920. sortitus...] 'seeking with his eyes to win the happy spot.' As often with deponent past participles, sortitus is strictly present in sense, and sortiri is='seek to gain by chance,' fortuna being the 'lucky spot' between the joints of the armour where the spear can enter. Virgil's elaborate phrase = Il. 22. 321 εἰσορόων χρόα καλόν, ὅπῃ εἴξειε μάλιστα.

921. murali tormento] See Dict. Ant. s. v. Tormentum. Such engines used for attacking fortifications were the balista which hurled stones, and the catapulta which discharged darts. The impulse was secured by winding back' (torqueo) a huge spring which was then let loose.

923. instar] This word (probably connected with STA, στavpós, etc.='something set up,' an image') is regularly used with a gen. almost adverbially='like' (cf. 2. 15 instar montis equum; 7. 707 ipse agminis instar), though strictly it is a noun in apposition. So here the 'spear brings destruction like (lit. 'the image of') a black whirlwind.'

924. oras] 'edge.' The spear passes through the 'outmost circle of his sevenfold shield,' and through the bottom of his corslet, wounding him in the thigh. Septemplex=έπтaßóelos.

926. incidit ictus | ingens] Emphatic alliteration. Notice too the moaning u-sounds in 928.

930. precantem] 'prayerful.'

931. merui] sc. mortem.

932. sorte] the 'chance' or 'fortune of war' which has fallen to you (tua), and which you have the right to use to the full by slaying me.

933. fuit et tibi talis...] 'and thou too didst once have a father, Anchises, in like case,' i.e. old and anxious for his son. So II. 22. 420 Priam thinks that Achilles may pity his age when he thinks of his own father—καὶ δέ νυ τῷ γε πατὴρ τοιόσδε τέτυκται, | Πηλεύς.

935. And give back me, or, if thou wilt, my lifeless body to my kin. Turnus pleads for his life, or at least that he may be buried by his kinsfolk, and not be flung to the dogs (cf. Il. 22. 339 μή με ἔα παρά νηυσὶ κύνας καταδάψαι ̓Αχαιών... σῶμα δὲ οἴκαδ ̓ ἐμὸν δόμεναι πάλιν). Sidgwick says 'for his own life he does not care,' and Conington speaks of 'his indifference to death'; but the whole passage shews that his prayer is really for his life, and that Virgil represents Aeneas as on the point of actually granting it (940).

936. victum] sc. me. He is not only defeated, but has acknowledged his defeat before all the host.

941. infelix...] The 'ill-starred baldric,' which catches the eye of Aeneas, is the one which Turnus had taken from Pallas after slaying him; cf. 10. 495, where it is described as of 'vast weight,' with the story of the Danaids chased on its heavy gold plates. The second clause et...bullis merely amplifies the first; when the ill-starred baldric met his view, and the sword-belt flashed with its well-known studs.'

943. pueri] 'young'; added to increase the pathos.

944. inimicum insigne] probably merely the badge or trophy won from his foe,' though inimicum may possibly also suggest that the trophy was fatal to its wearer.

945. oculis...hausit] 'when he devoured (lit. 'drank in') with his eyes the trophy that recalled cruel grief.' exuviasque is added to explain monimenta. For hausit cf. 4. 359 vocemque his auribus hausi; 4. 661 hauriat hunc oculis ignem.

947. Art thou, thou bedecked in the spoils of those I loved, to be snatched hence from me?' indute is more vigorous than the nom. would be; cf. 2. 283 quibus, Hector, ab oris exspectate venis? Conington explains hinc after this,' i.e. after daring to wear this trophy, but quotes no parallel for such a use.

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949. inmolat] 'sacrifices,' i.e. as a victim whose blood he has a right to demand.

951. fervidus] For the rhythm cf. 730 and note. solvuntur membra: the Homeric λύντο δε γυία, γυία λέλυντο. frigore: i.e. the cold of death.

952. vitaque...] So Homer of the death of Hector, Il. 22. 362

ψυχὴ δ ̓ ἐκ ῥεθέων πταμένη 'Αιδόσδε βεβήκει,

ὃν πότμον γοόωσα, λιποῦσ ̓ ἀδροτῆτα καὶ ἥβην,

which shews the force of indignata: the soul 'chafes indignantly' at the thought of dying in early manhood. Virgil has the same line (11. 831) of the death of Camilla, and cf. 10. 819, where the 'life' of the young Lausus 'departs mournfully (maesta) to the shades.'

INDEX TO THE NOTES