Instauratque diem donis, pecudumque reclusis : NOTES. manner, before the altars, with torches in their hands. Ora: in the sense of statuas, vel imagines. 63. Instaurat: she passes the day in offerings. Rumus says, renoval sacrificia per diem. 64. Inhians: prying into-exploring attentively. Spirantia throbbing-palpitating. Exta: properly the part which we call the lungs, including the heart, liver, &c. 65. Vatum: in the sense of extispicum. 66. Mollis flamma est: a gentle flame consumes. Est in the sense of edit. Furentem: in the sense of amantem. Tacitum : concealed. 69. Qualis cerva. This is a very proper comparison, and agrees almost in every cir(umstance. There is a peculiar beauty in the harit lateri lethalis arundo, which strongly images the fast hold that the arrows of Cupid had gotten of Dido's heart. Cressia: an adj. Cretan. 71. Ferrum: in the sense of arundinem. 74. Mania: properly the fortifications of a city. Ruæus says, munimenta. 77. Eadem: the same entertainment she had received the preceding night. 81 Luna obscura vicissim: the moon, in turn obscure, withdraws her light. This shows the approach of day. When the stars disappear in the superior light of the sun, they are said to set; so when the sun disappears, and withdraws his light, they become visible, and are said to rise. The same may be said of the moon. Vicissim. after having given light in her course. 82. Relictis stratis. The couch on which Eneas had been sitting, and which he had just left to retire to rest. 84. Cupla: taken, or captivated with the resemblance of his father, she hugs, &c. 88. Pendent: stand, or remain. Interrupta: in the sense of imperfecta. Ingentes minæ murorum. Heyne takes this simply for the high walls, (alti muri,) which by their altitude, presented a threatening aspect. Valpy is of the same opinion: bu. most interpreters take mina murorum to be the fortifications built upon the walls, which presented a threatening appearance to an enemy. Hortensius and Ruæus are of opinion, they were huge and unfinished parts of the wall, which seemed to threaten a ruin, and presented a terrific appearance. 89. Machina. By this we are most probably to understand the engines used in raising stones, beams, and timber generally, for carrying on the building. Heyne says, moles-ædificium, referring to the buildings themselves. 90. Quam (Didonem) Quam simul ac tali persensit peste teneri simul ac Saturnia, cha- Chara Jovis conjux, nec famam obstare furori, ra conjux Jovis, persen- Talibus aggreditur Venerem Saturnia dict.s: sit teneri tali peste, nec famam obstare ejus fu- Egregiam verò laudem, et spolia ampla refertis fertis egregiam laudem Suspectas habuisse domos Carthaginis altæ. et ampla spolia, mag num et memorabile nu Sed quis erit modus? aut quò nunc certamina tanta? men; si una fœmina Quin potiùs pacem æternam pactosque hymenæos victa est dolo duorum Exercemus ? habes, totâ quod mente petîsti: Divûm. Nec adeò fal- Ardet amans Dido, traxitque per ossa furorem. lit me, te, veritam nos tra monia habuisse do- Communem hunc ergò populum, paribusque regamus alte Carthaginis Auspiciis: liceat Phrygio servire marito, mos suspectas. 98. Modus nostræ contentionis 103. Liceat Didoni servire Dotalesque tuæ Tyrios permittere dextræ. Sic contrà est ingressa Venus: Quis talia demens 107. Contrà Venus Abnuat, aut tecum malit contendere bello? ingressa est respondere Si modò, quod memoras, factum fortuna sequatur. NOTES. 90. Peste: in the sense of amore. Ruæus says, veneno. nus. In 93. Spolia: in the sense of victoriam. 94. Numen. This is the reading of Heyne, after Pierius, Heinsius, and BurmanIt is also approved by Valpy, though he retains the common reading, nomen. a note upon this passage, he has numen, and observes that vestrum is understood. "Your divine power will be nobly employed," says he. Heyne makes this turn to the words: Magnum verò et memorabile erit numen vestrum, si vos duo Dei circumveneritis unam fæminam. He takes numen in the sense of potestas, vel potentia. Nomen is the common reading. This part of Juno's speech is extremely satirical. Tuus puer: Cupid. He was the son of Jupiter and Venus. 98. Aut quò nunc: or, for what purpose now are so great contentions? Juno and Venus took opposite sides in the affairs of Eneas and the Trojans. The former is always represented their bitterest enemy, and the latter their warmest friend. The whole of Juno's speech is artful, and the plan deep laid. She now proposes to lay down their arms, to conclude a lasting peace -to form a match between Æneas and Dido, and by these means unite the Trojans with the Carthaginians into one people. This plan, could she have brought it about, would have been to her a complete victory over her antagonist. The common reading is certamine tanto. Heyne reads certamina nta, which is much easier, and he says, is true reading. 99. Hymenaos: match. 100 105 110 102. Regamus hunc populum. The meaning plainly is: Let us rule this people (communem) composed of Trojans and Carthaginians, with equal authority and power. Let them be both equally under our protection and auspicious influence. Auspiciis: in the sense of potestate. The 103. Phrygio. Servius, and some others, say, that Phrygio, here, is a word of contempt, and implies that Æneas was in exile and in slavery, as the Phrygians then were. But Virgil uses the words Phrygius and Trojanus promiscuously. Beside, Juno plays the hypocrite, and would, therefore, industriously avoid every expression that might be offensive, or render her suspected. expression servire marito is in allusion to one of the three ways of contracting marriage among the Romans, (viz.) Cocmptio: when the parties solemnly bound themselves to each other by the ceremony of giving and taking a piece of money. By this the woman gave herself over into the power of the man, and entered into a state of liberal servitude, or subjection to him. 104. Dotales: as a dowry. Dos is properly the patrimony of the wife-any thing given to the husband with the wife. Tyrios, nempe, regnum Carthaginis. 105. Olli: for illi, by antithesis. 110. Feror incerta fatis, si: Iam rendered uncertain by the decrees of the gods, whether, &c. Miscerive probet populos, aut fœdera jungi. Tu conjux tibi fas animum tentare precando. 114 Mecum erit iste labor: nunc quâ ratione, quod instat, In nemus ire parant, ubi primos crastinus ortus Oceanum intereà surgens Aurora reliquit. 114. Excepit: replied-answered. NOTES. 117. Venatum: a sup. in um, of the verb renor, put after the verb ire. Dido is here called miserrima, most unhappy, on account of the issue of her love. 119. Titan: in the sense of Sol. See Ecl. iv. 6. and Geor. iii. 48. Radiisque and shall have disclosed the world by his beams. The poets pretended that light sunk into the ocean every night, and was every morning brought from hence by the returning sun. Hence the propriety of the verb extulerit. 121. Dum ala. By ala, Servius understands the horsemen, or riding hunters, who are termed alæ, wings, because they covered the foot as the cavalry of an army. Or alæ may signify the horsemen in general spread over the ground, like stretched out wings. Trepidant very strongly expresses the hurry and bustle of a company of horsemen, flying and scampering over the ground in quest of their prey. Indagine. By this some understand the arranging of the hounds, and the placing of them in proper places for taking the game: but Ruæus, and most commentators, take it for the nets and toils in which the game was taken. For ala, Ruæus has equites. 126. Jungam: I will join them in firm wedlock, and will consecrate her to be his I will give her over to be his peculiar own. property. 120 regnum Italiæ ad Liby cas oras 113. Tu es ejus eonjux; fas est tibi tentare 115. Nunc, adverte tu, docebo paucis verbis, qua ratione, id, quod instat, possit confieri. 121. Dum alæ trepidant, cinguntque saltus indagine, ego desuper infundam his nigrantem nimbum, grandine com125 mixta, et ciebo omne cœlum tonitru. 125. Si tua voluntas sit certa mihi 128. Cytherea non adversata annuit ei petenti.. 130 atque risit. dolis repertis. 135 127. Hic Hymenæus erit: this shall be a marriage. Some take the meaning to be that Hymen should be present. But this would be unnecessary, since the nuptials were to be performed by Juno, without the assistance of any other. See Geor. iii. 60. Cytherea, a name of Venus. See Æn. i. 229. 130. Jubare: in the sense of luce vel diluculo. 131. Retia rara: the wide nets, the toils. the spears of broad point, and the Massilian horsemen, &c. rush forth. 132. Odora vis canum. Vis is here used in the sense of copia, or multitudo. And odora, in the sense of odororum, by antiptosis: a multitude of strong scented dogs. Massyli. They were a people of Africa, placed by Virgil to the westward of Carthage. Little is known concerning them. 133. Primi: in the sense of primores. 135. Stat sonipes insignis: her horse stands ready, richly decked in purple and gold. Stat: in the sense of adest. To take it literally would ill agree with the fine image of the courser here given; ferox mandit spumantia fræna. Insignis: in the sense of ornatus. 137. Circumdata Sidoniam: covered with a Tyrian cloak. The chlamys was both a military and hunting dress. It was a loose upper garment, which covered the breastplate, and folded about the left arm to de ex auro Sidoniam picto chlamydem circumdata limbo: 138. Cui est pharetra Cui pharetra ex auro; crines nodantur in aurum ; 143. Talis, qualis est 142. Æneas ipse pul- Infert se socium Æneas, atque agmina jungit: cherrimus ante omnes Qualis, ubi hybernam Lyciam Xanthique fluenta alios infert se socium. Deserit, ac Delum maternam invisit Apollo, Apollo, ubi deserit hy- Instauratque choros, mixtique altaria circum bernain Lyciam, fluen- Cretesque Dryopesque fremunt, pictique Agathyrsi : taque Xanthi, ac invisit Ipse jugis Cynthi graditur, mollique fluentem maternam Delum auro 148. Implicat cum 151. Postquam ventum est in altos montes, atque invia lustra; ecce feræ capræ dejectæ vertice saxi decurrêre jugis 153. De aliâ parte cervi transmittunt Fronde premit crinem fingens, atque implicat auro : 140 145 150 Postquam altos ventum in montes, atque invia lustra, 159. Optatque votis Optat aprum, aut fulvum descendere monte leonem. Et Tyrii comites passim, et Trojana juventus, NOTES. 156 160 165 fend them from the wild beasts. The con- here mentioned seemed to be selected for struction is a Grecism. Apollo's retinue, on account of their skill in archery. 143. Qualis. The poet (En. i. 498.) compared Dido to Diana: here he compares Eneas to Apollo, her brother. It was a common opinion that, at certain times of the year, the gods changed the place of their residence. Servius says, it was believed that Apollo gave out oracles at Palara, a city of Lycia, a country of Asia Minor, during the six months of the winter; and at Delos, the remaining six months of the year. Hence he was called both Patareus and Delius. Fluenta: in the sense of fluvium. 144. Maternam Delum. See Æn. iii. 75. 146. Cretesque: the Cretans, Dryopes, and painted Agathyrsi, mingled together, express their joy (fremunt) around the altars. When Apollo came, or was thought to come to Delos, the several people that came to consult his oracle, celebrated his arrival with hymns and dances. Dryopes. These were a people who dwelt at the foot of mount Parnassus. Agathyrsi. These were a people of Scythia, who used to paint their dies with various colors. The nations 148. Premit: binds up. Fingens: adjusting it. Molli fronde: with a soft wreath of leaves. Ruæus says, tenera coronâ. Auro: in the sense of aurea vitta. 149. Haud segnior: he moved not less graceful than he-than Apollo himself. 150. Ore: in the sense of vultu. 152. Dejecta: dislodged-routed. Jugis· the sides of the rocks, or mountains. 154. Transmittunt: in the sense of percurrunt. 155. Glomerant fugâ : in their flight, they crowd together the dusty herds, &c. Ruæus says, colligunt se in greges pulverulentos. 159. Optat votis: he wishes with vowshe greatly wishes, that a foaming boar, &c. 163. Dardanius nepos Veneris: the Trojan grandson of Venus-Ascanius. Tecta: tectum signifies any covered place. Here shelters, or retreat from the storm. 166. Tellus et pronuba. Pronuba, a title of Juno, from her being the goddess of marriage: compounded of pro and nubo. Dant signum: fulsere ignes, et conscius æther NOTES Its primitive meaning is bride-maid. Some rank Tellus among the Divinities that presided over marriage. She gave signs of disapprobation by an earthquake, or some motion of the earth. Servius says, there was no omen more inauspicious to nuptials than this. Juno also gave her sign against the match, by rain and storms of hail. Flashes of lightning supplied the place of the nuptial torch; and the only song was the howling of the mountain nymphs. These were all sad presages of the future. 169. Ille dies primus fuit causa: that day, the first (in an especial manner,) was the cause of death to Dido; and the beginning ·(primus) of her woes. 170. Specie fama-ve. By the species we are to understand the appearance and deformity of the action, as it passed in review before her own mind; and by fama, the scandal and infamy of it, in the eyes of the world. 172. Prætexit: palliates or covers. pam: in the sense of crimen. Cul 174. Fama malum quo: Fame, a fiend, than which there is not another more swift, &c. In this account of fame, the Poet imitates Homer's description of discord. A judicious critic is of opinion that this description of fame is one of the greatest ornaments of the Æneid. It has not, however, 178. Parens terra irritata irâ Deorum progenuit illam, ut homines perhibent, extremam so180 rorem Cœo Encelado corpore que, celerem pedibus, et rendum, ingens; cui sunt tot vigiles oculi subter, 185 mirabile dictu! tot linguæ, totidem ora sonant, subrigit tot aures, quot sunt plume in corpore. 191. Canebat Eneam venisse, cretum à Troja190 no sanguine, cui viro pulchra Dido dignetur jungere se nunc luxu fovere inter se hyemem, quàm longa est, 179. Cao Enceladoque. These were two Giants, who took the lead in the war against the gods. They were the sons of Titan and Tellus. Their object in the war was to restore their father Titan to the throne, from which Jupiter had driven him. They attempted to attack Heaven, by putting mount Ossa upon Pelion; but in the attempt they were chastised by Jupiter, in an exemplary manner. At this vengeance (ira) of the gods, Tellus was irritated; and by way of revenge, produced fame, their youngest sister, swift on the foot, and on the nimble wing. 184. Medio: in the middle of heaven and earth-between heaven and earth. Umbram: in the sense of tenebras. 186. Luce in the sense of die. Custos: a spy. 138. Tam tenax: as tenacious of falsehood and wickedness, as a messenger of truth. |