Nunc positis novus exuviis, nitidusque juventâ, 475. Unà cum Pyrrho Arduus ad Solem, et linguis micat ore trisulcis. ingens Periphas, et Unà ingens Periphas, et equorum agitator Achillis Automedon Armiger Armiger Automedon; unà omnis Scyria pubes Pyrrhi, quondam agitator equorum Achillis, Succedunt tecto, et flammas ad culmina jactant. Ipse inter primos, correptâ dura bipenni, 479. Pyrrhus ipse in- Limina perrumpit, postesque à cardine vellit unà etiam omnis ter primos Eratos; jamque excisâ trabe firma cavavit Robora, et ingentem lato dedit ore fenestram. Apparet domus intus, et atria longa patescunt: Apparent Priami et veterum penetralia regum : 485. Danai vident ar- Armatosque vident stantes in limine primo. matos custodes stantes At domus interior gemitu miseroque tumultu Miscetur: penitùsque cava plangoribus ædes Fœmineis ululant; ferit aurea sidera elamor. Tum pavidæ tectis matres ingentibus errant : 490. Figunt oscula Amplexæque tenent postes, atque oscula figunt. Instat vi patriâ Pyrrhus; nec claustra; neque ipsi Custodes sufferre valent: labat ariete crebro illis NOTES. synec. the whole winter. Tumidum: swollen, or bloated with poison. 473. Novus exuviis: now, renewed, his skin being cast off, and sleek with youth, he rolls, &c. It is well known that the snake changes, or creeps out of his skin, in the spring of the year. Aristotle informs us that they begin at the head, and having divested themselves of their old garment, they appear renewed in youth and beauty. This is effected in about the space of twentyfour hours. 475. Arduus ad solem: raised or elevated to the sun; in order to receive his heat, especially in the spring, when his warm beams are the most cherishing. Trisulcis. The poets represent serpents as having threeforked tongues, probably on account of the volubility of their tongues, in which they are said to exceed all other animals. Micat: in the sense of vibrat. 477. Scyria: an adj. from Scyros, one of the Cyclades. Achilles was placed here in the habit of a woman, under the care of Lycomedes, king of the island, where he defiled his daughter Deïdamia, who brought him Pyrrhus. Some say Lycomedes gave him his daughter in marriage. Pubes: in the sense of juventus. 478. Succedunt tecto: come up to the palace, so that they could reach the roof with the flames. They advance up to a proper distance, to throw flames upon the roof. 481. Cavavit firma robora: and now hath he pierced, or cut through the firm wood, &c. This change of tense is very expressive and beautiful. It marks the violence of Pyrrhus, and the rapidity of his progress. By trabe here, we may understand the bar, 475 480 485 490 or crosspiece, or other impediments, on the inside of the door, to secure it. By limina, we may understand the impediments or defences on the outside of the door; and by postes, the door itself, by meton. The perrumpit dura limina, and the vellit postes à cardine, show Pyrrhus breaking through all obstructions, and tearing down the doors; and cavavit being in the perf. tense, marks the ease and rapidity with which the effect was produced. Dedit: in the sense of fecit. 484. Penetralia. Penetrale properly signifies the interior or private apartments of a house, as here-that part of the temple where the images stood-the place whence the responses of the oracles were giventhe shrine. Ruæus says, recessus. 487. Cava ædes: the rooms with concave arches, or ceilings. Ululant: in the sense of resonant. Plangoribus: shrieks, or lamentations. These rooms, or apartments of the females, were in the middle, or interior part of the palace. This is expressed by penitùs. 490. Amplexæ tenent, &c. This is an allusion to a superstitious opinion among the Romans, that the door-posts, gates, &e. possessed a kind of divinity. These, therefore, the poet represents as being seized and embraced by the Trojan matrons, who hoped by these means to recommend themselves to the protection of the deities that were supposed to preside over them. Figunt oscula: fix their lips to them-kiss them. 489. Ingentibus tectis: in the spacious apartments-halls. 492. Sufferre: in the sense of impedire. Crebro ariete: with the frequent strokes of the ram. This was an engine used in the 495 Janua, et emoti procumbunt cardine postes. NOTES. attack of towns and fortified places, to make a breach in the walls. It was a long beam or piece of timber, one end of which was prepared with iron, somewhat resembling in form the head of a ram, whence it took its name. This was suspended in the middle by the help of ropes, to another beam, extended across two posts, and thrown forward by the besiegers with great violence against the wall. 493. Postes: the door, or gate, by meton. 494. Rumpunt aditus: they force a pas sage, or entrance. 496. Non sic fertur: a river, when it hath rushed forth foaming, its barriers being burst, and hath overcome the opposing mounds with its whirling current, is not borne into the fields so furious with its flood, &c. The poet here gives us a very lively idea of the rage of the Greeks. It exceeded that of a river pent up; at length, bursting its barriers, overflowing the adjacent country, and spreading desolation and destruction every where in its course. Cumulo: auctù aquarum, says Rumus. 501. Hecubam. She was the wife of Priam, and daughter of Cisseus, king of Thrace. She was carried into slavery by the Grecks. Centum nurus. Homer informs us that Priam had only fifty sons, Iliad vi. He could not therefore have a hundred daughters-in-law, unless we suppose each one to have had two wives. This might have been the case; but there is no mention made of it. To explain this difficulty, some take the definite number centum, for an indefinite one. Others, among whom is Ruæus, take nurus for an attendant, or waiter, understanding by centum nurus, the hundred servants, or waiters of Hecuba. But there is no impropriety in supposing that the sons of Priam, imitating the example of their father, had more than 505 495. Danai rumpunt aditus, immissique 496. Amnis, cùm exiit spumeus, aggeribus ruptis, evicitque oppositas moles gurgite, non fertur in arva sic furens 498. Cumulo aquarum 505. Danai tenent locum, quà 509. Senior nequicquam circumdat arma diu desueta humeris trementibus ævo, et one wife each; who, in the whole, might make the exact number of a hundred. This last is the best, or most probable explanation. 502. Fœdantem: defiling with his blood the fires which, &c. In the open court of his palace, Priam had an altar consecrated to Jupiter Hercæus, or the Protector: on this altar, we are told that hallowed fire was kept perpetually burning. 503. Illi thalami: those fifty bed-chambers, the so great hope of posterity. These were the separate rooms where his sons lodged with their wives. Homer tells us that Priam had twelve daughters, who, with their husbands, lodged over against his sons. He had therefore sixty-two children by his several wives, nineteen of whom Hecuba bore him. The rest he had by his other wives. All these bed-chambers were in Priam's palace. with foreign gold and spoils. The Romans 504. Superbi barbarico auro: decorated frequently called Phrygia, Barbary. Some therefore understand by barbarico auro, Phrygian gold. It is better to understand it of the gold, which had been taken from their vanquished enemies; more especially since spoliis immediately follows it. Superbi: in the sense of ornati, or decorati. Postes: in the sense of porte: doors. 505. Danai tenent, &c. The Greeks are here beautifully represented more cruel than the flames. The fire abated, and fell from its rage: but the more merciless Greeks press on till all is destroyed. 507. Casum: in the nse of ruinam. 508. Limina tectorum convulsa: the door. of his palace torn down-broken through. Penetralibus: in the inner or private apart ments of his palace. Circumdat nequicquam humeris, et inutile ferrum Cingitur, ac densos fertur moriturus in hostes. Edibus in mediis, nudoque sub ætheris axe Ingens ara fuit, juxtàque veterrima laurus, Incumbens aræ, atque umbrâ complexa Penates. 515. Condense sunt Hic Hecuba et natæ nequicquam altaria circùm, eircum altaria præcipites, ceu columbæ volant Præcipites, atrâ ceu tempestate columbæ, ab atra tempestate, et Condensæ, et Divûm amplexa simulacra tenebant. amplexæ Ipsum autem sumptis Priamum juvenilibus armis 518. Autem Hecuba, Ut vidit: Quæ mens tam dira, miserrime conjux, ut vidit Priamum ipsum, Impulit his cingi telis? aut quò ruis? inquit. juvenilibus armis sumptis, inquit: Non tali auxilio, nec defensoribus istis 520. Impulit te cingi 524. Aut tu moriere simul nobiscum. 531. Tandem, ut evasit ante oculos et ora parentum Tempus eget: non, si ipse meus nunc afforet Hector. : 510 515 520 525 Ecce autem elapsus Pyrrhi de cæde Polites, NOTES. 510. Circumdat: in the sense of induit. Cingitur: in the sense of cingit. 512. Sub nudo axe: under the naked (open) canopy of heaven. Axis, properly the pole, by synec. the whole heaven or sky. This altar was situated in the middle, or centre of the palace-mediis ædibus. On this altar, Priam had consecrated the perpetual fire. Here he was slain. If we suppose the palace of such form and dimensions as to admit a large space or area in the centre, exposed to the open air above, there will be no difficulty in understanding this passage. 514. Complexa Penates: embracing the Penates with its shade. La Cerda would understand by Penates, the palace, or house, as the word sometimes signifies; because this was not the place of the Penates, or household gods. But others think the statues of the Penates were placed here, on the same altar with that of Jupiter Hercæus. 515. Nate in the sense of filiæ, vel nurus. : 516. Præcipites: quick-in haste. 517. Condensa circùm: crowded around the altars. Simulacra: in the sense of statuas. 519. Miserrime: in the sense of infel cisme, the voc. Conjux is either a husband 535 or wife; from the verb conjungo. Mens: thought-purpose. 522. Ipse meus Hector: if my Hector himself were now here, he could be of no avail. 523. Concede: betake yourself hither now, in this last extremity. This altar will protect us all. Altars and other consecrated places were looked upon as sanctuaries and places of refuge: to which it was usual to flee for safety. 525. Longævum: in the sense of senem. 526. De cade Pyrrhi: not from the death of Pyrrhus; but from death by the hand of Pyrrhus. 528. Longis porticibus: in the long pas sages. Mr. Davidson renders the words, the long galleries. Lustrat: in the sense of pererrat. 52). Infesto vulnere: with the hostile weapon. Vulnus is here used by meton. for the wouring instrument-the weapon that inflictse wound. 530. Jam jam.que: almost seizes him with his hand, and presses upon him with his 540 539. Funere ejus filii 540. A quo mentiris te satum esse 545 Persolvant grates dignas, et præmia reddant NOTES. sometimes signifies, in proportion to-corresponding to. In the present case it is also emphatic. Ausis. Ausum is properly a part. of the verb audeo; used as a sub. 538. Qui fecisti me coràm, &c. Priam does not complain of his killing his son; but for the barbarity in making him to be the witness of so shocking a sight-for slaying him before his eyes. 539. Fœdâsti patrios: hast defiled a father's face with the dead body of his son. Funus, says Servius, is a carcass or dead body, warm and newly slain. When carried out to receive funeral rites, it is called Exsequia; the ashes of it, when burned, are called Reliquiæ; and the interment of it is called sepulchrum. 540. At Âchilles ille, quo: but Achilles himself, by whom, you falsely say, you was begotten, was not such toward Priam, his enemy. This is a severe sarcasm; as if he had said: you claim descent from Achilles, but your actions give you the lie; no man of humanity could beget such a son. Satum: in the sense of genitum. 542. Erubuit jura: he blushed at the laws of nations, and the faith due to a suppliant—he had regard to the laws, &c. The word erubuit is extremely beautiful and expressive. After the death of Hector, Achilles bound his dead body to his chariot, and drew it round the tomb of Patroclus, whom Hector had slain, and around the walls of Troy, for several days in succession. At this piteous sight, Priam was induced to go to Achilles, and beg the body, that it might receive the rites of sepulture; who, after much entreaty, and many rich presents given him, restored the body on the twelfth day after it 549 545. Quod repulsum est protinûs 547. Cui Pyrrhus respondit 549. Memento narrare illi mea tristia facta, Neoptolemum esse 553. Ac abdidit eum lateri Priami tenùs capulo was slain. Virgil, however, forbears to mention these circumstances, and attributes the restoration of Hector's corpse to the generosity, justice, and sense of honor, of Achilles, in order to set the character of Pyrrhus in a more forcible light. Achilles had it in his power to have detained the aged monarch, or to have put him to death; but he blushed (erubuit) at the thought of violating the laws of nations, which forbid all violence to the person of a king; which require the forms of burial to be allowed to the dead, and the laws of humanity to be observed even to an enemy, when disarmed: those laws he observed, and that faith (fidem) which is due to a suppliant, whose person has always been held sacred by the laws of hospitality 544. Ictu: in the sense of impetu. 545. Repulsum: it was so repelled, that it fell short of wounding him. It, however, pierced the boss of his buckler, and hung there harmless, having produced no effect. 546. Umbone. Umbo was the middle part of the shield. This rose or projected forward from the plane of the shield, in a curved or circular form. By summo umbone, we are to understand the farthest point of projection; which was also the centre of the shield. Here the spear of Priam stuck. It is sometimes taken for the whole shield, by synec. 547. Ibis nuntius: you shall go a mes senger to my father Achilles, whom you so much praise, and tell him that his son has degenerated from the virtues of his father. 548. Tristia: foul-horrid. Ruæus says indigna. 554. Falorum: in the sense of vita. This was the end of the life of Priam. Hic exi mentem Sorte tulit, Trojam incensam et prolapsa videntem 555 560. Subiit mihi in Obstupui: subiit chari genitoris imago, Respicio, et, quæ sit me circùm copia, lustro. 566. Dedêre ea ægra Ad terram misêre, aut ignibus ægra dedêre. ignibus 、Jamque adeò super unus eram, cùm limina Vestæ NOTES. tus tulit: this death carried him off (sorte) by divine appointment. This is a singular idiom. The several circumstances here mentioned in the death of Priam, aggravate the cruelty of the action, and set forth the ferocious temper of Pyrrhus. He drew him (traxit,) trembling with age and decay of nature, to the very altar where he had fled for safety; and slipping (lapsantem) in the blood of his son; the sight of which was worse than death: then he twisted his hair with his left hand, and, with his right hand, drew his glittering sword from its scabbard, and plunged it into his body up to the hilt. Here we have a lively picture of a man lost to all sense of humanity, and capable of perpetrating the most atrocious deeds. It shows, also, the pen of a master. A painter could copy it. 556. Pergama: neu. plu. properly the fort of Troy. It is frequently taken for the city itself, by synec. Here it is used in its appropriate sense and meaning, as distinguished from the city. 555. Videntem: it agrees with illum. 557. Superbum regnatorem: the proud ruler over so many nations and countries of Asia. Priam is said to have once reigned over Phrygia Major and Minor: which included the greater part of Asia Minor, or Natolia. Ruæus interprets the words thus: Regem Asia, clarum propter tot gentes, et tot regiones. Jacet ingens truncus: he lies a large trunk upon the shore. Some think the poet had here in his view, the circumstances of the death of Pompey, whose head his assassins cut off, and threw his body on the shore. Others say that Priam was not slain at the altar; but drawn by Pyrrhus to the tomb of his father, which was on the promontory of Sigæum, and there slain to appease his Manes. He may have been slain at the altar, and his dead body afterward cast upon the shore. This supposition will make the poet consistent and intelligible. Regnatorem put in apposition with illum. 558. Corpus sinè nomine: a body without 560 565 a name. The head being the index of the person, that being cut off, there is no means left to come at the name, or to distinguish the person. Or, sinè nomine may mean, without honor-despicable. 561. Ut in the sense of cùm. 562. Creusa. The daughter of Priam and Hecuba, and wife of Æneas. She perished in the sack of Troy. Direpta: plundered. 563. Casus: in the sense of periculum. 565. Saltu: by a leap or spring. 566. gra: faint-worn out with fatigue, so that they could fight no longer. 567. Jamque adeò: and so I was now remaining alone, when I behold Helen, &c. The parts of the verb supersum are here separated, for the sake of the verse, by Tmesis. Some critics have doubted the genuineness of this passage concerning Helen down to the 588th line inclusive. The reasons assigned are three. First: What is here said of her fearing the resentment of Menelaus, contradicts what he says of her, (lib. vi. 525.) having sought to make peace with him by betraying Deiphobus. Secondly: That Virgil here outrages the character of his hero, by making him entertain a thought of killing a woman, and perpetrating the decd in the temple of Vesta. Thirdly: That Virgil cannot be supposed so unacquainted with the history of Helen, as not to know that she left Troy long before it was taken. In answer to the first objection, it may be said that, though she endeavored to ingratiate herself with Menelaus, by betraying Deiphobus to him, it does not follow that he was entirely reconciled to her. And we are told by Euripides that he carried off Helen as a captive along with the Trojan women, with a view to have her put to death by the Greeks whose sons had fallen in the war. To the second objection, it may be replied, that Æneas did not put her to death; and even if he had, the deed might have been palliated, in a good degree, by a consideration of the circumstances of the In the hurry and confusion of min case. |