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Impia; nec veriti dominorum fallere dextras ;
Inclusi pœnam expectant. Ne quære doceri
Quam pœnam, aut quæ forma viros fortunave mersit.
Saxum ingens volvunt alii, radiisque rotarum
Districti pendent. Sedet, æternùmque sedebit
Infelix Theseus: Phlegyasque miserrimus omnes
Admonet, et magnâ testatur voce per umbras:
Discite justitiam moniti, et non temnere Divos.
Vendidit hic auro patriam, dominumque potentem
Imposuit: fixit leges pretio atque refixit.
Hic thalamum invasit natæ, vetitosque hymenæos.
Ausi omnes immane nefas, ausoque potiti.
Non, mihi si linguæ centum sint, oraque centum,
Ferrea vox, omnes scelerum comprêndere formas,
Omnia pœnarum percurrere nomina possim.

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630

Hæc ubi dicta dedit Phœbi longæva sacerdos :
Sed jam age, carpe viam, et susceptum perfice munus :
Acceleremus, ait. Cyclopum educta caminis
Moenia conspicio, atque adverso fornice portas,
Hæc ubi nos præcepta jubent deponere dona.

NOTES.

613. Fallere dextras dominorum: to violate the faith of their masters-pledged to their masters. Dextra: in the sense of fides. 615. Forma fortuna. By forma, Servius understands the form or rule of justice: and by fortuna, Dr. Trapp understands the sentence of the judge. What punishment they undergo, or in what form or state of misery they are overwhelmed or involved. This is plainly the meaning of the passage.Heyne says, Quæ forma pœnæ, quod-ve miseriæ genus mersit, vel manet viros.

616. Ingens saxum. This refers to the case of Sisyphus, the son of Æolus, a notorious robber. He was sentenced to hell, and compelled to roll a great stone to the top of a hill; which, before he reached the top, returned to the bottom again. Thus his labor became perpetual. Districti radiis: bound to the spokes of wheels, they hang This alludes to the case of Ixion. See 601,

supra.

617. Eternum sedebit. This may be explained by referring it to the shade or ghost

of Theseus after death: for he was set at liberty by Hercules, after he had been bound by Pluto, and returned to the intercourse of men. See 122, supra.

618. Phlegyas. He was the father of Ixion, and king of the Lapitha. His daughter Coronis, being ravished by Apollo, in revenge for the injury, he burnt his temple; for which he was thrust down to Tartarus, He is represented as calling aloud to the shades, and admonishing all to take warning by him, not to despise the gods, nor commit acts of impiety.

620. Moniti discite justitiam: ye being admonished by my example, learn justice.

626. Non possim comprêndere omnes formas

632. Ubi Dî jubent nos

This is the great moral of all those infernal punishments, that the example of them might deter from vice, and stimulate to virtue. Moniti meo exemplo, says Heyne.

622. Fixit leges: he made and unmado laws for a price. This is said in reference to the Roman custom of engraving their laws upon tables of brass, and fixing them up in public places, to the view of the people; and when those laws were abrogated or repealed, they were said to be refigi, to be unfixed, or taken down. Hymenœos: in the sense of nuptias.

624. Potiti auso: accomplished their bold

undertaking. Dr. Trapp thinks auso may be used for præmio usi, they now have their reward, by way of sarcasm. But the sense commonly given is easier, and contains this wickedness, they are not the less odious moral, that however successful men are in to God, and will hereafter receive their due

reward.

undertaken offering. This refers to the 629. Perfice susceptum munus: finish the golden bough, which Æneas promised to deposit in the palace of Proserpine.

630. Cyclopum. The Cyclops were the first inhabitants of Sicily. To them is attributed the invention of forging iron, and of fortifying cities. The expression here denotes that these walls were made of iron, and strongly fortified. Educta: drawn out, or wrought in the forges of the Cyclops. See Geor. i. 471.

631. Portas fornice adverso: the gates, with their arch directly opposite to us, or in front of us.

632. Hæc præcepta dona: these command

641. Incolæ nôrunt

648. Hic est antiquun genus

Dixerat et pariter gressi per opaca viarum,
Corripiunt spatium medium, foribusque propinquant
Occupat Æneas aditum, corpusque recenti
Spargit aquâ, ramumque adverso in limine figit.
His demum exactis, perfecto munere Divæ,
Devenêre locos lætos, et amœna vireta
Fortunatorum nemorum, sedesque beatas.
Largior hic campos æther, et lumine vestit
Purpureo solemque suum, sua sidera nôrunt.
Pars in gramineis exercent membra palæstris,
Contendunt ludo, et fulvâ luctantur arenâ :
Pars pedibus plaudunt choreas, et carmina dicunt.
Necnon Threïcius longâ cum veste sacerdos
Obloquitur numeris septem discrimina vocum:
Jamque eadem digitis, jam pectine pulsat eburno.
Hic genus antiquum Teucri, pulcherrima proles,
Magnanimi heroës, nati melioribus annis:
Ilusque, Assaracusque, et Troja Dardanus auctor.
Arma procul, currusque virûm miratur inanes.
Stant terrâ defixæ hastæ, passimque soluti
Per campos pascuntur equi. Quæ gratia currûm
Armorumque fuit vivis; quæ cura nitentes

655. Eadem cura se- Pascere equos; eadem sequitur tellure repôstos. quitur eos repôstos tel- Conspicit ecce alios dextrâ lævâque per herbam Vescentes, lætumque choro paana canentes,

lure.

NOTES.

ed gifts. This refers to the golden bough, which was sacred to Proserpine, and which Eneas was directed to deliver to her. Ruæus says, munera decerpla ex arbore.

633. Opaca viarunt: the dark places of the way, or simply, the dark way. Spatia vel loca may be understood.

634. Spatium: ground-way.

636. Spargit corpus: he sprinkles his body with fresh water; either because he was polluted by the sight of Tartarus, or because he presented an offering to Proserpine. Spargit aquá, &c. In the entrance of the heathen temples, aqua lustralis, or holy water, was placed, to sprinkle the devout on their entrance. This custoin of sprinkling with holy water in the Roman church, La Cerda admits was borrowed from this practice of the heathen.

637. Dive: Proserpine. Perfecto: finished-presented to her.

638. Devenêre: they came to.

639. Fortunatorum: in the sense of felicium. Amæna viriditate herbarum arborumque, says Rurus.

640. Vestit: in the sense of circumdat.
641. Purpureo: clear-resplendent.
642. Palæstris: in the sense of locis. Pa-
lastra, both the place of exercise, and the
excrcise itself.

644. Dicunt: in the sense of canunt.
645. Threicius sacerdos: the Thracian
et warbles the seven distinctions of sound

635

640

645

650

655

(the seven different notes) in music. Orpheus is here represented clothed in a long robe, that being anciently the garb both of a priest and musician; in which character he is here represented.

646. Septem, &c. Allusion is here had to the harp or lyre, which at first had only seven chords or strings. Two were afterwards added to make the number nine, in honor of the muses. Pectine. The pecten, or plectrum, was a kind of instrument which the musician struck the strings of the harp or lyre with, called a quill.

647. Eadem. Markland conjectures this should be changed to fidem, the strings or chords of the lyre. The present reading refers to discrimina. The same (discrimina) he at one time strikes with his fingers, at another, &c.

650. liusque. For the genealogy of these, see Geor. iii. 35.

Vi

653. Gratia: in the sense of amor. vis: iis is understood: in the sense of dum illi vixerunt.

657. Pœana. Pæan was a sacred hymn, or song of praise. It was sometimes sung in honor of Mars, especially before battle. It was sung in honor of Apollo, after a victory; and it was sometimes sung in honor of all the gods. It is derived from a Greek word, signifying to wound or pierce. It was first sung in honor of Apollo after he killed the Python. Inter: simply, for in.

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Inter odoratum lauri nemus: unde supernè
Plurimus Eridani per sylvam volvitur amnis.
Hic manus, ob patriam pugnando vulnera passi
Quique sacerdotes casti, dum vita manebat.
Quique pii vates, et Phobo digna locuti :
Inventas aut qui vitam excoluêre per artes ·
Quique suî memores alios fecêre merendode
Omnibus his niveâ cinguntur tempora vittâ.
Quos circumfusos sic est affata Sibylla,
Musæum ante omnes: medium namı plurima turba
Hunc habet, atque humeris exstantem suspicit altis :
Dicite, felices animæ, tuque, optime vates;
Quæ regio Anchisen, quis habet locus? illius ergo
Venimus, et magnos Erebi tranavimus amnes.
Atque huic responsum paucis ita reddidit heros:
Nulli certa domus : lucis habitamus opacis,
Riparumque toros, et prata recentia rivis

:

Incolimus sed vos, si fert ita corde voluntas,
Hoc superate jugum, et facili jam tramite sistam.
Dixit: et ante tulit gressum, camposque nitentes
Desuper ostentat: dehinc summa cacumina linquunt.
At pater Anchises penitùs convalle virenti
Inclusas animas, superumque ad lumen ituras,

NOTES.

658. Unde supernè. Interpreters are not agreed as to the meaning of this passage. Some make it to be this: unde magna pars Eridani è superis præcipitat ad inferos. This interpretation is founded on what we are told by Pliny, that the Po, soon after its rise, passes under ground and flows out again in a part of Piedmont. Others: unde magnus Eridanus fuit ad superiores incolas terræ. This seems to be the opinion of Ruæus. This appears to be founded upon the general received opinion that the great source of rivers is in the body of the earth. Mr. Davidson differs from both of these interpretations. He takes supernè in its common acceptation, denoting from an eminence or rising ground. Unde: whence (that is, from the Elysian fields,) from an eminence, or rising ground, the great river Eridanus rolls or flows. This is the easiest and most natural meaning.

662. Quique pii vates. Vates signifies either a poet or a prophet. Poets were originally the only persons who taught a knowledge of the divine nature, and declared the sublime doctrines of religion. Locuti digna Phobo: and spoke things worthy of Phoebus; such doctrines of religion and morality as were worthy of the inspiration of that God. 663. Excoluêre: improved human life. 664. Quique fecêre alios: and those who had made others mindful of them by their merit. These included all patriots and public spirited men-all who had distinguished themselves in the arts and sciences, and all the benefactors of mankind.

600

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662. Fuerant pii vates, 665 et locuti

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665. His omnibus: the dat. in the sense of the gen. horum omnium.

666. Circumfusos: in the sense of circum stantes.

667. Musæum. Musæus was the disciple of Orpheus. He was an Athenian by birth, and flourished under Cecrops the second, a considerable time before the destruction of Troy. He was an heroic poet. There are said to be some fragments of verses which go under his name, but probably they are the production of a later poet. Some have censured Virgil for preferring Museus to Homer as a poet. But it is to be remembered that Homer did not live till some time after this descent of Æneas. and therefore to have mentioned him, would have been wholly out of place.

668. Exstantem: rising above the rest by his head and lofty shoulders. Suspicit: in the sense of admiratur. Eneas is understood.

have come. Ergo is here used in the sense 670. Ergo illius: on account of him we

of causâ.

ripas. Recentia rivis: verdant or green on 674. Toros riparum: Ruæus says, herbosas

account of its streams or rivers. Virentia propter vicinas aquas, says Heyne. Fert: inclines you.

676. Jugum in the sense of collem. 678. Antè tulit gressum; he (Museus) went before them; a phrase.

680. Superum lumen: the upper worldthe regions of light. Here is an allusion to

Lustrabat studio recolens: omnemque suorum Fortè recensebat numerum, charosque nepotes, Fataque, fortunasque virûm, moresque, manusque. 634. Vidit Ænean ten- Isque ubi tendentem adversùm per gramina vidit dentem cursum adver- Ænean; alacris palmas utrasque tetendit, sum ei per gramina

686. Lachrymæ effuse Effusæque genis lachrymæ, et vox excidit ore: Venisti tandem, tuaque spectata parenti

sunt genis

688. Tuaque pietas Vicit iter durum pietas! datur ora tueri, spectata mihi parenti Nate, tua; et notas audire et reddere voces !

vicit durum

Sic equidem ducebam animo rebarque futurum, Tempora dinumerans: nec me mea cura fefellit. 692. Per quas terras, Quos ego te terras, et quanta per æquora vectum, et per quanta æquora Accipio! quantis jactatum, nate, perìclis! accipio te esse vectum!

700. Collo patris

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Quàm metui, ne quid Libyæ tibi regna nocerent!
Ille autem Tua me, genitor, tua tristis imago
Sæpiùs occurrens, hæc limina tendere adegit.
Stant sale Tyrrheno classes. Da jungere dextram,
Da genitor: teque amplexu ne subtrahe nostro.
Sic memorans, largo fletu simul ora rigabat.
Ter conatus ibi collo dare brachia circùm ;
Ter frustrà comprênsa manus effugit imago,
Par levibus ventis, volucrique simillima somno.
Intereà videt Æneas in valle reductâ

Seclusum nemus, et virgulta sonantia sylvis,

685

690

695

700

Lethæumque, domos placidas qui prænatat, amnem. 705
Hunc circum innumeræ gentes populique volabant.
Ac veluti in pratis, ubi apes æstate serenâ
Floribus insidunt variis, et candida circum
Lilia funduntur: strepit omnis murmure campus.
Horrescit visu subito, causasque requirit
Inscius Æneas: quæ sint ea flumina porrò,
Quive viri tanto complêrint agmine ripas.
Tum pater Anchises: Animæ, quibus altera fato

NOTES.

the doctrine of transmigration, maintained by Pythagoras and his followers.

683. Manus: achievements-noble deeds. Tendentem: in the sense of venientem ad se. 687. Spectata. This is the reading of Heyne, and is easier than expectata, which is the common reading. Ruæus seems to approve of it, although he has expectata. Doctissimi legunt spectata, id est, cognita, perspecta, probata, says he.

688. Datur: in the sense of permittitur. Mihi is understood.

690. Sic equidem ducebam: indeed I was concluding in my mind, and thinking it would be so; computing and reckoning the time for you to arrive. The ghost of Anchises had directed Æneas to repair to the regions below. See lib. v. 731.

693. Accipio: in the sense of audio. 697. Tyrrheno sale. That part of the Mediterranean lying to the south of Italy, and having Sicily on the east and Sardinia and Corsica on the west, was called the

710

Tuscan sea. Sale: in the sense of mari, by

meton.

699. Largo fletu: in the sense of multis lachrymis.

700. Circumdare: they are separated by tmesis for the sake of the verse. Conatus sum, &c.

704. Seclusum: in the sense of separatum. Virgulta sonantia sylvis. Heyne takes these words in the sense of virgulla sylvarum so: nantia; and this again for sylva sonantes. Sonantia: sounding-rustling with the wind.

705. Prænalat: in the sense of præterfluil.

709. Funduntur: in the sense of volant. 713. Anima quibus: the souls, for which other bodies are destined by fate, drink, &c. There were some who were exempt from transmigration. Such were those, who, for their exalted virtue, had been admitted into the society of the gods. Among this nuinber was Anchises. What Eneas here converses with under the appearance of his

1

Corpora debentur, Lethæi ad fluminis undam
Securos latices et longa oblivia potant.
Has equidem memorare tibi, atque ostendere coràm,
Jampridem hanc prolem cupio enumerare meorum :
Quò magis Italiâ mecum lætere repertâ.

715

720

O pater, anne aliquas ad cœlum hinc ire putandum est,
Sublimes animas? iterumque ad tarda reverti
Corpora? quæ lucis miseris tam dira cupido?
Dicam equidem, nec te suspensum, nate, tenebo;
Suscipit Anchises, atque ordine singula pandit.

Principio cœlum, ac terras, camposque liquentes,
Lucentemque globum Lunæ, Titaniaque astra
Spiritus intus alit; totamque infusa per artus
Mens agitat molem, et magno se corpore miscet.
Inde hominum pecudumque genus, vitæque volantûm,
Et quæ marmoreo fert monstra sub æquore pontus.
Igneus est ollis vigor, et cœlestis origo
Seminibus; quantùm non noxia corpora tardant,
Terrenique hebetant artus, moribunda que membra.
Hinc metuunt cupiuntque, dolent gaudentque: neque
Respiciunt, clausæ tenebris et carcere cæco.
Quin et supremo cùm lumine vita reliquit ;

Non tamen omne malum miseris, nec funditùs omnes
Corporeæ excedunt pestes; penitùsque necesse est
Multa diu concreta modis inolescere miris.
Ergò exercentur pœnis, veterumque malorum

NOTES.

father, was only his image, his Idolum or Simulacrum, which the poets feigned to reside in the infernal regions, while the soul was in heaven among the gods. Latices securos draughts expelling care-producing a peaceful and quiet inind.

719. Cœlum: this means here the upper world-the regions of light: ad superas auras-ad vitam.

720. Sublimes: in the sense of illustres. Lucis: in the sense of vitæ.

724. Principio spiritus: in the first place a spirit within supports the heaven, &c. Here Anchises explains to Eneas the system or economy of the world, on the principles of the Pythagorean, and Platonic philosophy. The same is explained in other words, Geor. iv. 221, et seq. The doctrine here inculcated is, that God is intimately united with every part of the universe, and that his spirit sustains the whole, the heavens, the earth, and the starry lamps; that a mind, or intelligence, diffused through every part of matter, actuates and gives life and motion to the whole. And from this active principle sprang the various kinds of animals. Liquentes campos: elegantly put for the sea, or watery element.

725. Titania astra. By these we are to understand the sun and stars, since they all equally shine by their own light. Titania:

725

730

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732. Terrenique artus, au- moribundaque membra non hebetant illum vigo

[ras

rem

735 733. Hinc animæ me

tuunt

738. Multa vitia diu concreta penitùs inolescere iis

an adj. from Titan, a name given to the sun, of Greek origin. Also, the son of Cœlus and Vesta, and the father of the Titans. These were all distinguished astronomers, as we are told by Diodorus and Pausanias, especially Hyperion. This might lead the poets to feign them transformed into the bodies of the sun and stars after their death.

726. Agitat: in the sense of movet. Artus in the sense of omnes partes.

728. Volantum: in the sense of arium. 730. Ollis for illis, by antithesis. 731. Non tardant: do not clog it. 733. Hinc metuunt. The passions are generally ranked under these four heads: fear and grief; joy and desire. The two first have for their object present or future evil; the two last, present or future good. uras: in the sense of cœlum.

735. Quin et cum: but when life hath left them, even in the last glimmering light, &c. 737. Pestes: stains-pollutions.

738. Diu concreta: a long time habitual. Rumus says, conglutinata. Mala is understood in the sense of pestes, as above. Inolescere in the sense of adhærescere.

739. Ergò exercentur pœnis. These punishments were of three kinds, according to the nature of the stains with which the soul was infected. Those, whose stains or pol

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