Ipse gubernator puppi Palinurus ab altâ : NOTES. 13. Quianam: in the sense of cur. 14. Quidve, pater Neptune, paras? This apostrophe to Neptune gives us a very lively idea of his wonder and astonishment. 15. Arma: properly signifies any kind of instruments whatever-here the tackling of the ship the sails, spars and rigging of every description. Davidson confines it to the sails. But this is not necessary. It was proper that all things should be stowed away, as well as the sails reefed, that the ship might the better weather the storm. 16. Obliquat sinus: he turns the sail into the wind-he brings the vessel more into the wind-he lies, in nautical language, nearer the wind. 17. Auctor: the founder of our race. 18. Cœlo: in this weather. Vespere: in the sense of occidente. 19. Transversà: an adj. neu. plu. taken as an adverb in imitation of the Greeks. 21. Nec nos sufficimus: nor are we able to proceed against it, nor so much as to hold our own to bear up against the storm -to contend against it. 24. Reor fida: think the faithful fraternal shores of Eryx, &c. Eryx was the son of Butes and Venus, according to common report. Some say, his mother was Lycaste, a Sicilian courtezan, who, on account of her extraordinary beauty, was called Venus. Virgil, following tradition, calls him the brother of Eneas, both being reputed to be the sons of Venus. His grandfather was Amycus, who was slain by Pollux in a contest with the gauntlet: upon which Butes fled into Sicily, and founded a city. Eryx, in like manner, was slain by Hercules. He gave his name to a mountain and city not far from the Promontorium Lilybæum. 25. Si modò ritè: if now, remembering It 30. Acesten. What is said of the origin of Acestes, is so incorporated with fable, that little dependence can be placed upon it. The account, which Dionysius Halicarnassus gives, is probably the most correct. appears that Laomedon, king of Troy, being offended at some Trojan nobleman, caused him and his sons to be put to death. Lycophron calls him Phænodamus: but Servius and Pomponius call him Hippotes. But thinking his daughters, who were three in number, less deserving his displeasure, the king solu them to some Sicilian merchants, on condition that they should transport them to some foreign country. A person of some distinction being on board, by the name of Crinisus, Crimisus, or Crimissus, fell in love with one of them, whose name was Egesta, and married her. Soon after she bore a son, whom Virgil calls Acestes, but others Egestes, or Egestes. Upon the death of Laomedon, he obtained permission of Priam to return to Troy; where he was during the siege and destruction of that city, when he contracted a friendship with Eneas. He afterward returned to Sicily. The river Crinisus being afterward called by his name, gave rise to the fabulous account of his birth. 32. sunt Et patris Anchise gremio complectitur ossa? 35. At Acestes ex excelso vertice montis procul miratus adventum, sociasque rates, occurrit nobis, horridus At procul excelso miratus vertice montis 39. Quem Troia ma- Quem genuit. Veterum non immemor ille parentum, ter genuit conceptum Gratatur reduces, et gazâ lætus agresti Excipit, ac fessos opibus solatur amicis. Crimiso flumine. 42. Cùm postera clara dies fugârat stellas primo oriente, Æneas Postera cùm primo stellas oriente fugârat 45. Quorum genus est Dardanidæ magni, genus alto à sanguine Divûm, hunc 50. O Dî, vos, sic vo- Condidimus terrâ, mœstasque sacravimus aras. luistis. 51. Ego agerem Jamque dies, ni fallor, adest; quem semper acerbum, diem, si essem exul in Semper honoratum, sic Dî voluistis, habebo. Gætulis syrtibus, de- Hunc ego Gætulis agerem si syrtibus exul, Argolicove mari deprensus, et urbe Mycena: 55. Nunc ultrò adsu- Annua vota tamen, solemnesque ordine pompas ipsius parentis, equidem Exsequerer; strueremque suis altaria donis. reor haud sine numine Nunc ultrò ad cineres ipsius et ossa parentis, prensus-ve mus ad cineres et ossa Divûm Haud equidem sinè mente, reor, sinè numine Divûm, NOTES. 33. Gurgite: in the sense of mari. 34. Læti: socii is understood: my joyous companions. 35. Miratus: observing-wondering at. Our arrival was unexpected, and a matter of wonder to him. 37. Horridus in jaculis: rough with javelins, and the hide of an African bear. The word horridus is very applicable to the dress and equipage of a hunter, bearing his darts and javelins in his hands, and guarded against the savages of the mountains. In which character Acestes is here represented. Libystidis: an adj. from Libystis, and that from the noun Libys. Pliny says there were no bears in Africa, on account of its great heat. But there are many good authorities against him. Solinus says the Numidian bears excel all others in beauty and form: which is probably the reason that Virgil dresses Acestes in one of their skins. 39. Genuit: in the sense of peperit. 40. Agresti gaza: with his homely fare. Gaza is a word of Persian origin, and signifies any kind of sumptuous expense, either in provision or furniture. Nos is to be connected with reduces. 44. Aggere: summitate, says Ruæus. 46. Annuus orbis: the annual circle (to wit, a year) is completed. 49. Acerbum: afflictive-sorrowful. 35 40 45 50 55 50. Habebo I shall consider. Agerem: I would observe, or keep. 53. Solemnes pompas. This is peculiarly proper in this place. Pompa properly signifies a funeral or other procession; and, exsequerer: I would perform the exsequia, or funeral obsequies; the principal of which was the following of the corpse to the grave, or funeral pile. Hence exsequiæ came to signify the whole funeral rites: from sequor, I follow. altars with his own proper gifts. These were milk, wine, honey, and blood, poured the Umbra, or shade of the deceased, fed, upon the tomb. Upon these it was thought and especially upon the blood. Valpy says, fit offerings. 54. Struerem altaria: I would cover the 56. Haud sinè mente. Eneas here attributes their arrival in Sicily to the interposition of the gods, as if they designed it to afford him an opportunity of paying divine honors to his father. Mente: design. Ruæus says, consilio. 58. Lætum honorem: the joyous festival. Rumus interprets honorem by sacrificium. But it is plain that honorem includes every part of the rites and ceremonies which were performed upon that occasion, as well as the offerings or sacrifices. Adsumus; et portus delati intramus amicos. Ad tumulum, magnâ medius comitante catervâ. NOTES. 60. Positâ urbe: a city being built-that is, after they had founded a city and erected temples in it dedicated to him. 61. Acestes generatus. Acestes sprung from Troy, gives, &c. Bina capita boum: simply, two oxen. 62. Adhibete Penates, &c. Servius is of opinion that the poet here alludes to the Roman custom called Lectisternia, or sacred banquets, prepared at the solemn games for the gods, whose images were placed on uches, and set down at the most honorable part of the table, as principal guests. 64. Si in the sense of cum. 66. Ponam: in the sense of instituam. Eneas here institutes four kinds of games or sports-a rowing match-a foot race-a shooting match, and a gauntlet fight; and proposes suitable rewards for the victors in each. may profane the sacred ceremonies: or, le us have the concurrence of your prayers to render the gods favorable to us: or, lastly, aid us by your applause and joyful acclama tions. 72. Velat tempora. The poet here alludes to a practice among the Romans, of persons of every age and condition, who appeared at these solemn games, to wear a garland upon their heads. The myrtle was sacred to Venus; hence the propriety of the expression, materna myrto. 73. Maturus ævi: a Grecism. In the sense of provectus ætate, vel annis. 77. Hic duo ritè: here in due form offering, he pours on the ground, &c. Carchesia: large bowls without handles: plu. of carchesium. Libans: pouring out-offering. Baccho: for vino. Mero: pure-unmixed. 80. Iterum salvete: Ye ashes revisited in 67. Valet: in the sense of præstat. Ince- vain, and soul and shade of my father, again dit: in the sense of est. 69. Fidit: in the sense of audet. 70. Præmia meritæ palma: rewards of meritorious victory-or rewards worthy of victory. Pulma: in the sense of victoria: by meton. 71. Favete omnes ore: favete ore, vel favete linguis, was the phrase made use of by the public criers before the celebration of solemn games or sacrifices. The import seems to be: Favor us with your religious attention -pronounce no words of bad omen that hail.-Cineres recepti nequicquam. By these words Servius understands Anchises himself, whom Eneas rescued from the flames of Troy in vain; since he lost him before nis arrival in Italy. But the sense given above is easier. Æneas lost his father a year before on his way to Italy; but, meeting with a storm, he was obliged to go to Africa. Now on his return he visits his tomb, and in a manner receives him again, but in vain; since it was not permitted that he should take him with him to Italy. Animæque um 82. Non licuit mihi Nequicquam cineres, animæque umbræque paternæ. tecum quærere Italos Non licuit fines Italos, fataliaque arva, fines 85 Nec tecum Ausonium, quicunque est, quærere Tybrim. 35. Cùm ingens lu- Dixerat hæc adytis cùm lubricus anguis ab imis bricus anguis traxit septem gyros Septem ingens gyros, septena volumina traxit, 87. Cui terga cœrulce Amplexus placidè tumulum, lapsusque per aras: note incendebant, et cu- Cœruleæ cui terga notæ, maculosus et auro jus squamam fulgor Squamam incendebat fulgor: ceu nubibus arcus Tandem inter pateras et levia pocula serpens, Dona ferunt: onerant aras, mactantque juvencos bræque. Some consider these as genitives connected with and governed by cineres. Servius explains it upon the principles of Plato and Aristotle; who gave to man a fourfold soul-the intellectual, the sensual, the vital, and the vegetative. To each of these they assigned a shade or ghost. It is most probable the poet here, as elsewhere, uses the plural for the singular, in order to aggrandize his subject: that is, animæ for anima, and umbræ for umbra, in the voc. sing. This is the opinion of Ruæus and Heyne. 84. Adytis. The tomb of Anchises here is spoken of as a temple-a shrine. 87. Cui: in the sense of cujus. Terga: acc. plu. governed by incendebant, or some other verb of like import, understood. 88. Fulgor maculosus: a brightness variegated with gold-with a golden hue. Incendebat: made or rendered resplendent. 91. Serpens: a part. of the verb serpo, agreeing with ille in the preceding line. 92. Libavit dapes: tasted the banquet, and again, &c. The dupes was the offering to the shade of Anchises, spoken of 54, supra. 93. Depusta: fed upon-just tasted. 94. Instaurat: in the sense of renovat. Honores: in the sense of sacrificia. 95. Incertus-ne: uncertain whether. he should consider him (the serpent) to be, &c. The ancients had a notion that there were 90 90 95 100 105 Genii appointed, some the protectors of countries and cities, and others the guardians of particular persons, who never left them even after death. 98. Vocabat. Eneas here not merely called upon his ghost to partake of the repast he had prepared, but invoked him as a god to be propitious to him, thereby deifying him. 99. Manes remissos Acheronte: the shade or ghost sent back from the dead to partake of the banquet. Acheron: a fabulous river of hell-often put for hell itself: or the place of the dead, as here. 100. Quæ copia est cuique: in the sense of secundùm copiam quæ est unicuique. 101. Onerant: some copies have onerantque. Heinsius, Pierius, and Heyne omit the que. 103. Viscere: by this we are to understand the meat in general. 105. Equi Phaethontis: the horses of the sun brought the ninth, &c. Phaton, was the son of Phebus and Clymene. He obtained from his father the management of his chariot for one day; but unable to govern the fiery steeds, he was precipitated into the Po. See Oyid. Met. 2. Here put for the Sun himself. The poets represented the sun as drawn in a chariot by four horses, whose names were Pyroës, Eoüs, Ethon, and Phlegon, all of Greek origin. Famaque finitimos et clari nomen Acesta Est procul in pelago saxum, spumantia contra NOTES. 108. Æneadas: in the sense of Trojanos. 110. Sacri tripodes. The tripod was properly a kind of three-footed stool or table, on which were placed the sacred bowls and other vessels for the libation. It is called sacred on account of its various uses in the ceremonies of religion. We learn from Homer that the Greeks used to make presents of tripods to their heroes and great men. 111. Palma. The palin was the ordinary prize of every conqueror at the games. Plutarch gives this reason for it; because the palin is a fit emblem of fortitude, as it is not crushed, nor borne down by any weight; but still maintains its growth, and rises superior to opposition. Perfuso dyed, or colored. Talenta: one talent of each. 116. Agit: in the sense of regit vel gubernat. Acri remige: with a valiant band of rowers. 117. A quo nomine: from whose name is the family of Memmius. In order to recommend himself to the noble families at Rome, Virgil derives their origin from Trojans of distinction. Genus: in the sense of familia. 118. Opus urbis: in the sense of instar urbis. 119. Triplici versu: with a triple row of oars. What Virgil says of the nature of these boats, is in anticipation; but it was 110 115 111. Pretium destinatum victoribus 113. Tuba canit è medió aggere ludos commissos esse. 115. Quatuor carinæ delectæ ex omni classe, pares gravibus remis 117. A quo nomine oritur genus 118. Gyas agit ingentem Chimæram ex ingenti mole 121. Sergestusque, à 120 quo Sergia domus tenet nomen, invehitur magna Centauro; Cloanthusque invehitur cœruleâ Scylla; unde genus est tibi 125 127. Silet in tranquillo cœlo, attolliturque ex immotä unda, tanquam campus 129. Hic pater Æneas constituit viridem me130 tam ex frondenti ilice, tanquam signum nautis : unde. not necessary that he should conform exactly to chronological fact. The galley, it is well known, was not invented till long after, and was of various sizes. Some had two, some three, and others four banks, or rows of rowers: and, accordingly, they were called Biremis, Triremis, quadriremis, &c. Their banks of rowers were raised, slopingly one above another. so that those of the second bench rested their feet where those of the first were seated, &c. Remi consurgunt terno ordine. By this we are to understand that the oars rose together, and, as it were, kept time throughout the three rows. Ruæus makes a distinction between versus and ordo. The first, according to him, signifies the series of oars reckoned horizontally from stem to stern. The ordines he makes to be the same oars reckoned vertically, or as they rose obliquely above one another. 121. Domus: properly the house, by meton. the family-race. 123. Genus: race-family. 125. Olim continually-usually. 126. Condunt: cover over-hide them in clouds. 127. Tranquillo. In calm weather this rock was visible; but in storins it was covered with waves, and resounded with the dash ing of the waters. It rose above the sur face like a plain. |