Finibus extorris, complexu avolsus Iuli, 620 Sed cadat ante diem mediaque inhumatus harena. (see 1. 265), happened when he had 616.] Finibus extorris' may be compared with such expressions as λvros arns in Greek poetry: but we have "extorris agro," patria" &c., in prose. [Conplexu' Pal.-H. N.] 66 617.] Indigna funera" like "indigna morte" 6. 163. ['Imploret' Med.-H. N.] 618.] "Pacis dicere leges" 12. 112. ['Pax iniqua' is a peace whose terms are humiliating: just as in the case of "civitates foederatae" a "foedus iniquum" was a compact which contained clauses humiliating to the "civitas foederata." Reid on Cic. pro. Balbo, p. 17.-H. N.] 619.] Optata' seems to be a general epithet, like "caeli iucundum lumen " 6. 625 363. On the apparent contradiction in 6. 764 to the fulfilment of this part of the prayer see note there. 620.] Ante diem' below v. 697. It is coupled with inhumatus,' both expressing the circumstances attending death, though of course inhumatus,' if pressed, would involve a ὕστερον πρότερον. 622.] Tum,' in the next place. 623.] Heyne is doubtless right in suspecting that in using the expression 'exercete odiis' Virg. was thinking of the more common phrase "exercere odia in aliquem," at the same time that he meant the words to bear their natural meaning. Wund. comp. G. 4. 453, "Non te nullius exercent numinis irae." 624.] Be such the funeral offerings you send down to my dust below.' See on G. 4. 520. Mittite' 6. 380, G. 4. 545. Dido means that she hopes the news will reach her in her grave, as Forb. explains it. Comp. v. 387 above. 625.] Forb. remarks that exoriare aliquis' is more vivid and forcible than exoriatur aliquis' would have been. Huschke on Tibull. 1. 6. 39 comp. passages from the comedians where an imperative plural is followed by "aliquis," as Ter. Adelph. 4. 4. 25, “aperite aliquis actutum ostium."- The reference to Hannibal need hardly be pointed out. Nostris ex ossibus' merely means that her death is to produce an avenger, as it has been said that Marius sprung from the blood of the Gracchi. 626.] Face ferroque' is a variety for "ferro atque igni." 627.] Nunc, olim' is similarly used by Lucan 9. 603, Now or hereafter, I care not when.' 'Dabunt se' means apparently little more than 'dabuntur.' Litora litoribus contraria, fluctibus undas Haec ait, et partis animum versabat in omnis, Virg. is thinking, as Serv. remarks, of 628.] Dido concludes her imprecation by praying that the enmity of the two countries may be as thorough as it is lasting. Perhaps we may say that she expresses herself as if she wished their opposition in situation (1. 13.) to symbolize their inward hostility. To suppose with Serv. that there is a reference to the terms of treaty between the two nations, forbidding them to approach each other's coasts, &c., would only weaken the force of a grand peroration. 629.] Nepotesque' Med., 'nepotes' Gud. In Pal. 'que' is nearly erased. The change was evidently made to avoid the hypermeter. 'Ipsique nepotesque' the present generation of Tyrians and Trojans and all that follow them. The prayer is that hostility may begin at once and never cease; another way of putting 'stirpem et genus omne futurum Exercete odiis,' Wagn., Forb., and Gossrau refer the words exclusively to the Trojans and their Roman descendants, supposing Dido to wish that the nation may be cursed with perpetual war. thought so weighty would not have been included in a single hemistich, nor can 'pugnent' well stand, apart from the context, for "bello aeterno exerceantur:" while Gossrau's attempt to give the sense to the previous sentence, which he would commence with v. 627-Whenever the Romans shall gain strength, let them find themselves with the whole world in arms against them'-though ingenious, is by no means natural. But a 630-641.]Wishing to put an end to life at once, she sends away Sychaeus' nurse, who was with her, telling her to fetch her sister, who is to bring with her all that remains for the completion of the magic ceremony.' 630 635 630.] Comp. vv. 285, 286 above. 631.] Abrumpere vitam" occurs 8. 579., 9. 497, perhaps with a reference to the thread of life. Αποῤῥῆξαι βίον, veuμa &c. are found in Greek (Eur. Or. 864 &c.). 632.] Serv. reminds us that Barca was the name of Hannibal's family. [Sychaei est' Med.-H. N.] 633.] Heyne and others have suspected this line without reason. 'Suam' is peculiar, but not unexampled (see Madvig, § 490. b.) and was doubtless used partly for the sake of emphasis, partly as the only pronoun of the third person. Patria antiqua' is like "coniugis antiqui" v. 458 above. Cinis ater habebat' is a confusion between 'tellus habebat' and 'ea cinis erat' the natural identification of the human dust with the dust of earth. So the Greek Kóvis, doubtless the same word as 'cinis,' is used of both, though such expressions as de KékEvde KÓVIS (Thuc. 6. 59) in epitaphs do not prove, as Wagn. and Forb. appear to think, that the Greeks talked of a man as interred in his ashes. The line is a touch of circumstantial detail, which may very well have been invented by Virg. to give verisimilitude to his narrative, though it is possible that the legend may have mentioned the death of Dido's nurse. 634.] Mihi' doubtless with 'siste,' as Wakef. takes it. To connect it with 'cara' would have a long-drawn effect: nor is it likely that any emphasis should be intended, as Forb. thinks, as if Dido meant to say, 'I love you as well as Sychaeus did, though you are not my own nurse.' 635.] "Corpusque recenti Spargit aqua" 6. 635. The necessity of cleansing before approaching the gods is well known: comp. 2. 719 &c. Here spargere' seems to show that sprinkling with a lustral branch is intended, not bathing. 636.] "Monstratas excitat aras" G. 4. Sic veniat; tuque ipsa pia tege tempora vitta. 549. 'Enjoined' in this case by the 637.] Sic' is emphatic: thus and only thus-when she has done this and not till then, Dido's object of course being to gain time, while she professes to be anxious for her sister's presence. Serv. says well, "Sic,' quemadmodum praeceptum est, ne praetermitteret aut praecederet," and adds, not less well, that the injunction to Barce to get a fillet for herself is given "ut et ipsa tardaret." Tege,' as the fillet would probably not be a mere wreath, but have its ends hanging down (Dict. A. 'vitta'). "Crinis umbrosa tegebat harundo" 8. 34. Comp. the use of 'velo' 3. 174. 638.] Quae rite incepta paravi' = 'quae rite paravi et incepi.' The two words are thus contrasted with 'perficere.' For the fact see vv. 504 foll. Iovi Stygio' is as old as Homer, who talks of Ζεὺς καταχθόνιος 11. 9. 457. 639.] "Susceptum perfice munus" 6. 629. The word is used of offerings also 3. 178, 548., 6. 637., 8. 307. Est animus' 11. 325 &c. [Perficerest' Pal.H. N.] 640.] Dardanii capitis' like "infandum caput" v. 613, the circumlocution being perhaps adopted for a similar reason. Rogum' with 'capitis.' "Bene suum rogum illius dicit, ne suspicionem faciat." Serv. 641.] For 'celerabat' Serv. mentions another reading, 'celebrabat,' which is 640 645 found in Pal., Gud. a m. pr. and Med. a m. s., and adopted by Ribbeck. In 5. 609 celebrans' is the original reading of Med. Attius appears to have used ‘celeber' or some word connected with it in the sense of 'celer,' though Serv. and Nonius p. 89, who attest the fact, differ in their citations of the passage. 'Anili’ is the reading of Med. and the majority of the MSS., anilem' being found in Gud. (from a correction) and some others, and supported by 'inilem,' the original reading of Pal. Ambrose (De Abrah. 1. 8) seems to have read the latter, Serv. and Aelius Donatus (on Ter. Eun. 5. 3) the former. With Ribbeck I have followed Heyne, as against most of the later editors, in reading' anili,' chiefly on the ground of external evidence. The sense is rightly given by Serv. "pro industria qua utuntur aniculae "-she made such haste as an old woman would, her intentions being doubtless better than her powers. Perhaps Virg. was thinking of Euryclea at the beginning of Od. 23. 642-662.] When the nurse was gone, Dido mounts the pile and draws the sword. She says a few words, reviewing her life and pronouncing it happy and glorious but for this last sorrow, and plunges it into her bosom.' 642.] Her eyes are bloodshot, and red spots are burning on each cheek. Peerlkamp compares the appearances on the faces of the victims of the guillotine in France. Val. Fl. 2. 104, in an imitation of this passage, speaks of Venus in an infuriate mood as "maculis suffecta genas." 644.] "Pallentem morte futura" 8. 709, of Cleopatra. The sense of coming death makes her pale, casting as it were. its shadow before. Cerda comp. Lucan 7. 129, "multorum pallor in ore Et mors ventura est [al. Mortis venturae], faciesque simillima fato." 645.] She had been in her palace-tower Conscendit furibunda rogos, ensemque recludit (v. 586), from which she now apparently 646.] Ense recluso" 9. 423. 647.] The difficulty of this line is well known. Its natural meaning is that the sword had been procured for or begged by Dido (according to the sense we give to quaesitum') as a present to herself from Aeneas. So the ancients seem themselves to have understood the passage, Ov. Her. 7. 184 foll. and Sil. 8. 148, speaking of Dido as slaying herself with the sword Aeneas had given her--if indeed the coincidence does not show that this was one of the points of the legend. Yet this seems inconsistent with the words of v. 507, which can hardly be understood of a thing which did not belong to Aeneas at the time of his departure. The alternative seems to be to suppose the sword to have been Dido's present to Aeneas, already mentioned v. 261 foll., which he may be assumed to have left behind him in his haste. Quaesitum' then would have to mean 'procured,' as Aeneas was not likely to have begged for it. In that case however we should have expected Virg. to have made more of the thought of Dido perishing by her own gift. On the whole I incline to the first interpretation, while professing myself unable to reconcile it satisfactorily with v. 507. Possibly it may be another instance of "Vergilius aliquando dormitans." The objection that a sword was not a natural present to a lady may or may not be valid in itself, but it proves nothing against the probability of the interpretation, as Ov. and Sil. clearly did not feel it. 648.] Hic' probably of time, as in 2. 122., 3. 369 &c., rather than of place. 'Vestes' are doubtless the exuviae,' vv. 496, 507, the garments left by Aeneas, not, as Heyne thinks, the presents origin 650 ally given her by Aeneas, 1. 648 foll. Notumque cubile' v. 496. 649.] Lacrimis et mente' seems to be a modal abl., as we might say 'she paused awhile to weep and think,' or 'for tears and thought,' so that we may comp. 5. 207, "magno clamore morantur." Val. Fl. 2. 169 (quoted by Forb.), in an imitation of the present passage, has "lacrimisque iterum visuque morantur," of the Lemnian women before leaving their homes. 650.] So Deianira slays herself on her nuptial bed Soph. Trach. 912 foll. 'Dixitque novissima verba' 6. 231. 651.] Dear while fate and heaven allowed." Sinebat' Med., Pal. a m. pr., sinebant' fragm. Vat., Pal. a m. s. On the whole Wagn. seems right in preferring the singular, as 'fata deusque' evidently make one notion. 6 652.] Animam dare' is a common phrase for dying, 10. 854, G. 4. 204 &c., so that accipere animam' may be used correlatively of the spot where a person dies. 653.] Comp. 3. 493 note, and, for ‘vixi,' 9. 862, and the well-known vixi' of Hor. 3 Od. 29. 43. [‘Quem dederat' &c. Henry comp. Cic. Mil. 35 "quemcunque cursum fortuna dederit."-H. N.] 654.] Henry comp. Turnus' language 12. 648, "Sancta ad vos anima atque istius inscia culpae Descendam, magnorum haud unquam indignus avorum." Magna' seems to include the notion of size greater than life (2. 773 note), as well as that of queenly majesty. Sub terras' may be illustrated by the Greek κаTax@óvios. Some have wished that this line should be placed before v. 657, so as to close Dido's enumeration of her actions; but independently of the authority of the MSS., which is unequivocal, with the exception mentioned in the next note, it is easy to see that as a matter of taste the present arrangement is preferable. Dido first says that she has lived her life, and will die a queen, and then briefly Urbem praeclaram statui; mea moenia vidi; but with dignity enumerates her actions 655.] "Urbem quam statuo" 1. 573. 'Mea moenia:' comp. 1. 437, "O fortunati quorum iam moenia surgunt." Possibly there may be an implied taunt against her wandering lover, whose city is still to build. Some MSS. reverse the order of this and the following line, "non male," says Ribbeck: but Dido follows the natural order of her own thoughts, not the order of time. Serv. strangely constructs statui' with 'vidi' as pass. inf. 656.] Recipere' is used of receiving the proceeds of anything (see Forc.), so that the transfer of it to the receipt of a penalty or satisfaction is not unnatural. Burm. very ingeniously conj. 'Poenos.' 657.] The construction is carried on from the preceding line. With the form of expression comp. E. 6. 45. Virg. was thinking of Catull. 64. 171, Iuppiter omnipotens, utinam ne tempore primo Gnosia Cecropiae tetigissent litora puppes," and perhaps of Apoll. R. 4. 33. 659.] Dido kisses the couch like Medea Apoll. R. 4. 26. See on 2. 490. The imitation in Prop. 2. 9. 1, “Sic igitur prima moriere aetate, Properti? Sed morere," seems to show that we had better place a question after 'inultae' gains a force from ulta virum.' Having boasted of revenge, she would naturally feel the grief of being obliged to forego it. 660.] Dryden's lines are a good comment on Virg.: 'And must I die? she said, And unrevenged? 'tis doubly to be dead; Yet e'en this death with pleasure I receive: On any terms, 'tis better than to live.' 655 660 Serv. is probably right in supposing that in sayingsic, sic' she twice stabs herself. 'Sic' goes with 'ire,' as in 10. 641, "sic itur ad astra." This, this is the road by which I love to go down to the shades.' Iuvat ire' 2. 27, of a pleasurejourney. ['Set' Med. 'Moriamur' fragm. Vat. originally.-H. N.] 661.] Hauriat,' as we might say, let him drink his fill. Comp. 12. 945. Hunc,' not, which I light now, but which will be lighted when I am dead. See on 5. 4. 662.] 'Dardanus' contemptuous: comp. 12. 14. "Omnia:" "bene infausta omina imprecatur ei qui ad novi regni auspicia properat." Serv. Med. gives 'secum nostrae.' 663-692.] The alarm is given: it spreads through the city: her sister hears it and rushes to the spot, exclaiming vehemently against the cruel deceit, while she tries to staunch the wound: Dido struggles between death and life.' 663.] [Adque' fragm. Vat.-H. N.] "Media inter talia verba" 12. 318. Some MSS. give mediam,' which Brunck adopts, connecting it with ferro conlapsam.' Ferro'in ferrum,' 'ferro conlapsam' being probably a translation of such expressions as TETTŵτα Tеpl ţipei (Soph. Aj. 828), paryavų πEρITTUXńs (ib. 899). Henry's collapsed in consequence of the sword-wound' is less likely. 664.] Comites,' her attendants, who were about the pile, but doubtless did not approach near it, as her sister or her nurse might have done. Serv. says, “Non induxit occidentem se, sed ostendit occisam: et hoc tragico (tragicorum ?) fecit exemplo, apud quos non videtur quemadmodum fit caedes, sed facta narratur." [Conlabsam' Med., Pal., and fragm. Vat. -H. N.] |