troque. nitescit. 132. Ipsi ductores Tum loca sorte 'egunt: ipsique in puppibus auro longè effulgent in pup- Ductores longè effulgent ostroque decori : pibus, decori auro os- Cætera populeâ velatur fronde juventus, Nudatosque humeros oleo perfusa nitescit. 135. Perfusa quoad nudatos humeros oleo Considunt transtris, intentaque brachia remis: Intenti expectant signum: exultantiaque haurit Corda pavor pulsans, laudumque arrecta cupido. Inde, ubi clara dedit sonitum tuba, finibus omnes, Haud mora, prosiluere suis ferit æthera clamor Nauticus; adductis spumant freta versa lacertis. Infindunt pariter sulcos: totumque dehiscit Convulsum remis rostrisque tridentibus æquor. Non tam præcipites bijugo certamine campum 145. Currus non tam Corripuere, ruuntque effusi carcere, currus: præcipites corripuere Nec sic immissis aurigæ undar.‘ia lora campum 151. Gyas effugit ante alios primusque elabitur undis inter turbam fremitumque. 135 140 145 150 Concussere jugis, pronique in verbera pendent. NOTES. 134. Populea fronde. Servius observes, the reason of their wearing garlands of the poplar tree, was, that they were celebrating funeral games. Hercules, it is said, brought that tree from the infernal regions. 136. Brachia intenta remis: their arms are stretched to the oars. Rnæus has no stop after remis, but connects it with the following words. This, however, is not so easy and, beside, it takes from the solemnity of the description. The verb sunt is understood. It 138. Pulsans pavor: throbbing fear, and an eager desire of praise, draws their beating hearts. This is very expressive. raises such palpitations in their breasts, as if it would draw their hearts out of their bodies. Pulsans is a very proper epithet to pavor, beating-palpitating. 139. Finibus. Finis, here, means the line, place, or bound, from which they start-the mark. Sonitum: the signal. 141. Lacertis adductis. Dr. Trapp observes, by this we are to understand the motions of the rowers, when, in pulling at the oar, they draw the arms close to the body. This they do, especially when they row with all their strength. 142. Infindunt pariter sulcos: they cleave furrows in the sea at the same time-they start all at once. 143. Equor convulsum: the whole surface of the sea convulsed, &c. Some editions have stridentibus. But this violates the measure of the verse; the first syllable of stridentibus being always long. Ancient medals explain the matter; on some of which there is plainly seen a rostrum, or beak of a ship with three teeth. Tridens, of tres and dens.. 144. Præcipites: in the sense of celeres. Certamine: the chariot race. Bijugo signifies or implies that two horses were yoked or harnessed in the chariot. Macrobius observes that Virgil here excels Homer. Indeed nothing can be more finely imagined, Carcer: or represented more to the life. the mark, or starting place; mela, the goal or turning place. Currus, by meton. for equi. 146. Nec auriga sic: nor have the charioteers so shook, &c. Jugis: the yoke, by meton. put for the horses harnessed in it. Immissis jugis: the horses flying with loos ened reins-at full speed. 148. Studiis: in the sense of acclamationibus. 149. Litora inclusa, &c. Ruæus observes that this is, by a figure called commutatio, for volutant inclusam vocem. Or perhaps inclusa may be taken here in the sense of curva. 151. Primus. Davidson has primis, agreeHe glides away on the ing with undis. Primus is however the nearest waves. easier, and conveys the same idea. It is the reading of Ruæus and others. Resultant: echo it back. 153. Pinus: the timber of the pine tree, put by meton. for the ship or galley made of it. Tarda tenet. Post hos, æquo discrimine, Pristis 155 160 165 170 Jamque propinquabant scopulo, metamque tenebant NOTES. 154. Discrimine: in the sense of intervallo. Superare: in the sense of occupare, vel ob tinere. 156. Habet. This is the reading of Heinsius, Heyne, Davidson, and others. Ruæus has abit. 157. Junctis frontibus. They moved on together head and head. Neither one gaining of the other. It is of the same import with aquatis rostris. 158. Salsa vada: the briny sea. 160. Princeps: in the sense of primus. Gurgite in the sense of mari. 161. Rectorem: the helmsman-steersman. 162. Mihi. Rumeus conjectures that mihi here is merely expletive, as in many other places. Ama litus: keep close to or hug the rock. 166. Diversus: contrary-a different way. 170. Ille radit interior, &c. In the races it was customary to keep the meta, or goal, on the left hand. This will serve to explain the present case. Cloanthus on the inside (interior) and nearer the meta than Gyas, 174. Oblitusque sui 175 decoris, salutisque sociûm, deturbat segnem Menæten, præcipitem 180 178. At ut Menetes senior et gravis undis jam tandem vix redditus est imo fundo; fluensque in madida veste, petit summa scopuli, reseditque cut along the left way (iter lævum) and suddenly passed Gyas, who just before had been ahead of him; præterit Gyam modò priorem. Both in the naval and chariot race the great art lay in turning as near the goal as possible. For the nearer they kept to it, the shorter circumference they had to make, and the less distance to run. This was a great advantage to be gained, but it was attended with danger. Subitus. Some copies have subitò. The sense is the same with either.. Heyne has subitò, on the authority of Burmannus; but observes that the other is the more poetical. 172. Juveni: the dat. in the sense of the gen. 174. Decoris: in the sense of dignitatis. 176. Rector ipse. Gyas hitherto had only acted as pilot. He now discharges the of fice both of pilot and helmsman. 177. Litora: to the rock or goal. 178. Redditus est: issued or rose from, 183. Accensa est: was kindled-arose. } 186. Nec tamen ille Nec totâ tamen ille prior præeunte carinâ: est prior, tota carinà Parte prior, partem rostro premit æmula Pristis. prior; Emula Pristis At mediâ socios incedens nave per ipsos præeunte; una parte est premit aliam partem Hortatur Mnestheus: Nunc, nunc insurgite remis, Hectorei socii, Trojæ quos sorte supremâ rostro. 194. Ego Mnestheus non peto prima loca Delegi comites: nunc illas promite vires, 190 Non jam prima peto Mnestheus, neque vincere certo: Quanquam ô! sed superent, quibus hoc, Neptune, dedisti. 196 O utinam possem Extremos pudeat rediisse : hoc vincite, cives, 196 Et prohibete nefas. Olli certamine summo 200 202. Namque dum Namque furens animi dum proram ad saxa suburget Sergestus furens animi Interior, spatioque subit Sergestus iniquo; suburget proram Infelix saxis in procurrentibus hæsit. NOTES. 187. Prior parte. The meaning is, that Sergestus was ahead, but not by the whole length of his galley; only by a part of it. 190. Hectorei socii: my brave companions, whom I chose, &c. In order to aniinate them the more, he calls them Hectorei, as brave and valiant as Hector. Nothing can be more expressive. Sorte: in the sense of ruinâ, vel exitio. 192. Gætulis: African. The Gatuli were a people of Africa, not far from Carthage. The word is here used as an adj. Syrtibus: see En. i. 111. Usi: sunt is to be supplied. 193. Ionio mari. That part of the Mediterranean lying between Epirus, Italy, and Sicily, was called the Ionian sea. Through or over this sea Æneas passed with his fleet. Malea. Maleæ, a promontory of the Peloponnesus between the Sinus Argolicus and the Sinus Laconicus, extending about five miles into the sea. It was dangerous sailing near it. It gave rise to the proverb, Maleam legens, obliviscere, quæ sunt domi. The epithet sequacibus, given to the waves of that coast, represents them as so many fierce and devouring monsters, that pursued ships in order to overwhelm them. 195. Quanquam, ô! This is an instance where Virgil is eloquent even in silence. This abrupt exclamation is more expressive of the mind of Mnestheus than any words could have been, especially to those who saw the looks and gestures that would accompany his voice. Having observed that he did not strive with an expectation of conquering, he turns upon himself: that I could! but let them conquer, to whom, O Neptune, thou hast given that honor. 205 197. Nefas: disgrace-ignominy, of being the last to come out. Olli: by antithesis for illi, they. Procumbunt: they ply their oars with the greatest earnestness— they spring upon them with all their strength. 199. Solum subtrahitur: the surface is drawn from under them. Whatever is spread under any thing as its support and foundation is called in Latin solum, as the sea is to a ship; the air to a fowl on the wing. So rapidly did the galley move that the surface of the sea seemed to withdraw from under her. 201. Casus ipse: chance itself—mere chance. 202. Suburget proram: while he presses the prow to the rock on the inside, &c. Interior, between Mnestheus and the goal, taking a nearer course to it. But he had not left to himself sufficient room, and was therefore forced to run his galley upon that part of the rock which projected farther than the other points of the same rock. Ruæus reads prorâ in the abl. Heyne, Davidson, and Valpy, read proram. 203. Iniquo: in the sense of angusto. 205. Cautes concussa: the rocks were struck. In other words, the galley received a violent shock; for action and reaction are equal. Murice. Murex properly signifies the shell-fish, of the liquor of which, it was thought, purple color was made. Hence it is taken for the prominence of a rock, which tapers into a sharp point like the shell of that fish. 206. Crepuere: in the sense of fracti sunt. The prow ran or slid up upon the rock, and in that elevated situation stuck fast. Consurgunt nautæ, et magno clamore morantur: 210 213. Talis qualis columba; cui domus et Fertur in arva volans, plausumque exterrita pennis 215 dulces nidi sunt in late Dat tecto ingentem: mox aëre lapsa quieto, 220 225 broso pumice, subitò commɔta è speluncâ, volans fertur in arva; exterritaque dat ingentem plaus um tecto pennis. 229. Hi indignantur, 230 ni teneant proprium decus et honorem jam partum; voluntque pacisci Dî, quibus imperium est pelagi, quorum æquora curro; NOTES. 207. Clamore: noise-bustle-confusion. Morantur: are delayed-stopped. 208. Sudes. This was a pole used by boatmen, and usually prefixed with iron. Hence the epithet ferratas. Heyne reads trudes. 211. Celeri agmine: by or with the quick motion of the oars. Acrior: ardentior, says Ruæus. 212. Petit prona: he seeks the easy waters, &c. Pronus here is easy-unobstructed, as appears from the words which follow, pelago decurrit aperto: he runs on the open sea. 214. Dulces nidi: the nests are here put for the young ones in thein, by meton. Cui: in the sense of cujus. 216. Dat ingentem: the pigeon gives the stroke to her nest (tecto) with her wings when she first leaves it, and commences her flight. 217. Liquidum: in the sense of aëreum. 218. Ultima æquora: by this we are to understand the last part of the race-that part of it which lay beyond the meta, or goal. 220. Deserit: in the sense of præterit. Brevibus vadis: simply, shallows. Here the rock on which his galley stuck. 236 222. Discentem: in the sense of tentantem. 224. Cedit: she yields-falls behind. 225. Cloanthus superest, &c. Mnestheus had gotten ahead of Sergestus and Gyas, and Cloanthus remained alone to contest the prize with him. Him he pursues, and presses closely, straining every nerve. The prize was not to be given to him, who first arrived at the goal, but to him who returned first to the port, or place from whence they set out. 228. Fragoribus. Some ancient manuscripts have clamoribus, but this makes false quantity. The other is doubtless the true reading. Studiis: hazzas-acclamations. disgrace, unless, &c. Hi: these, meaning 229. Hi indignantur: these consider it a the crew of Cloanthus. Hos, in verse 231 infra, the crew of Mnestheus. 231. Alit: in the sense of animat. 232. Et fors cepissent: they would have gotten to the shore together; so that it could not have been determined who was the victor, and both received equal prizes, had not Cloanthus, &c. Fors: in the sense of fortasse. 248. Dat ei optare ernos juvencos vinaque, et ferre maguum talen munera in naves. Constituam ante aras voti reus, extaque salsos Tum satus Anchisâ, cunctis ex more vocatis, 240 245 tum argenti; quæ erant Victori chlamydem auratam, quam plurima circùm 250 Purpura Mæandro duplici Meliboa cucurrit ; 250. Victori Cloantho Intextusque puer frondosâ regius Idâ dat auratam Veloces jaculo cervos cursuque fatigat, NOTES. 237. Reus voti. When a person has taken upon himself a vow on a certain condition, he is said to be Reus voti, exposed to, or liable for his vow. When the condition is granted on the part of the gods, he is said to be damnatus voti or damnatus votis: bound to the performance of his vow. See Ecl. v. 80. 238. Porriciam: in the sense of projiciam. This verb properly signifies to place an offering to the gods upon an altar or otherwise. Liquentia: in the sense of pura. 240. Omnis chorus: all the choir of the Nereids, &c. The Nereïds were the fabulous daughters of Nereus and Doris. See Ecl. 6. 35. Phorci. Phorcus or Phorcys was a marine god, the son of Neptune and Terra, and father of the Gorgons. Panopea, one of the Nereids. Servius says she is here mentioned by name, because she was the only virgin among them. 241. Pater Portunus ipse: father Portunus himself, &c. Portunus, one of the marine gods, whose name is derived from portus, because he presided over ports and harbors. Euntem may agree either with eum, (to wit,) Cloanthum, understood, or with navem. The sense is the same in either case. It may be observed, that Virgil omits no opportunity to instruct, as well as to please. He keeps to strict decorum in this first game. He gives the palm of victory to him who had invoked the gods. He shows us, also, the rashness of youth punished in the case of 255 260 Gyas, whose fool-hardiness makes him lose the victory, of which he had the fairest prospects at the first. He sets forth the equity and liberality of Eneas in rewarding Sergestus for saving his galley, since he. could not give him a prize as a conqueror. 242. Illa: to wit, navis. Noto: the south wind, put for wind in general—the species for the genus. 250. Circùm quam plurima: around which very much Melibean purple run in a double maze. Maander was a river in the Lesser Asia, running between Caria and Ionia into the Ægean sea. It was so full of windings and turnings, that the word came to be used for any turning or windings whatever. For meandro, Ruæus says flexu. Melihaa was a city in Thessaly, at the foot of Mount Ossa, famous for dying purple. Here used as an adj. 252. Regius puer intextus: the royal boy interwoven in it, (the chlamys,) pursues with his javelin, and with speed, &c. The boy here meant is Ganymede. He was taken up from Mount Ida by Jove in the form of an eagle, and made cupbearer to the gods in the place of Hebe. See Æn. i. 28. Fatigat· in the sense of sequitur. 255. Prapes armiger Jovis: the swiftwinged armour-bearer of Jove the eagle. Pliny observes that the eagle is proof against thunder; and this is the reason of its being selected for Jove's armour-bearer. 260. Loricam consertam, &c. The coat |