7

vocem

bit

460

465

470

lago 479. Illa pars Ausoniæ est procul, quam Apollo pandit tibi

457. Canat: reveal-disclose-declare. 460. Expediet: in the sense of explicabit. 463. Postquàm: in the sense of cùm. 464. Dehinc in the sense of deinde. Gravia auro: heavy with gold and ivory. ivory is the tooth of the elephant, cut and polished.

465. Stipat stows, or crowds in his ships a great mass of silver. Carinis: properly, the keels; here taken for the ships, by synec.

466. Dodonæos lebetas: Dodonean kettles -kettles made of Dodonean brass. Dodona was a city of Epirus, whose brass was much celebrated. Here Jupiter had a very celebrated temple. The manner of delivering the oracles in this temple, we are told, was by a certain number of brass kettles suspended, so as to touch each other; and any motion communicated to any one of them, would be given to the rest. From the sounds thus emitted, the meaning of the oracle was gathered by the priests.

467. Loricam. The Lorica was a coat of armour, which covered the body down as far as the waist. It was at first made of leathern thongs, whence it derived its name. It was afterwards made of thin plates (lamina) of iron, linked together with hooks or rings. These plates were sometimes single, sometimes double, and triple. The one here mentioned was of the latter form. Hamis auroque: for aureis hamis, by hend. The meaning is, that this coat of armour

s of triple fold, or consisting of three

475

plates (trilicem) of iron, fastened (consertam) together with gold rings, or hooks.

468. Conum. Whatever has the form of the fruit of the pine may be called conus, a cone. This form is round, and diminishing to the top. Hence it is taken for that part of the helmet, which rises at the top, and supports the crest, or plume. All these accusatives are governed by the verb stipat.

469. Sua dona: there are also for my father his own gifts-gifts suitable to his dignity. Arma Neoptolemi. The coat of mail, the helmet, and the crest, had belonged to Pyrrhus; at whose death, they fell to Helenus, as his successor. Sua: in the sense of propria vel apta.

470. Duces: pilots to direct their course. 471. Remigium: in the sense of remiges. 473. Ferenti: blowing fair. Ruæus says, faventi. Interpres in the sense of vates.

475. Anchisa: O Anchises, honored with the exalted bed (embrace) of Venus, the care, &c.

476. Erepte agreeing with Anchisa. He was twice saved from the ruins of Troy : first when it was taken by Hercules, and a second time, when destroyed by the Greeks.

with your ships-direct your course to it. 477. Arripe hanc: take possession of it

Velis in the sense of navibus; so says Ruæus.

478. Præterlabare: in the sense of naviges ultrà.

479. Pandit: in the sense of ostendit

480

485

481. Provehor: in the sense of procedo. Austros here is taken for wind in general, the species for the genus.

482. Nec minus: likewise Andromache, sad at our departure, brings garments wrought (embroidered) with a thread of gold.

Heyne conjectures these vestments were wrought with the needle; and accordingly takes subtemine auri, for a thread of gold. He also takes picturatas in the sense of picHer presents of the loom textilibus donis, are mentioned, verse 485, and are different from these.

tas.

484. Chlamydem. The Chlamys was properly a military garment, a cassock, which the general wore over his corslet. It was embroidered with needlework, of which the Phrygians were the inventors. Nec cedil honori: nor does she fall below her dignity. Nec malè respondet ejus dignitati, says Ruæus. Scaurus explains the word thus: non cedit Heleno liberalitate et munificentia, taking honori for honore in the abl.

Servius says, Tanta dat munera, quanta merebatur Ascanius: nor is her bounty disproportionate to the merit and quality of its object.

485. Oneral textilibus donis: and she loads him with woven presents-presents, the production of her loom. It was usual for women of the highest rank to be engaged in the works of the loom, as appears from the story of Penelope, the wife of Ulysses.

436. Puer, accipe et hæc: O boy, take even these, which, &c. Monumenta: memorials. Et, here is plainly in the sense of etiam, aut quoque.

487. Longum: lasting continuing long. 489. O sola imago: O thou, the only image of my Astyanax, remaining to me! Super, here is plainly in the sense of super

489. O tu qui es so1a 490 imago mei Astyanactis super mihi

493. Vivite felices, vos, quibus

491. Vocamur ex aliis

495 fatis in alia fata. Quies

parta est vobis

Ruæus says, Quæ

stes, vel supervivens. restat. Heyne, que superes, in the 2d pers. Astyanax was the son of Hector and Andromache. His name is compounded of two Greek words, and signifies the king of a city. After the destruction of Troy, the Greeks were delayed for some time from returning home by contrary winds. In the mean time, Chalcas, their augur and prophet, declared that Astyanax must be put to death. For if he lived, he would prove a greater hero than his father, and would avenge his country. Whereupon Ulysses, having discovered where his mother had hid him, killed him, by throwing him from the wall.

490. Sic ille ferebat: just so he moved his eyes, just so his hands, just so his countenance: he had just such eyes-just such hands, &c. This reflection of Andromache is extremely delicate and moving. It is the voice of nature. She immediately adds: Et nunc, &c. This suggests the delight she would have felt to have seen Iülus, and Astyanax together, engaged in friendship, and fond of the same pursuits.

It may be observed, that while Helenus gives presents to Anchises and Eneas, Andromache is entirely taken up with Ascanius, and the recollection of her lost Astyanax. She confines her gifts to him alone.

491. Et nunc pubesceret and now he would be of equal age with thee, if he had lived.

492. Obortis: gushing from my eyes.

494. Nos vocamur ex aliis in: we are called from one series of calamities to another.

496. Cedentia: a part. agreeing with arva: retreating, or fleeing backward. It implies an impatience on the part of Eneas to arrive at, and take possession of his des

animis

tined country. And, although he had been several years in pursuit of it, it was still at a great distance. The verb sunt is to be supplied with quærenda.

497. Effigiem Xanthi: the image or representation of Xanthus. It appears that Andromache gave the name of Xanthus to some river of Epirus, and also the name of Troy to some town. Xanthus was a river of Troy, the same as Scamander. Homer says its first name was given by the gods, but the latter by men.

499. Melioribus auspiciis: for better fortune. Obvia: in the sense of exposita. 501. Data: in the sense of destinata. 502. Olim. This word refers to time past, and also to time to come. This last is the meaning here-hereafter.

504. Faciemus olim cognatas: we will make hereafter the kindred cities, and resembling people (yours) in Epirus, (and mine) in Italy, &c. Buthrotus, the city of Helenus, bore some resemblance, perhaps, to old Troy; or this may be the city which he called by the name of Troy. Eneas, when he arrived in Italy, intended to build a city, and call it Troy; each of which cities, utramque Trojam, he designed should be one in affection and good will. The distance of the Tiber from Epirus is too great to justify the taking of propinquos in the sense of vicinos, as Ruæus has it. Mr. Davidson renders it by allied, (near of kin;) but this is mere tautology. That relation is sufficiently expressed by cognatas. It appears the better to understand it, of the people resembling each other in manners, customs, and habits; both having descend

500

505

510

515

ed from the same stock, Dardanus being the parent (auctor) and founder of both. Casus: fortune-calamity.

506. Ceraunia: neu. plu. These were exceeding high mountains on the north of Epirus, so called from their being much exposed to thunder. They are sometimes called Acroceraunia. They lie over against the promontory of Iäpygium. Here the distance between Italy and Epirus is the shortest; it is said about 50 miles. The prep. in or ad is understood to govern Italiam.

508. Ruit: in the sense of occidit.

509. Sternimur: in the sense of the middle voice of the Greeks: we throw ourselves down upon the bosom of the wished for land.

510. Sortiti remos: having distributed the oars by lot having cast lots for the oars, to see who should perform the duty of oarsmen. This they did before they retired to rest, that they might start the following day without hindrance or delay. Ad undam refers to sternimur, and not to sortiti, as in some copies.

511. Curamus: we refresh our bodies. Irrigat: invigorates. This is a beautiful metaphor. It is taken from the effect and influence which gentle showers, or percolating streams, have upon the thirsty land, and parched herbs.

512. Acta in the sense of provecta. Necdum, &c. This is a fine circumlocution to denote that it was not yet midnight.

516. Arcturum. Arcturus, a star near the tail of the Great Bear: it rises about the beginning of October. See Geor. i. 68. Hyadas: they are said to have been the daughters of Atlas, king of Mauritania, in Africa ;

who, grieving immoderately for the death of their brother Hyas, who had been killed by a wild boar, pined away, and died. They were five in number. After their death they were transferred to the heavens, and made stars near the constellation Taurus. The ancients supposed their rising and setting to be always attended with much rain. Their name is derived from a Greek word signifying to rain. Triones: the greater and lesser bear, two constellations near the north pole.

517. Oriona: a Greek acc. Orion is a constellation near the feet of the bull. It rises about the first of March, and rains and storms were supposed to attend it. Hence Virgil gave it the epithets nimbosus, and aquosus. En. i. 535. and iv. 52. Orion was a celebrated hunter, and companion of Diana. Being bit by a serpent, he lost his life. The gods, taking pity on him, translated him to the heavens. His constellation is very lucid, consisting of many very bright stars, particularly in his belt or girdle, in which his sword hangs. He is here said to be armed with gold, on account of his many ucid stars.

518. Videt cuncta constare: he sees all things to indicate fair weather-all the signs to agree in indicating fair weather. Postquam videt cœlum habere omnia, quæ significant serenitatem, says Scrvius.

519. Movemus castra. This was a military expression, denoting the commencement of march, from the place of encamp

ment.

520. Tentamus: in the sense of incipimus. 522. Humilem. Rumus thinks Italy is here called low, either because in that part,

520

there are no mountains, because the highest parts appear low when seen at a distance-or because the sea every where appears higher than the land. He interprets it by planam.

525. Induit magnum: he crowned a large bowl with a garland. Coronare poculum, sometimes, signifies no more than simply to fill it up to the brim. But, in the present case, it is taken literally, to adorn the bowl with flowers: otherwise what follows will be mere tautology. Mero. Merum, aere, is taken for wine in general; the species for the genus. Induit: in the sense of cinxit.

528. Potentes: in the sense of præsides vel rectores. Minelius beautifully illustrates the design of this libation: Maris, quod navigo; terræ, quam peto; tempestatum, quas timemus.

529. Ferte: in the sense of date. Spirale secundi: and blow propitious upon us.

531. Templum Minerva. Strabo mentions a temple of Minerva, on the promontory of Täpygium, which is the one most p.obably meant. Legunt: in the sense of colligunt. Arce: for monte.

533. Portus curvatur: the port is curved into (the form of) a bow by the eastern waves, and the cliffs opposite each other foam with salt spray, occasioned by the dashing of the waves against them. These two projecting cliffs formed the mouth of the harbor. Eoo: the adj. Eoüs is derived from a Greek word signifying the morning-also, the East. This part of Italy is washed on the east by the Ionian sea. Heyne reads Euroo, from the sub. Eurus.

536. Scopuli. Scopulus is properly a high sharp rock. Those here mentioned resem