Atque idem fugientem haud est dignatus Oroden Ille autem expirans : Non me, quicunque es, inulto, 735 740 • Nunc morere! Ast de me Divûm pater atque hominum rex Viderit! Hoc dicens, eduxit corpore telum. Jam gravis æquabat luctus et mutua Mavors NOTES. 732. Haud dignatus est: he disdained to kill, &c. 733. Cuspide: the point, taken by synec. for the whole spear. 735. Abjectum: in the sense of prostratum. We have here the image of a hero. Mezentius disdained to take any advantage of his enemy, although the laws of war would have justified him in so doing; but he met him face to face, (adverso,) and gave him an opportunity to try the strength of his arm, himself not his superior in stratagem, but in deeds of valor. 738. Secuti: in the sense of repetentes, vel canentes. Paana: in the sense of cantum. 739. Autem ille, &c. Here Virgil makes Orodes foretell the death of his victor. In this he follows Homer, who makes Hector foretell the death of Achilles, who was afterward slain by Paris. 740. Fata: in the sense of mors. 741. Prospectant: in the sense of manent. 745. Olli for illi by antithesis: the dat. in the sense of the gen., to be connected with oculos. 745 732. Atque idem Mezentius haud dignatus est 736. Super eum abjec tum 737. Ait, O viri, hic altus Orodes jacet, pars belli 739. Ait: quicunque es, non vives victor, nec lætabere longum tempus me inulto. 750 cat 749. Messapus obtrun 750. Illum,nempe, Clonium jacentem 751. Hunc, nempe, Ericeten peditem, ipse pedes. Et Lycius Agis 755 processerat in Messapum 760 757. Nota est his 748. Prædurum: very powerful. 750. Illum. Ille frequently signifies the former, or first mentioned, and hic the latter, or last mentioned. In the present case, illum means Clonius, who had fallen from his restive horse; while hunc means Ericetes, who fought on foot. Messapus, though the commander of the horse, was now on foot, pedes. Infrænis: in the sense of indomiti. 752. Expers: degenerate from-destitute of. Of ex and pars. The poet here compliments the Valerian family, then very influential at Rome, to which the famous Publicola belonged. Avita: in the sense of majorum. 753. Dejicit: prostrates-kills. This verb is to be supplied with Salius, and Nealces. 754. Longè fallente: striking him from a distance-it was shot from a distance, and approached unperceived. Feriente â longinquo incautum, says Heyne. 758. Tectis: in the palace of Jove. This was situated on Mount Olympus. Inanem: useless-tending to no purpose. Vanum, says Rumus. At verò ingentem quatiens Mezentius hastam Turbidus ingreditur campo. Quàm magnus Orion, 764. Cùm incedit pe- Cùm pedes incedit medii per maxima Nerei des, scindens viam sibi Stagna viam scindens, humero supereminet undas; per maxima stagna Aut summis referens annosam montibus ornum, Ingrediturque solo, et caput inter nubila condit. Talis se vastis infert Mezentius armis. 769. Contrà Æneas, Huic contrà Æneas, speculatus in agmine longo, speculatus eum in longo Obvius ire parat. Manet imperterritus ille, agmine, parat 772. Emensus oculis Hostem magnanimum opperiens, et mole suâ stat: spatium, quantum esset Atque oculis spatium emensus, quantum satis hastæ: satis hastæ, ait: hæc Dextra, mihi Deus, et telum, quod missile libro, dextra, quæ est Deus Nunc adsint! Voveo prædonis corpore raptis lum, quod libro, nunc Indutum spoliis ipsum te, Lause, trophæum Æneæ. Dixit: stridentemque eminùs hastam mihi, et hoc missile te adsint mihi! 775. O Lause, voveo Injicit : illa volans clypeo est excussa, proculque te ipsum habiturum tro- Egregium Antorem latus inter et ilia figit:. phæum Æneæ, et, fore Herculis Antorem comitem, qui missus ab Argis indutum spoliis ejus 783. Illa transiit per Hæserat Evandro, atque Italâ consederat urbe. cavum orbem clypei trip- Sternitur infelix alieno vulnere, cœlumque lici ære, per linea terga, Aspicit, et dulces moriens reminiscitur Argos. opusque intextum Tum pius Æneas hastam jacit: illa per orbem 785. Imaque pars sui Ære cavum triplici, per linea terga, tribusque 790. Lausus, ut pri- Transiit intextum tauris opus; imaque sedit mùm vidit genitorem vul- Inguine; sed vires haud pertulit. Ocyùs ensem Eneas, viso Tyrrheni sanguine, lætus, sedit in neratum 791. Hic, si qua ve- Eripit à femore, et trepidanti fervidus instat. tustas latura est fidem Ingemuit chari graviter genitoris amore, tanto operi, equidem non silebo casum tuæ duræ Ut vidit, Lausus; lachrymæque per ora volutæ. Hic, mortis duræ casum, tuaque optima facta, mortis 765 770 775 780 785 790 NOTES. vokes-adsint nunc: may they aid me— assist my efforts. 777. Injicit. This is the reading of Heyne. The common reading is jecit, in the perf. tense. Ruæus and Davidson have at illa. Heyne omits the at. Valpy does the same. 779. Missus: having come from Argos, had joined, &c. Antores had been the companion of Hercules in his travels. 781. Alieno vulnere: by a wound designed for another. Or, vulnere may be taken for the weapon inflicting the wound, by meton. By a weapon intended for anotherfor Æneas. 783. Orbem. Orbis may be taken simply for the shield. Ruæus says, clypeum. His shield, it appears, consisted of three plates of brass, (triplici are,) and as many thicknesses of the bull's hide, (tribus tauris,) so wrought and interwoven as to be a protection against missive weapons. These were fastened and bound together by iron or brass nails, set thick in every part of the shield. Hence as is sometimes taken for a shield. Terga: folds. The spear of Eneas, after making its way through the shield of Me Si qua fidem tanto est operi latura vetustas, : Dum pluit in terris; ut possint, sole reducto, NOTES. zentius, had spent its force, haud pertulit vires; and settled down in his groin. 792. Latura est: will give credit to. Vetustas: in the sense of posteritas vel posteri. 793. Memorande: in the sense of celebrande-worthy to be praised. Here the poet may be supposed to express his own feelings of pity and compassion for the fall of so noble a youth. The character which he has drawn of Lausus shows the consummate skill of the poet at this species of description. And surely no one can read it without partaking of his feelings, and entertaining a regret that so brave, and at the same time so pious a youth, could not have been spared to be a blessing to his people. 794. Inque ligatus: by tmesis, for que inligatus: incumbered by the spear of Æneas. Ille. Mezentius. 796. Prorupit: he sprang forward. Armis: the weapons of the enemy. One description of the valiant man, is, that he mingles with the enemy. 798. Mucronem: the poet here has in his view a circumstance recorded in the Roman history. Scipio Africanus, when he was only seventeen years old, protected his father in this manner; nor did he retreat until he had received twenty-seven wounds. Mucronem: in the sense of gladium. 802. Tectusque clypeo 811. Ait; quo ruis, O juvcnis, moriture 815. Fila vita Lauso 816. Minacis juvenis 799. Sustinuit ipsum: the meaning is, that he prevented Eneas from giving the blow, which was aimed at his father, by parrying it off, and keeping him at bay for a time, until he could recover himself, and retire from the combat. This he did under cover of the shield (parma) of his son. Sequuntur: in the sense of adjuvant. Socii: the companions of Lausus. 801. Proturbant: keep off-repel. Ruæus says, propellunt. impetuous hail rushes down. The prep. ex 803. Nimbi effusâ grandine: a storm of is understood, to govern effusâ grandine. 804. Omnis arator: every ploughman. Omnis: all, collectively or individually. 805. Arce. Arx here, as in some other places, signifies any place of shelter, or safe retreat. Fornice: under the projection or covert of a high rock. 808. Exercere dicm: to pursue the labors of the day. Operari per diem, says Ruæus. 809. Nubem: storm of war. Detonet : in the sense of furit vel sævit. 811. Audes majora: thou attemptest things beyond thy strength-greater than. 815. Parca legunt: the destinies wind up the last thread, &c. See Ecl. iv. 47. Ruæus says, colligunt. 816. Totum: ensem is understood. 821. Et ora ejus morientis 825. O puer miserande, quid honoris nunc dabitur tibi pro istis 829. Tamen, O infelix juvenis, tu solabere à prælio Et tunicam, molli mater quam neverat auro; At verò ut vultum vidit morientis et ora, 840. Qui revocent eum Qui revocent, mœstique ferant mandata parentis. NOTES. 818. Molli auro: with fine threads of gold. Gold is a very ductile metal, and capable of being drawn into very fine threads, or wire. 819. Tum vita masta, &c. Dr. Trapp observes, that every incident in the death of Lausus is well chosen, especially the contrast between so pious a son, and so wicked a father; between the rash valor of the youth, and the generous care and friendly admonition of his heroic enemy. Pallas had fallen by the hand of Turnus. Lausus and Pallas were of equal valor; but there is a wide difference between the conduct and bravery of their conquerors. Turnus eagerly seeks the combat, and challenges the youthful warrior. He even wishes his father were present, to behold the death of his son. Eneas is far from seeking Lausus, and singling him out as the object of his vengeance. And even when he exposed himself for the sake of his father, he begged him to retire from the combat, assuring him that his tenderness for his father would bring on him sure destruction. Nor does he attack him until he is compelled to do it in his own defence. And after he is slain, the victor fetches a deep groan, looks upon him with an eye of pity, and the image of his filial piety touches his generous heart. 820. Masta: sad-mournful. Concessit: in the sense of abiit. 820 825 830 835 840 822. Anchisiades: Eneas. A patronymic noun: the son of Anchises. 825. Laudibus: in the sense of virtutibus. Ruæus says, meritis. 826. Indole disposition-excellence of character. 828. Remitto: in the sense of reddo. Cura: care solicitude of thine. 831. Ipsum: Lausus. 832. Genitor: the father of Lausus. 834. Siccabat: staunched his wounds with water-washed them with water, which being cold, stopped the flowing of the blood. Ruæus says, tergebat: rinsed-cleansed. Dr. Trapp takes siccabat in the same sense. Lymphis: in the sense of aquá. 835. Procul apart by themselves—at some distance from him. This word usually implies distance, but that distance may be very small. Acclinis: leaning against, or upon. It agrees with Mezentius. 837. Eger: faint with loss of blood. Fovet: eases-supports. Ruæus says, sus tentat. He leaned his head forward upon his breast, spreading his long beard over it. Fusus: in the sense of fundens: or, it may be taken as a Grecism. Ruæus says, deponens. 841. Super arma: upon his shield. 844. Deformat: he throws dust upon his head. Canitiem: his hoary hairs. 845. Inhæret corpore 845 filii 850 847. Ut paterer te, quem genui, succedere hostili dextræ pro me? Ego-ne genitor 849. Nunc demum exilium est infelix mihi misero 853. Meorum subdi 854 torum Ad cœlum tendit palmas, et corpore inhæret: NOTES. 846. Voluptas: in the sense of cupido. 847. Succedere: to substitute himself for me to the arm of the enemy-to come up to, &c. 848. Quem genui: whom I begat. This speech of Mezentius over the dead body of his son is extremely pathetic. He now sees the errors of his former conduct, and the misery to which he had reduced himself now stares him in the face. 850. Infelix: in the sense of durum, vel intolerabile. While his son was living, he could bear up under the burden of exile from his country and throne; but now he is no more, it is become insupportable to him, reduced to a state of wretchedness and despair. The wound (the sense of his wickedness and crimes) is now opened deep and afresh. Adactum: is driven deep into my heart. Est: is understood. 851. Idem ego: I, the same father who begat you, and suffered you to lose your life for him, have tarnished your good name by my crimes. 852. Invidiam. This may signify his own invidious measures, and cruel and tyrannical government; or the odium and resentment of his subjects against him, which drove him from his throne, and brought upon him a train of evils. The former is the most in accordance with the context, since he is now 857. Quanquam vis doloris ex alto vulnere tardat eum 860 860. Mærentem equum, et infit talibus verbis: 865 871 864. Aperit mihi viam ad ultionem 865. Pariter mecum: enim neque credo, O fortissime equorum, ut tu dignabere pati 867. Consueta huic equo awakened to a sense of his crimes, and condemns himself for them. Servius, however, prefers the latter sense; Davidson the former. Ruæus says, propter meam cupiditatem. 853. Panas: satisfaction-atonement.Dedissem: to the resentment of my people, I should have given up my guilty life. 856. Egrum: in the sense of saucium. 857. Vis: the violence of the pain from the wound he had received. 858. Hoc: this; to wit, his horse. 859. Hôc: here, is in the abl. with this horse. Equo is understood. 860. Mærentem: sorrowing-grieving.Mastum, says Ruæus. Davidson renders it "sympathizing." 861. Rhabe, diu viximus: such apostrophes, both to the animal and vegetable world, so far from being unnatural, are among the greatest beauties of poetry, and always show high emotion of soul. Had the poet made the horse reply to his master, he could not so easily be justified. This is in imitation of Homer. 863. Referes: you shall bear away. 867. Exceptus: being received by the animal upon his back, he placed. 868. Ornavit: in the sense of armavit. 869. Crista equina: a crest of horse hair made of horse hair. 871. Imo. In many of the ancient copies, |