Why did he not pass through the strait of Messina ? Where does this strait lie? What is the navigation of it-safe or dangerous? What renders it dangerous? Why is Sicily sometimes called Trinacria? What are the names of its three promontories ? Where did Æneas first land on this island? Was there an eruption at that time? Is this very far from the true cause? Who was at that time their king? How large was their eye said to be? What was their employment according to the poets? Who had been upon this coast a short time before the arrival of Æneas? To what place was Ulysses bound? What did he do to Polyphemus? How many of these giants were there then on the island? Who was Achemenides? On what part of Sicily did Æneas afterward land? What is the name of the port? What loss befel him here? Does this close the account, which Æneas gave to Dido at her request? When does the poem open? Where was Æneas at that time? LIBER QUARTUS. THIS book opens with the love of Dido for Æneas, and her conference with her sister Anna upon the subject. Juno perceiving her passion, conceived the plan of forming a connexion between them. To effect this the easier, she endeavors to draw Venus over to her views. In the mean time, Æneas and Dido prepare to go on a party of hunting; and while in the chase, Juno raises a violent tempest. The thunder rends the skies, and torrents of rain fall. The party seek shelter wherever they can. Through a device of Juno, Eneas and Dido repair to the same cave, where the goddess consecrates their nuptials. Fame immediately spread the news abroad; and it reached the ears of Iarbas, king of the Getuli, the reputed son of Jupiter Ammon. He had formerly proposed a match with Dido, who rejected his offers. As soon as he heard that she was married to a stranger, he was transported to rage, mingled with grief. In this state of mind he made complaint to his father, who, taking pity on him, sends Mercury to dissolve the match, and to order Æneas to prepare to leave Carthage for Italy. In obedience to his commands, he privately makes the necessary preparations for setting sail. Dido perceiving his movements, endeavors to dissuade him from his purpose, in the tenderest and most affectionate strain; but it had no influence over him. Being warned a second time, he weighs anchor in haste, and the love-sick Queen beholds him leaving her coast. The sight wrung her soul, and drew from her lips the most severe reproofs and bitter imprecations. She enjoins it upon her people to revenge the injury done to her, and to pursue his descendants with irreconcilable hatred. Having ordered a funeral pile to be erected, she ascends it, and with her own hand puts an end to her existence. The nature of the subject renders this book highly interesting; and it is considered one of the finest in the Æneid. At regina, gravi jamdudum saucia cura, NOTES. 1. Regina. Dido, sometimes called Eliza, was a Tyrian princess. Josephus informs us her father's name was Melginus. He obtained his information from the records of the Tyrians: and Theophilus of Antioch calls him Metten. Her grandfather was Badezorus, and her great grandfather was Ithobalus, called in Scripture Ethbaal, whose daughter Jezebel was married to Ahab, king of Israel. Virgil, however, makes the name Vulnus alit venis, et cæco carpitur igni. NOTES. of her father to be Belus. Æn. i. 625. Marollius has given a list of the kings of Tyre, and makes Belus an abbreviation of Ithobalus, the father of Pygmalion and Dido; but he follows fabulous and traditionary accounts, which should always be received with caution. Among other things, what renders his account doubtful, is, that he brings Dido upon the stage of action more than a hundred years before the destruction of Troy. After the death of his father, Pygmalion ascended the throne. He was an avaricious prince, and stopped at nothing by which he could increase his riches. He conceived the plan of murdering Acerbas, or Sicharbas, the beloved husband of his sister. Virgil calls him Sichæus, softening the name to make it flow more easily into his verse. Sichous was the richest of all the Tyrians. Pygmalion coveted his treasures; but there was no way to possess them while he was living. He therefore formed the purpose of taking away his life. He came upon him unexpectedly, and slew him while he was performing his devotions before the altar. This atrocious deed, the base prince had the address to conceal, for some time, from his sister. At length the whole matter was laid open to Dido by the ghost of her deceased husband, and she was admonished to flee her country. Having collected what treasure she could on so sudden an emergency, and seizing some vessels that were then ready for sea, she set sail, accompanied by many of her countrymen: and, after a long and tedious voyage, she arrived in Africa. It appears to have been her purpose to join her countrymen, who, many years before, under Xorus and Carchedon, had formed a settlement, to which they gave the name of Utica, about 15 miles from the place where Tunis now stands. This place was afterward rendered famous by the death of the second Cato, who was hence called Cato, Uticensis. Dido met with a welcome reception, and was desired to build a city on the spot where she landed. For this purpose, she purchased a tract of country of the natives, many of whom joined her, together with some from Utica. She called her, city Cutharda or Carthage, which, in the Phonician and Hebrew languages, signifies a new city. It stood about 700 years, and was destroyed by the Romans under Scipio, in the year of Rome 603, and before Christ 145. See Rollin's An. His. lib. ii. ch. 1. There are some who say that Dido, on her arrival in Africa, found Carthage already built, and that she only fortified it, and added a tower or citade, which she called Byrsa. This word is evidently from the Hebrew Bosra, which means a fortification, or fortified place. The Greeks, mistaking the meaning, or overlooking it, supposed, from the similarity of the words, that it was the same with their Byrsa, which means a bull's hide. Virgil followed the received opinion. See Æn. i. 367. It has been the general opinion that Virgil, in making Æneas and Dido cotemporary, is guilty of an anachronism. Bochart is positive of this, and says that all the ancient chronologers of any credit, place the destruction of Troy, at least 60 years before the reign of Saul, king of Israel; and the time of Dido's building Byrsa, the fortress of Carthage, at least 200 years after it, making 260 years to intervene between the destruction of Troy, and the building of Byrsa. In this case, the destruction of Troy will be 1160 years before the Christian era. Sir Isaac Newton, however, in his chronology, has brought it down nearly 300 years; and thus makes Eneas and Dido cotemporary. However the case may be, it was undoubtedly a received opinion among the Romans, that they were cotemporary, and this was sufficient for the poet; and even if he knew otherwise, he acted prudently in following the general opinion, since it contributed so much to the embellishment of his poem. Jamdudum: a long while. Servius explains it by nimiùm, or vehementiùs. Though it were only a short time since Æneas came to Carthage, yet, with respect to Dido's passion, and the impatience of her love, it might be said to be a long time. Ruæus says, solicitudine. Cura :: 8. Malè sana regina Cùm sic unanimem alloquitur malè sana sororem alloquitur Anna soror, quæ me suspens&m insomnia terrent ! 10. Quis novus hospes Quis novus hic nostris successit sedibus hospes ! hic successit Quem sese ore ferens! quàm forti pectore et armis ! 12. Eum esse genus Credo equidem, nec vana fides, genus esse Deorum. Degeneres animos timor arguit. Heu, quibus ille Jactatus fatis! quæ bella exhausta canebat! Si mihi non animo fixum immotumque sederet, 16. Ne vellem sociare Ne cui me vinclo vellem sociare jugali, Deorum me cui in jugali vincio, Postquàm primus amor deceptam morte fefellit ; postquàm meus primus Si non pertæsum thalami tædæque fuisset ; amor fefellit me 24. Sed optem vel Hric uni forsan potui succumbere culpæ. ima tellus dehiscat mihi, Anna, fatebor enim, miseri post fata Sichæi vel pater omnipotens adi- Conjugis, et sparsos fraternâ cæde penates, gat me fulmine ad um- Solus hic inflexit sensus, animumque labantem bras, allentes umbras } Impulit: agnosco veteris vestigia flammæ. Erebi, profundamque Sed mihi vel tellus optem priùs ima dehiscat, noctem, priùsquàm, O 10 15 20 pudor, ego violo te Vel pater omnipotens adigat me fulmine ad umbras, 25 NOTES. 14. Canebat: in the sense of narrabat. 15. Sederet: in the sense of maneret. 16. Sociare: to connect myself in marriage with any one. 8. Malè sana: the love-sick queen address- tum signifies, sometimes, as in this placeed her concordant sister. Unanimem, here, distress-misfortunes-calamities. is very emphatical. It implies that there was such a harmony and agreement subsisting between them, that they both seemed to be animated with the same soul: (of unus and animus.) Malè sana: Malè, here, has the force of non. The queen was so in love with Æneas, that she disregarded the sober dictates of reason, and her better judgment. Valpy says, "with disturbed mind." Insomnia: dreams. Suspensam: in the sense of solicitam. 11. Quem sese ferens ore: what an illustrious person, showing himself (to be) by his countenance! of how great fortitude and prowess! The Quam forti pectore et armis, is an elliptical expression. It is thus filled: Quàm forti pectore est ille; et quàm fortibus armis. The preposition è, or ex, being still understood, governing the ablative cases. By the forti pectore, we are to understand his fortitude in undergoing hardships, and supporting misfortunes: and by the armis, his courage and prowess in arms. 13. Timor arguit: fear shows a base and ignoble mind. As fear argues a base and ignoble mind, so courage and valor bespeak a noble and divine original. The poet has filled the speech of Dido with these abrupt half sentences, and made her speak incoherently, on purpose to show the confusion and perturbation of her mind. 14. Exhausta: drawn out-endured to the last. Not only begun, but accomplished, and with resolution brought to an end. Here is plainly an allusion to the draining of some bitter cup to the very last dregs. A participle from exhaurio. Fatis. The word fa 17. Primus amor: after my first love deceived me, disappointed by the death of my husband. She had pictured to herself an uninterrupted course of conjugal felicity, of which she was disappointed by the death of her husband. This led her to enter into the resolution of never forming a second connexion. been 18. Si non perlæsum fuisset: if I had not weary (displeased) with the marriage bed, and nuptial torch, perhaps, &c. Tædæ. It was a custom among the Romans to carry a torch before the newly married wife, when she was conducted to the house of her husband. Hence it is often put for the nuptials themselves. 19. Potui: I might yield to this one fault. Potui in the sense of potuissem. Second marriages were considered disreputable among the Roman women, as show. ing a want of respect for the memory of the deceased, and as conveying a suspicion of incontinency. But culpa is sometimes taken simply for the indulgence of the passion of love, however innocent. 21. Fraternâ cæde. Sichæus was murder ed, by her brother, at the altar. Hence the murder is called fraternal. Fata: in the sense of mortem. See note 1. supra. 22. Inflexit sensus: he alone hath changed my inclinations, and made an impression upon my wavering mind. Pallentes umbras Erebi, noctemque profundam, Antè, pudor, quàm te violo, aut tua jura resolvo. Ille meos, primus qui me sibi junxit, amores Abstulit; ille habeat secum, servetque sepulchro. Sic effata, sinum lachrymis implevit obortis. Anna refert: Oluce magis dilecta sorori, Solane perpetuâ mœrens carpêre juventâ ? Nec dulces natos, Veneris nec præmia nôris? Id cinerem, aut Manes credis curare sepultos ? Esto: ægram nulli quondam flexere mariti, Non Libyæ, non antè Tyro: despectus Iarbas, Ductoresque alii, quos Africa terra triumphis Dives alit placitone etiam pugnabis amori? Nec venit in mentem, quorum consederis arvis ? Hinc Getulæ urbes, genus insuperabile bello, Et Numidæ infræni cingunt, et inhospita Syrtis : Hinc deserta siti regio, latèque furentes : NOTES. 26. Erebi: the place of the dead-the infernal regions. 27. Antè. The antè here is plainly expletive. Priùs goes before it, and is to be connected with quàm. Some copies have riolem and resolvam. Pudor: in the sense of pudicitia. 30. Implevit sinum: she filled her bosom with flowing tears. Servius and Turnebus take sinum, here, for the cavity of the eye. But the common import of the word is much more expressive, as it shows her tears to be much more copious, and paints her passion as more violent. Refert: in the sense of respondet. Luce: in the sense of vita. 32. Sola-ne carpêre: will you fade and wither away, mourning alone as a widow through all your youth, &c. Ruæus says, an sola consumeris dolens per totam juventuem. But carpêre may be used in the sense of the Greek middle voice. The meaning is obvious. 35. Nulli mariti: no suitors moved you sorrowing-while your loss was fresh in your memory, and your grief unabated. Mariti: in the sense of proci. Egram: in the sense of dolentem. Te is understood. 36. Iarbas. Among the many who made suit to Dido, was Iarbas, a rich and powerful prince of Africa, and reputed son of Jupiter Ammon. But Justin gives a very different account of the matter from the one given here by the poet. He says, Iarbas, having gotten ten of the principal Carthaginians, demanded of them Dido in marriage; and, in case of a refusal, he threatened to declare war against them. Fearing to deliver the message to the queen, they said the king demanded a person who might teach him and his people the arts of civilized life; but that no one could be found who was willing to leave his relations and friends to undertake the business; upon this the queen rebuked them, and declared that if the safety of his country required it, any one should be willing to give up even his life. They then opened the whole matter, saying, the very thing she had enjoined on others, she had to perform herself, if she would consult the good of the city. Being taken by this device, after much lamentations, and many invocations of her husband, she declared that she would obey the call of her country. Having passed three months in this manner, she caused a funeral pile to be erected in one part of the city, as if to appease the Manes of her departed husband, and to offer sacrifices for him before her nuptials. She ascended the pile, and taking a sword in her hand, said to her people, that she would go to her husband as they required, and, with her own hand, put an end to her existence, While Carthage remained, she was worshipped as a goddess. 37. Terra dives triumphis. It appears from Servius, that the Africans were the inventors of triumphal shows. Some say they never triumphed. But Justin tells us that Asdrubal, in particular, was honored with four triumphs. Placito: in the sense of grato. Ne is interrogative. 40. Getulæ urbes. The Getuli were a brave and warlike people, to the south of Carthage. Hinc, when it has its correspondent hinc, the former is rendered, on the one side; and the latter, on the other side. 41. Numida. The Numidians, again, were a people fierce and uncivilized, lying to the westward. Inhospita Syrtis. Both the greater and the less Syrtis lay in the Sinus Libycus, to the north and east of Carthage, and rendered the navigation dangerous. 42. Deserta siti: rendered desert b drought. 45 50 45. Ego equidem reor Dîs equidem auspicibus reor, et Junone secundâ, Iliacas carinas tenuisse Huc cursum Iliacas vento tenuisse carinas. cursum huc vento, Dîs Quam tu urbem, soror, hanc cernes! quæ surgere regna auspicibus, et Junone secundâ. Conjugio tali! Teucrûm comitantibus armis, Punica se quantis attollet gloria rebus ! Tu modò posce Deos veniam, sacrisque litatis, Indulge hospitio, causasque innecte morandi; Dum pelago desævit hyems, et aquosus Orion; Quassatæque rates, et non tractabile cœlum. His dictis incensum animum inflammavit amore, Spemque dedit dubiæ menti, solvitque pudorem. Principio delubra adeunt, pacemque per aras omnes, cui jugalia vin- Exquirunt : mactant lectas de more bidentes Legiferæ Cereri, Phœboque, patrique Lyæo 60. Pulcherrima Dido Junoni ante omnes, cui vincla jugalia curæ. ipsa tenens paterain dextrâ fundit vinum in- Ipsa tenens dextrâ pateram pulcherrima Dido, Candentis vaccæ media inter cornua fundit : Aut ante ora Deûm pingues spatiatur ad aras, NOTES. 54. Animum jam in censum amore 59. Sed Junoni ante cla sunt curæ. ter media cornua candentis vaccæ: 43. Barcai. These were a people to the east, inhabiting a dry and barren country. Quid dicam: why shall I mention the wars arising from Tyre, and the threats of your brother? Justin says, when Pygmalion understood that Dido had fled her country, and taken with her much treasure, he determined to pursue her; but was dissuaded from his purpose by his mother, and the threats of the gods. 45. Junone secunda. Juno is here particularly named, because she presided over marriage, and because Carthage was under her peculiar protection. Auspicibus: in the sense of fautoribus, vel auctoribus. Secunda: in the sense of propitia. 49. Quantis rebus: by what noble deeds will the Carthaginian glory exalt itself, the arms of the Trojans accompanying yours? 50. Sacris litatis: sacrifices being offered. The proper signification of litare, is, to propitiate by sacrifice. Sacris: in the sense of victimis. 51. Innecte: devise causes for detaining him. 52. Desævit. Ruæus takes this in the sense of desæviet, the present for the future. 53. Non tractabile: in the sense of procellosum, vel sævum. Cœlum: the air or weather. Eneas arrived in Africa, it is probable, in the latter part of autumn, some time before the approach of winter. It appears to be the plan of Anna to detain him during the pleasant part of the season, until the navigation should become dangerous, and when it would be imprudent to set sail; in the hope that having passed so long a time with them, he might be persuaded finally to settle at Carthage, and give over his intendeci purpose of settling in Italy. 55 60 54. Incensum: burning, or inflamed with love. 55. Dubiæ: wavering. Solvit pudorem. removed her scruples in regard to disrespect to the memory of her late husband. Valpy. 57. Exquirunt pacem per aras: they seek peace by the altars. This refers to the way of prying into the entrails of the victims, in order to know the will of the gods. Bidentes lectas de more. It was a regulation that no victims should be offered to the gods, but such as were without blemish. Bidentes · properly sheep of two years old. 58. Legifera Cereri. Ceres was the daughter of Saturn and Ops, and the goddess of husbandry. It is said, she was the first institutor of laws, especially those of marriage. See Ecl. v. 79. Phœbo. Dido offers sacrifices to Phoebus, as the god who presided over futurity, that he might send her favorable omens. See Ecl. iv. 10. To father Bacchus, as the god of mirth and jollity, that he might crown the match with joy. See Ecl. v. 69. And especially (ante omnes) to Juno, as the goddess who presided over nuptials. Cui vincla jugalia curæ: to whom the marriage knot is for a care. En. i. 4. See 61. Fundit, &c. This was according to the manner of the Romans performing sacrifice. After the immolatio, which consisted in throwing corn and frankincense, together with the mola, (which was made of bran or meal mixed with salt and water,) upon the head of the victim, the priest sprinkled wine between the horns. 62. Spatiatur: she walks before the images (ora) of the gods, &c. It was a custom among the Romans for matrons to walk on holy days, in a grave and solemn |