Fortunati ambo! si quid mea carmina possunt, Et jam prima novo spargebat lumine terras NOTES. 447. Nulla dies: no length of time shall ever erase you from mindful posterity. This is the meaning of memori avo. 443. Immobile saxum. This implies that the foundation of the Roman empire was to be as fixed and lasting as the Capitoline mount, on which the city was built. After the time of Tarquinius Priscus, the Romans were of opinion that their empire would become universal, and have no end. Some explain domus Æneæ, of the family of Augustus; which Virgil deduces from Æneas. But it may with propriety be taken for the Romans in general. Heyne says, Julia gens: the Julian family. 449. Pater Romanus. Ruæus thinks Romulus is meant, he being the founder of Rome. Davidson thinks Pater here means prince, as kings are often called the fathers of their people. Pater Romanus, then will mean a Roinan prince, or sovereign. Heyne understands, by Pater Romanus, Jupiter Capitolinus; to whom a famous temple was built upon the Capitoline mount. This story of Nisus and Euryalus makes a very co siderable part of this book, and a very interesting part too. It is nevertheless liable to objection on the ground of probability. It is difficult to conceive that a whole army should be asleep, and their sentinels among the rest, when it was their business to see that the Trojans were kept close. It is said one was awake indeed; but he gave no alarm. Besides, we might suppose that they would have considered themselves sufficiently fortunate, to be able to pass the camp of the enemy in safety, without attempting any thing. But poetry delights in the wonderful and marvellous. 453. Primis: chief men-nobles. 455. Tepida cæde. Davidson reads tepidum, agreeing with locum. Heyne reads tepida. So also Ruæus, and others. The Roman manuscript has tepidum. The sense is the same with either. Ruæus interprets the words: ad locum tepcfactum recenti strage. 456. Rivos plenos, &c. Dr. Trapp thinks, that no more is meant than streams of blood upon the ground: rivos spumantis sanguinis. It is difficult to imagine that two men, in so short a space, could spill so much blood as to justify the hyperbole, that the rivers were filled and foamed with blood. Beside, there was only one river, and that one not very near. Heyne is of the same opinion with Dr. Trapp. 458. Sudere: in the sense of labore. Phaleras. These were taken from Rhamnes. See 359, supra. 461. Sole jam infuso: the sun now being ushered into the world-the sun having already arisen. Rebus: objects things. Retectis: brought to view-uncovered. The world and all things therein had been wrapt up in the mantle of night. They are now disclosed and brought to view, by the rays of light. 463. Acies: troops in general. Æratas armed with brass-clad in brazen armor. 464. Rumoribus: Heyne takes this in the sense of hortationibus vel vocibus. Iras: in the sense of furorem, Eneadæ duri murorum in parte sinistrâ Opposuere aciem; nam dextera cingitur amni ; 471. Præfixa hastis, Ingentesque tenent fossas, et turribus altis Intereà pavidam volitans pennata per urbem : Euryali at subitus miseræ calor ossa reliquit 478. Scissa quoad co- Scissa comam, muros amens atque agmina cursu mam, amens 47 475 480. Illa non erat me- Telorumque memor: cœlum dehinc questibus implet : mor virûm, illa non erat Hunc ego te, Euryale, aspicio ? tu-ne illa senectæ memor pericli 481. Tu-ne es ille fu turus sera Sera mea requies? potuisti linquere solam, Crudelis? nec te, sub tanta pericula missum, 483. Nec copia data Affari extremùm miseræ data copia matri? est misere matri affari Heu! terrâ ignotâ, canibus data præda Latinis Alitibusque, jaces! nec te tua funera mater 486. Nec ego mater produxi te ad tua funera Produxi, pressive oculos, aut vulnera lavi, 488. Tegens luum ca- Veste tegens; tibi quam noctes festina diesque daver veste, quam ego Urgebam, et telâ curas solabar aniles. te festina Quò sequar? aut quæ nunc artus avulsaque membra, 481 485 431 NOTES. 469. Aciem: the army of Turnus. Cin- mùm. This alludes to the custom of the gitur: protected-defended. 474. Nuntia: as a messenger-herald. 475. Subitus: in the sense of subitò. At: this is the reading of Heyne. 476. Radii excussi: the shuttle fell from her hands, as she was weaving. Or, by the radii, we may understand a machine with spokes something like a wheel, which the women held in their hands, and on which they wound or reeled the yarn from the spindles, on which it was put, as it was spun. What is properly called the episode of Nisus and Euryalus, ended with the 449th verse. The lamentation of the mother of Euryalus most agreeably brings us back to the subject again, when we imagined we had done with it. Whether it be considered a part of, or a sequel to, that episode, is not material. It certainly equals, if not exceeds, any part of it; and we are much indebted to the poet for the picture, which he has given us of maternal grief and sorrow. Scaliger was enraptured with it. Pensa: her work-labor. 481. Aspicio hunc te: do I see that you? -Is that one I see you, O, Euryalus? These broken half sentences she uttered, while she beheld his head suspended upon the spears of the Rutulians, as she stood upon the ramparts. 482. Sera requies: in the sense of serum solatium. 484. Copia leave--opportunity. Extre Romans, when they retired from the tomb, of repeating the word vale three times. 487. Produxi te tua, &c. Servius takes tua funera, for the nom. agreeing with mater, and tells us that the near relations of the dead assisted at burial, and were called Funeræ. But it is better to adhere to the usual acceptation of the word. And this we may do, if we supply the prep. ad before it. Produxi may signify the laying out of the corpse for burial, or walking before it to the place of interment. This is considered an intricate passage: and various have been the conjectures upon the proper construction. Heyne proposes funere, for funera: and Ruæus informs us that proluxi has been proposed for produxi. He seems to take funera, with Servius and Scaliger, in the nom. He says, nec ego mater protuli te ante ædes, ut curatrix tui funeris. The construction proposed above appears the easiest. Davidson renders the words, "Nor I, thy mother, laid thee out for thy funeral obsequies.' Valpy observes, that though no variation from this reading has been discovered in any of the ancient MSS., there is probably some error. 489. Solabar: I was consoling my aged cares with the loom-with weaving and preparing garments for you. 490. Sequar: in the sense of ibo. 491. Funus: in the sense of cadaver. Quæ tellus nunc, &c. 495 500 Nate, refers? hoc sum terrâque marique secuta ? Nec jam sufficiunt: nam, quâ globus imminet ingens, NOTES. 492. Secuta sum: have I followed this (caput) over sea and land? Have I followed thee over sea and land for this-to come to this? 493. Pietas. Here pietas, doubtless, means pity, or compassion. If there be any pity in you, O Rutulians, &c. 494. Me primam. We are to suppose her speaking from the rampart, where none, as yet, had been slain. 497. Aliter. Dr. Trapp observes, that what is here said cannot be true, unless aliter be taken in a limited sense. Being full of grief, and referring every thing to that, he thinks she refers this, also; as if she had said: since my grief will not end my wretched life as I would have it, I desire either the enemy or the gods to do it. Mr. Davidson thinks she only talks somewhat inconsistently, as might be expected in her state of mind; and observes that it is not improbable she had attempted to lay violent hands upon herself, and was hindered by those about her. The crime of self-murder is of so horrid a nature, that the poet might well suppose no one could be guilty of it. She wished for death, since her son, the support and solace of her declining years, was taken from her. But where can she find it? Not from her friends. She had called upon the ene 505 510 cœperunt 514 514. Cùm tamen juvat Rutulis ferre omnes ca sus 515. Nam quâ ingens globus hostium my; and now she appeals to Jove, and en treats him to end her miserable existence; for otherwise she could not break the cords of life. 499. Infracta: in the sense of fractæ. Torpent: fail. 505. Testudine actâ: the testudo being formed. See En. ii. 441. 508. Quâ acies est rara. The meaning is: they seek to attack the walls and fortifications, where the troops are thin; and the ranks or lines not so thick with men, but they may be seen through. Acies: properly, an army drawn up in order of battle-here Corona: a body of men troops in general. standing round in the form of a circle. Here, the ranks or lines of the men upon the walls, without any distinction. 510. Detrudere: to push down the enemy with, &c. 511. Longo bello. This alludes to the Trojan war, which lasted ten years. 512. Infesto: in the sense of ingenti vel magno. By their great weight, they became fatal to the enemy. 513. Tectam aciem: the protected troops those who were covered by the testudo, or target defence. 516. Molem any large mass of matter may be called moles. Ruæus says, saxum. Ad vulnus tulit; ergò alis allapsa sagitta, Et lævo infixa est lateri manus, abditaque intus 580 Stabat in egregiis Arcentis filius armis, Pictus acu chlamydem, et ferrugine clarus Iberâ, Insignis facie; genitor quem miserat Arcens, Eductum Martis luco, Symathia circum Flumina, pinguis ubi et placabilis ara Palici. 586. Mezentius ipse, Stridentem fundam, positis Mezentius armis, armis positis, egit stridentem fundam Ipse ter adductâ circum caput egit habenâ: 588. Et diffidit media Et media adversi liquefacto tempora plumbo tempora juvenis adversi Diffidit, ac multâ porrectum extendit arenâ. 590. Tum primùm Ascanius dicitur Tum primùm bello celerem intendisse sagittam Dicitur, antè feras solitus terrere fugaces, Ascanius, fortemque manu fudisse Numanum, Cui Remulo cognomen erat; Turnique minorem 594. Quique habebat Germanam, nuper thalamo sociatus, habebat. Is primam ante aciem digna atque indigna relatu 596. Tumidusque quoad Vociferans, tumidusque novo præcordia regno præcordia 598. Ait, non pudet Ibat, et ingenti sese clamore ferebat : vos, O Phryges, bis capti, Non pudet obsidione iterum valloque teneri, Bis capti Phryges, et morti prætendere muros? minorem teneri NOTES. verat. Tegmine: his shield. Being wounded, he put his hand to the wound to stop the blood, and threw away his shield for that purpose. Hence he is called demens. 578. Sagitta allapsa alis: the arrow glided swiftly on its wings, &c. The arrow passed through his hand as he held it upon his wound, fixed it to his side, and then passed into his body, piercing his vitals. Spiramenta anima: the lungs. This was not the arrow that first wounded him. 582. Pictus: embroidered as to his cloak with needle work-having an embroidered cloak. Ibera ferrugine: in Iberian purple. Ferrugo is the color of polished iron, which approaches nearly to purple. Ibera: an adj. from Iberia. Some take this for a country lying between the Euxine and Caspian seas, formerly called Iberia, now Georgia. A colony of these people removed to Spain, and settled near the river Iberus, to which they gave name. Others take it for Spain itself, sometimes called Iberia. It abounded in the best iron and steel. Facie: in the sense of formâ. Clarus: in the sense of splendens. 585. Palici. These were the sons of Jove and the nymph Thalia, the daughter of Vulcan. They were gods worshipped in Sicily, near the river Symethia. It is not easy to assign the reason of their altar being called placabilis. Some conjecture they were appeased only by human victims at first; but afterward by common victims. Perhaps their altar may be so called, because it was the altar of atonement, as distinguished 585 590 595 from others that were altars of thanksgiving and divination. Diodorus Siculus relates that slaves, who were illy treated by their masters, fled here for safety. And their masters were not allowed to take them away, until they had given security for their good treatment of them. Hence Ruæus thinks it was called ara placabilis. This is the most probable reason. 587. Habenâ ter: the string being whirled three times around his head to give the greater force to the ball. 588. Liquefacto plumbo: with the melted lead. This is a poetical exaggeration, to express the velocity of the ball through the air. The expression is borrowed from Lucretius. Or the poet may allude to the casting of the ball at first. Ruæus says, calefacto plumbo. 590. Intendisse: to have shot-directed. 592. Fudisse: in the sense of stravisse. 593. Cui Remulo: in the sense of cui Remulus erat cognomini: to whom Remulus was for a surname. This construction is in imitation of the Greeks. 594. Sociatus nuper: being lately connected with her in marriage. 595. Relatu: a sup. in u, in the sense of dictu. 596. Novo regno: with his new power, which he acquired by being connected with the royal family. 597. Ferebat sese: marched along-took himself along. 598. Teneri: in the sense of claudi. En qui nostra sibi bello connubia poscunt! Et tunicæ manicas, et habent redimicula mitræ. Talia jactantem dictis, ac dira canentem NOTES. death-to screen yourselves behind your wall, and save yourselves from death. Heyne reads, Marte. The common reading is morti. 600. Nostra connubia: our brides. This is said in allusion to the case of Lavinia. 602. Fictor fandi: the dissembler of speech. Fandi: in the sense of verborum. 603. Durum genus: but we are a hardy race from our origin. 605. Venatu: for venatui. See Ecl. v. 29. Invigilant: are fond of-have a special regard to. Fatigant sylvas: weary the woods -the beasts or game in the woods, by meton. 606. Cornu: from the bow. Spicula: in the sense of sagittas. 608. Domat: in the sense of exercet. Quatit: in the sense of impugnat. 609. Ferro: with the sword; that is, in war. 610. Fatigamus terga: we strike the backs of our oxen, &c. So constant were they in the use of their arms, that they did not even lay them aside when engaged in agriculture. They used their spears, &c. to spur, or urge on their oxen while in the plough. 611. Mutat: in the sense of pellit. 612. Premimus, &c. By this we are to understand that their old men had sufficient vigor and strength of nerve, to bear arms. 613. Rapto: the plunder. 615. Desidia cordi: sloth is to you for pleasure and delight. 616. Tunica habent: your vests have sleeves, and the ribbons of the mitre. Other nations, particularly the Romans, had their arms and necks naked, and looked upon the covering of those parts as a mark of effeminacy. This is said by way of reproach. 617. Overè Phrygiæ, &c. He here speaks by way of contempt, calling them not even Phrygian men, but Phrygian women. The Phrygians were noted for their effeminacy and luxury. See Æn. iv. 216. 618. Dindyma: neu. plu. sing. Dindymus, a mountain in Phrygia, sacred to Cybele. Hence she is sometimes called Dindymine. Its name is of Greek origin, and signifies double-topt-having two tops. Biforem. Some understand by this a pipe with only two stops: others, two pipes with different stops, which, being played upon together, made very indifferent harmony. Biforem cantum discordant music. Ruæus says, imparem. 619. Tympana: neu. plu.: timbrels. Berecynthia: an adj. from Berecynthus, a mountain and castle in Phrygia, sacred to Cybele; who sometimes was called Berecynthia. Buxus: properly, the box-wood; by meton. a pipe made of the box-wood. This wood is supposed to have abounded on mount Berecynthus. 620. Idea: an adj. from Ida, a mountain just back of Troy, sacred to Cybele, the mother of the gods. Hence she is called sometimes Idaa. Sinite: in the sense of relinquite. 621. Canentem dira: uttering such indignities-such reproaches. Ruæus says, loquentem. 622. Equino nervo: the string of his bow was made of horse-hair. |