Concipiunt: hinc ille avium concentus in agris, Si verò Solem ad rapidum Lunasque sequentes Sol quoque, et exoriens, et cùm se condit in undas, NOTES. 425. Crastina hora: simply, to-morrow. 427. Colligit revertentes ignes: when first the moon collects the reflected, or returning rays, (ignes;) if she embrace, &c. The poet here mentions three prognostics of the weather from the moon. 1. If the new moon be obscured by dusky air, (nigrum aëra,) look for rain. 2. If she be red, look for wind. 3. If, on the fourth day, she be bright, expect the remainder of the month to be fair weather; whence the common saying: pallida Luna pluit; rubicunda flat; alla serenat. 432. Auctor: sign-prognostic. 437. Glauco. Glaucus was a fisherman of Anthedon, in Beotia, by some said to have been the son of Neptune and the nymph Naïs. As he was fishing, he observed the fish that he caught, as he laid them on the grass, to receive fresh vigor, and immediately to escape from him by leaping into the sea. From this circumstance, he imagined there must be some extraordinary virtue in the grass; whereupon he tasted it, and found himself suddenly moved with a desire to live in the watry element; and leaping into the sea, he was made a sea-god by Oceanus and Tethys. Panopea: a nymph of the sea, the daughter of Nereus and Doris. Melicerta. Melicerta, or Melicertes, was the son of Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, and wife of Athamas, king of Thebes; who fleeing from her husband, who had slain her son Learchus, leaped into the sea with Melicerta in her arms, both of whom were changed into sea-gods, and worshipped. Inoo: an adj. from Ino, agreeing with Melicerta. Melicertes was sometimes called Palamon. See En. v. 823. 440. Astris surgentibus. When the stars appear in the evening at the approach of darkness, in the language of poetry, they are said to rise: so when they disappear at the approach of day, they are said to set. 442. Medio refugerit orbe. Most commentators take orbis here for the face or disc of the sun; and understand by the words medio refugerit orbe, when he shall disappear with half his orb or disc, the other half remaining visible. Ruæus says: latuerit mediâ sui parte. Valpy says, "When the rising sun appears bordered by clouds, the centre alone remaining visible." Davidson translates the whole passage thus: "When he (the sun) shall chequer his new-born face with spots, hidden in a cloud, and coyly shun the sight with half his orb." Servius seems to understand the words to imply that the centre of the sun retired, as it were, from view, by appearing hollow like the cavity of the hand, while the edge was concealed in a cloud. I know not that philosophers have noticed any such appearances of the sun; I am sure they must be very rare. Besides, this half concealment of the sun does not come up to the obvious meaning of conditus in nubem, which certainly means that he was wholly concealed from sight. By taking medio orbe, for, in the middle of his course, or diurnal revolution, which may very well be done, the passage will be rendered intelligible and easy. Thus: when the sun, in his ascent above the horizon, shall have passed behind fleecy clouds, and Aboribusque satisque Notus, pecorique sinister. Aut ubi sub lucem densa inter nubila sese Diversi erumpent radii, aut ubi pallida surget Tithoni croceum linquens Aurora cubile; Heu, malè tum mites defendet pampinus uvas, Tam multa in tectis crepitans salit horrida grando. 450. Magis profuerit Hoc, etiam emenso cùm jam decedet Olympo, meminisse hoc, etiam Profuerit meminisse magis: nam sæpe videmus cùm jam sol decedet, Ipsius in vultu varios errare colores. Olympo emenso: 453. Cœruleus sol Cœruleus pluviam denunciat, igneus Euros 458. At si orbis solis At si, cùm referetque diem, condetque relatum, 461. Denique Sol dabit signa tibi, quid serus vesper 445 450 450 460 460 Denique, quid Vesper serus vehat, unde serenas Signa dabant. Quoties Cyclopum effervere in agros NOTES. be sometimes concealed by them from sight; and when he shall have approached the meridian, and finished half his course, he shall be wholly concealed from sight by the increased and condensed vapor in the atmosphere, then rain is to be expected. Imbres: in the sense of pluvia. 444. Sinister injurious-hurtful. 452. In vultu: in the sense of per vultum. 454. Immiscerier: by Paragoge, for imneisceri, to be mingled with sparkling light. Igni: lumine, says Rumus. 456. Fervere. This verb forcibly expresses the violence of the storm. All things are confusion and wild disorder. Turbari, says Ruæus. 462. Cogitet: in the sense of præparet. Serenas: in the sense of siccas. 467. Obscura ferrugine: with a dark red color-a color resembling blood. 468. Sæcula. Sæculum is properly an age; by meton. the inhabitants or men of that age. Impra sæcula the same as imii homines. 470 475 470. Obscani canes: foul dogs-dogs of bad omen-howling frightfully. The ancients considered any thing of this kind inauspicious. Importuna: inauspicious. Cujus cantus erat mali ominis. 471. Quoties vidimus: how often have we seen Etna rising in waves, its furnaces being burst, &c. Undantem, expresses very forcibly the violence and agitation of the flames pent up in the mountain, rising by turns against its sides, which, no longer able to resist the shock, open a passage; when, in an instant, it covers the adjacent country with lava. The Cyclops were the servants of Vulcan, and said to be the sons of Calus and Terra. They were so called from their having but one eye, which was in the middle of their forehead. Their business was to assist Vulcan in forming the thunder-bolts of Jupiter, and the arms of the gods, and celebrated heroes. Their forges were under Ætna. The most noted of them were Brontes, Steropes, and Pyracmon. When Ulysses visited Sicily, Polyphemus, say the Vox quoque per lucos vulgò exaudita silentes NOTES. poets, was their king. Diodorus informs us that the Cyclops were the first inhabitants of Sicily, of a gigantic stature, and of a fierce and savage nature. They dwelt chiefly about mount Etna. 477. Simulacra: spectres, or ghosts, pale in a wonderful manner, were seen, &c. 478. Obscurum: an adj. of the neu. taken as a sub. in the sense of obscuritatem. Ruæus interprets it by crepusculum. 480. Mæstum ebur: the mournful ivory (ivory statues) wept. Æra: brass-statues made of brass. 481. Insano vortice: with its rapid current -eddies. 482. Eridanus: the river Po. It is here called the king of rivers, because the largest in Italy. It rises in Piedmont, and running an easterly course, after receiving a number of tributary streams, falls into the Gulf of Venice by several mouths. 483. Tristibus extis. One mode of consulting the omens, was an examination of the entrails of the victim. If any defect or singularity appeared, it was thought to be portentous. Tristibus: ominous-baleful. 485. Altè. Heyne reads alta, agreeing with urbes. 488. Cometa. Plutarch informs us that a very bright comet appeared at Rome for several days about the time of Cæsar's death. To this the poet refers in Ecl. ix. 47. Suetonius says: Ludis, quos primo consecratos ei hæres Augustus edebat, stella crinita per septem dies continuos fulsit, exoriens circa undecimam horam: creditumque est animum esse Cæsaris in cœlum recepti. 489. Ergò: therefore-on account of the death of Cæsar, which was the cause of the civil war. 490. Philippi iterum: Philippi hath seen the Roman armies again, &c. It is agreed that Virgil here alludes to the two famous battles, one fought between Cæsar and Pompey; the other, between Brutus and Cassius on one side, and Augustus and Anthony on the other. But history informs us that the former was fought on the plains of Pharsalia, in Thessaly, the latter at Philippi, in the confines of Thrace, more than two hundred miles distant. To explain this apparent inconsistency, there have been many attempts. The most probable solution is, that the poet does not mean that both these battles were fought on the same spot. This would contradict history. He would not commit such a blunder. We are told that the city Theba Thessalice, or Phthotica, which was in sight of Pharsalia, was called also Philippi. And though historians, for sake of distinction, called the one Philippi, and the other Pharsalia, the poet might, without any impropriety, call them both by the common name of Philippi. Ruæus has one conjecture which may be deserving of notice: that the adverb iterùm may refer, not to Philippi, but to the Roman armies: Philippi saw the Roman armies again engage for the empire of the world, though not for the first time. They had engaged for a similar purpose before on the plains of Pharsalia. This appears to solve the difficulty. 492. Emathiam-Latos campos Hæmi. Here is an apparent difficulty. Hamus is a mountain in Thrace; and neither of the battles was fought in Emathia or Macedonia, properly so called. But the language of poetry does not always conform to historical or geographical exactness. We are told that the ancient Emathia was considered by the poets to extend as far east as the river Nessus, including a considerabie part of Thrace beyond Philippi; and to the south comprehending all Thessaly, and consequently Pharsalia, or the Pharsa 505. Sunt tot bella Scilicet et tempus veniet, cùm finibus illis Dii patrii Indigetes, et Romule, Vestaque mater, Jampridem nobis cœli te regia, Cæsar, 495 500 Invidet, atque hominum queritur curare triumphos. 507. Colonis abductis Dignus honos; squalent abductis arva colonis, ad malitiam NOTES. Philippi. Taken in this extent, the poet would be consistent. Emathia could be wet twice with Roman blood. Again Hæmus is not so much a single, mountain as a range of mountains, branching out in various directions, and in various parts assuming different names. Casting our eye on a map of that country, we find the range commencing at the Euxine sea, and taking a south-westerly direction till it enters Macedonia, then turning northerly till it reaches the 43° of N. lat. when it takes a southern direction, passing into Thessaly; and consequently its extensive plains might be fattened by the blood, shed in both those battles. 494. Molitus: in the sense of vertens. Scabra: in the sense of corrosa. 498. Dii patrii, Indigetes. The Romans divided their deities into three classes. The first embraced the supreme or select gods, who were honored with the highest adoration, and considered eminent above the rest. Of these, twelve were called Consentes, because on particular occasions they were admitted to the council of Jupiter. Six of these were male and six female: Jupiter, Apollo, Mercury, Mars, Neptune, and Vulcan: Juno, Diana, Minerva, Venus, Vesta, and Ceres. These were sometimes called Dii Majores. The second class comprehended those of inferior power, and was very numerous. It embraced all the deified heroes, such as Romulus, Hercules, Perseus, &c. and all that in any manner had obtained divine honors. These were sometimes called the Dii Minores. The third class was without number. It embraced all the sylvan deities: all the nymphs; the penates; the genii; the virtutes, &c. Indigetes: properly deified heroes. Some derive the word from Indigetare, to call by name; because it was customary to address them by their Others derive it from degere, be name. 506 cause they had been men, and dwelt on the earth: or because they were now dwelling among the gods. Others again, and perhaps with more propriety, derive it from Indegere; because being translated to heaven, they stood in need of nothing. Mater Vesta. There were two by the name of Vesta, one the mother of Saturn, the other his daughter; but commonly confounded together. The latter presided over the perpetual fire. It is said that Æneas brought her along with his household gods into Italy, and introduced her worship. Her mysteries were transmitted to the Albans, and from them introduced among the Romans by Numa. He instituted a college of virgins, who kept alive the perpetual fire as the safety, or pall lium of the state. 500. Hunc Juvenem: meaning Octavius, afterward called Augustus Cæsar. Everso sæclo: the ruined or falling age. 502. Satis luimus jampridem: we have long ago atoned sufficiently for the perjury of Trojan Laomedon, with our blood. Laomedon was the father of Priam, and king of Troy. During his reign, the poets tell us, the walls of Troy were built by Neptune and Apollo, for a certain price; but when the work was done, he refused to pay them. On which account, they became hostile to the Trojans, and exerted all their power against them in the war with the Greeks. The Romans, pretending to descend from them, the poet supposes were punished for this injustice of their ancestor. The story, perhaps, may be explained by supposing Laomedon to have employed the money, which had been designed for religious purposes, to this use. 505. Ubi: where-(that is,) here among men. Fas atque nefas versum: right and wrong are confounded. 507. Squalent: lie neglected-are overgrown with weeds. Hinc movet Euphrates, illinc Germania bellum: NOTES. 509. Euphrates. A noble river of Asia, rising in the mountains of Armenia, fertilizing Mesopotamia, as the Nile does Egypt, and uniting with the Tigris in its course, falls into the Persian gulf. It is here put, by a figure of speech, for the nations of the east, particularly the Parthians, who were very troublesome to the Romans. 510. Legibus: in the sense of fœderibus. 511. Impius: cruel-merciless; a suitable epithet of Mars. 512. Ut, cum quadriga. This is a noble simile. The uncontrolled licentiousness of the age is likened to the rapidity and violence of ungovernable horses in the chariot race, when they mock both the driver and the reins. Quadriga: four horses harness 510 ed together; also, a chariot drawn by four horses, by meton. Of Quatuor and ago, because four were driven together or contracted of Quadrijugus, four yoked together. Carceribus. Carcer was the mark, or starting place, in races. Spatia the race ground, or course. Effudêre. Ruæus says, erupe runt. 513. Addunt: in the sense of immittunt, says Heyne. Some copies leave out the se. Others read in spatio. Ruæus, in his interpretation, omits the words addunt se, and connects in spatia with the preceding verb. They are not necessary to make the sense complete. 514. Currus: a chariot: by meton. the horses in the chariot. Neque audit habenas: nor do they regard, or obey the reins. QUESTIONS. How does this book open? What does the poet proceed to do? What does he do in the next place? To whom does he ascribe the origin of agriculture? What signs or prognostics of the weather does he mention? How does he conclude the book? Are there any fables introduced by way of episode? What are they? Why are Bacchus and Ceres invoked next after the heavenly bodies? Who was Neptune? and what is said of him? Who is said to have been the first who taught mankind the propagation of bees? Who was Aristeus? Who was Minerva? and what is said of her? What power did she possess? How is she represented under her different characters? What celebrated statue had she? Who is said to have first taught the Greeks agriculture? What is probably meant by Ultima Thule ? Was the Ecliptic at first divided into 12 signs? How was it divided? Where were the Olympic games celebrated? In what year before Christ were they instituted? How often were they celebrated? and in honor of what god? To whom was his education intrusted? Where was he educated? What are some of his names? Who were the Giants? and what is said of them? What are the Pleiades? What other names have they? Who was Vulcan? What is said of him? Where does the poet represent them as residing? Why are they called Cyclops? Of what was he the inventor? Who was Glaucus? What is said of him? |