressing us down with its own weight. Ne vellet accelerare perniciem instantem, says Heyne. Dr. Trapp would read occumbere, or rather succumbere, if there were authority for it. As it is, he thinks it a metaphor taken from the falling on a sword. Mr. Davidson takes it to be a metaphor drawn from one's leaning or lying with all his weight upon a 650 654 bus pater 652. Precamur, ne pa ter vellet vertere, cuncta secum 656. Nam quod aliud consilium, aut quæ alia fortuna jam 657. O genitor, sperâsti-ne me posse efferre 660 pedem, te relicto load, which presses another down, so as to add to the pressure, and to render it more insupportable. Eneas and his family were already grievously oppressed and weighed down by the public calamity, (fato urgent, the fate that lay so heavy upon them,) and therefore pray Anchises not to increase the burden, by the additional weight of his personal sufferings and death. Ruæus interprets incumbere urgenti fato, by: addere vim falo prementi nos. 654. Sedibus: in the sense of loco. 655. Miserrimus: most miserable-distracted-in despair. 656. Nam quod, &c. The meaning of this line appears to be: for what other course could I take, what else could I do, than arm myself, and seek to renew the conflict? Anchises had positively refused to survive the fall of his country: Eneas could not leave him behind: nothing remained for him to do, but to sell his life as dear as possible. For dabatur, Ruæus says offerebatur. 657. Efferre pedem: to depart. Sperâstine: didst thou expect that I could depart, O father, without thee? 658. Nefas: impiety. 659. Superis. Superi are properly the gods above, as distinguished from those below. 660. Et hoc sedet: and this be fixed in thy mind, and it pleases thee to add thyself, &c. Rumus understands this of the gods just mentioned; but Davidson and others refer it to Anchises. This appears the more correct and natural; for Anchises is left perfectly free to act, either to stay behind, or to depart, and to form his plans deliberately. Si hoc fixum est in eorum mente, et delectat eos, &c. says Ruæus. 661. Janua isti leto: the door to that death is open. The isti refers to what An |