Seu crudo fidit pugnam committere eaestu, meo nunc Superbus incedis malo." 9. 178. 69.] Aut' and 'seu' are treated as equivalents, as in 12. 685, 686. 'Crudo caestu' G. 3. 20. Fidit' seems here = 'audet.' 70.] Praemia palmae' G. 3. 49. Here there seems to be a confusion between two notions, the competitors awaiting the award of the prize of victory, which would fall to the one who deserved it, and the competitors looking forward to a number of prizes which would be awarded according to their several deserts. 71.] Ore favere' as usual = evpnMeiv, to speak words of good omen.' The point was, that none but good words should be uttered before a sacrifice, and the spectators in consequence either repeated what the priest said or did not speak at all. Putting on wreaths was part of the ceremonial, 8. 274, 276, 286. 72.] Comp. G. 1. 28. Velat:' see 2. 249.,3. 174. Materna,' sacred to Venus his mother: "Paphiae myrtus" G. 2. 64. 73.] Helymus, a companion or retainer of Acestes, but younger, vv. 300, 301 below. His name was connected with Sicily, as the mythic founder of the Elymi, a people there, Thuc. 6. 2. Maturus aevi' means merely of ripe years, not necessarily implying old age: 'maturus' however is frequently used of the old, with reference either to their experience or to their age, and is in effect a comparative term. . Comp. 9. 75 80 246, "annis gravis atque animi maturus Aletes," who is distinguished in this way from Nisus and Euryalus, to whom he is speaking, and from Ascanius, who follows him. Here it discriminates Acestes from Ascanius, and perhaps from Helymus and the rest cetera pubes.' 74.] "Sequitur tum cetera pubes" 7. 614. Sequi' of following an example 1. 747. 77.] Carchesia' G. 4. 380. For these libations to the dead generally comp. 3. 66 (note), E. 5. 67: also Il. 23. 170, 219 foll. 'Mero,' a solitary instance in Virg. of the use of the word in its proper adjectival sense. The abl., for which the gen. would be more usual, may be called material or descriptive. Comp. E. 3. 39 note. 78.] Sanguine sacro' 3. 67. 79.] "Purpureos spargam flores "is said by Anchises himself of funeral offerings to young Marcellus, 6. 884. The custom was the same in Greece, Aesch. Pers. 618, Soph. El. 895. 80.] It is very doubtful whether 'iterum' refers to Aeneas' second visit to the tomb, or simply to the repetition of the address salve'-in other words, whether it should be connected in pointing with the first or the second clause in the line. Recepti nequiquam' is to be explained of Aeneas' rescue of his father from Troy, which he calls in vain, as he was to lose him after all: comp. 3. 711 "heu tantis nequiquam erepte periclis," and 6. 111 "Eripui his humeris medioque ex hoste recepi." Recepti' genitive, agreeing with the notion of 'patris' in 'paternae :' ra, Nequiquam cineres, animaeque umbraeque paternae. 85 Nec tecum Ausonium, quicumque est, quaerere Thybrim. comp. phrases like "mea unius ope- 82.] Non licuit,' as in 4. 550, Why was it not permitted me ?''Fataliaque arva' 4. 355. 83.] 'Quicumque est:" "Aut quia adhuc eum nusquam vidit, aut taedio longae navigationis hoc dicit," Serv. Virg. was thinking of Apoll. R. 3. 266. 84.]Adytis' is perhaps meant to indicate the sanctity of the tomb. 85.] It may be doubted whether there is any special meaning in the seven coils of the snake, though Serv. thinks they indicate the seven years of Aeneas' wandering, comparing the portent of the serpent in Iliad 2, and Heyne thinks seven is chosen as a mystical number. 'Gyri' and 'volumina' are probably the same. Some however explain it as a sort of hendiadys, "septem gyros in se replicatos "ne tinnire inania poetam putes." 87.] Auro' might go either with 'maculosus' or with incendebat :' but Sil. 15. 678, 'clipeumque accen 90 58 95 derat auro," rather makes for the latter. 89.] Some MSS. have 'trahit.' Either gives a vivid poetical image, 'trahit of the length of the bow, 'iacit' of the glancing brightness of the colours. Nubibus' may = "in nubibus," or may be connected with 'iacit,' flings on the clouds. 90.] Agmine' = train: so of a serpent G. 3. 422, "extremaeque agmina caudae;" A. 2. 212, “illi agmine certo Laocoonta petunt." 91.] Tandem' expresses the slowness of the process. 92.] 'Dapes,' probably the offerings on the altars, which, though not mentioned, of course must be assumed. It may however refer to the libations and flowers. See 3. 301. 93.] Depasta' is explained by 'libavit.' 94.] Instaurat' because of 'inceptos.' See 4. 63. 95.] The Genius loci' was the tutelary god of the place. Such local deities were commonly worshipped in Italy in provincial towns, and the Roman people itself had its Genius. The 'Genius' was frequently represented under the form of a serpent. Famu. lum:' Anchises as a god.might have had an animal to attend him. Sil. 6. 288 speaks of a serpent as "famulus sororum Naiadum," Val. F. 3. 458 of angues Umbrarum famuli." 66 96.] The three kinds of victims are Totque sues, totidem nigrantis terga iuvencos; Exspectata dies aderat nonamque serena the same as those sacrificed at the 97.] Comp. 6. 153, 243 foll. 98.] This invocation seems to be parallel to the 'inclamatio' mentioned 3. 68., 6. 506. 99.] Remissos,' the shade being assumed to be present in order to partake of the funeral offerings. 100.]"Quae cuique est copia,' pro sua quisque facultate." Serv. Laeti:' note on v. 58. above. 101.] 'Dona ferunt' G. 3. 22. 102.] 'Ordine,' in turn, G. 4. 376. For the rest of the line see 1. 213, 214, where the same words occur. 103.] Put the live coals under the spits is probably a way of saying hang the spits before the live coals.' 'Viscera' 1. 211 note. "Pinguiaque in veribus torrebimus exta colurnis G. 2. 396. 104.] It may be as well to observe once for all that the description of these games is closely imitated, 'mutatis mutandis,' even in minor particulars, from the description of those at the tomb of Patroclus (Il. 23). The student should compare the two, as the points of resemblance are much too numerous for specification. 105.] Φαέθων is the Homeric and Hesiodic epithet of the sun (Il. 11. 735 &c.), and is used by later writers 100 105 110 as a name of the sun-god (e. g. Val. Fl. 3. 213, "trepidam Phaethon adflavit ab alto Tisiphonen "). This is doubtless its sense here, as a reference to the adventure of the legendary Phaethon with his father's horses would be obviously out of place. 107.] 'Conplebant,' the imperfect," is the effect of which the pluperfect excierat' is the cause. 108.] "Visuri Aeneadas:' expressit plenissimam laudem Troianorum." Donatus. We may remember that Virg. might have said "Visuri ludos." Pars,' as often, with a masc. plur., used almost adverbially. 'Certare parati: comp. E. 7. 5. 109.] Circo:' we must either suppose Virg. to have forgotten himself here, as it is not until v. 289, after the ship-race is over, that they go into the circus, or take 'circo' of the concourse of people, used perhaps proleptically. 110.] Tripods are given in Hom. vv. 259, 264 &c. 'Sacri,' to be used in sacrifice. 111.] The palmae' (G. 3. 12 note), a post-Homeric institution, were confined to the conquerors: see below, vv. 472, 519. 112.] Perfusae,' dyed or saturated. "Omne genus perfusa coloribus in genere omni" Lucr. 2. 821. 113.] The trumpet appears in Homer Prima pares ineunt gravibus certamina remis Est procul in pelago saxum spumantia contra only in a simile: it was however used V. 44. 116.] The names of the ships are all taken from monsters. 117.] Soon to be founder of an Italian house." The connecting of Roman families with Trojan heroes is not a fancy of Virg.'s, but dates from an earlier period. Varro wrote a book'de familiis Troianis. Virg. may or may not have derived Mnestheus from μeuvola, Memmius from 'meminisse:' but he evidently follows the analogy of those words in his etymology, in which Mnestheus' became Memmius,' as μeuvñola became 'meminisse.' 118.] The adj. is doubled to enhance the notion of greatness: comp. Homer's κεῖτο μέγας μεγαλωστί. 119.] Urbis opus' is a singular expression for urbis instar.' It may possibly be explained as opus urbe dignum.' 'Versus' of a tier of oars, Livy 23. 30. Virg. has been guilty of an anachronism, as triremes were not invented till the historic period (Thuc. 1. 13), about B.C. 700. 120.] Terno ordine' for tribus ordinibus." Consurgunt,' the tiers rising one above another, though not perpendicularly. 115 120 125 121.] Sergestus' 1. 510. Tenet nomen,' derives the name it still bears. Comp. 6. 235., 7. 412. 123.] Scylla's dogs are spoken of as 'caerulei' 3. 432, and the 'insigne' of Scylla would doubtless be painted of this colour, if not the whole vessel. Sen. Ep. 76 alludes to the custom of painting ships, "Navis bona dicitur, non quae pretiosis coloribus picta est... sed stabilis et firma." 124.] From the description it is supposed that the race is meant to take place in the Sinus Longuri, under Mount Eryx. The description of the goal is modelled, mutatis mutandis, upon that of the goal in Homer's chariot-race (Il. 22. 327 foll.). The rock is well out at sea, procul in pelago,' and faces the shore, 'contra litora.' 126.] Condunt' with clouds; perhaps also with foam and spray (3. 567). Cori:' see on G. 3. 278. 127.] Tranquillo' abl. of circumstance. Tranquillum' is frequently used as a subst., and hence tranquillo' is sometimes found adverbially, a step beyond its use here. 6 128.] Campus,' a table-land, like aequor' (applied to a rock Lucr. 3. 892) or 'planities.' Apricis' i ' is half proleptic. A pleasant standing-place for sea-birds to sun themselves upon.' Comp. G. 4. 421, "Deprensis olim statio tutissima nautis." Hic viridem Aeneas frondenti ex ilice metam 129.] The meaning seems to be that a tree is cut down or torn up and set on the rock, leaves and all, as a goal. 130.] It is difficult to give the force of 'pater.' Perhaps on a comparison of vv. 358, 424 below we may say that it denotes Aeneas' acting as the president and patron of the games, directing the sports of those who are younger than himself, and to whom he acts the part of an indulgent parent. In v. 521 it indicates Acestes' display of his prowess as a veteran. 131.] They had probably to sail round the goal; at any rate it served as the turning-point of the race,which was like a Greek Síavλos. "Longos et circumflectere cursus" 3. 430. 132.] They choose their places by lot, as it was an object to secure the place which as nearest to the goal involved the shortest turn. 'Ipsi' = conspicuous among the rest: so G. 4. 82 of the bee-kings, "ipsi per medias acies," &c. 133.] 'Ductores,' the commanders, as distinguished from rectores,' the pilots (v. 161). 134.] The rowers are partially naked, and wear garlands of poplar. 'Velatur' 3. 174. Serv. says the poplar was chosen because these were funeral games, that tree having been brought from the shades by Hercules when he went to fetch Cerberus. 136.] Considunt transtris' 3. 289. 'Intenta bracchia' means that they 130 135 140 lean forward to take their stroke; 'intenti,' that while in that position, while on the stretch,' they fix their eyes on the coming of the signal-as may be seen in any boat-race now. 137.] Exsultantiaque haurit Corda pavor pulsans' G. 3. 105 note. 138.] "Spes arrectae iuvenum " G. 3.105. "Tantus amor laudum" ib. 110. 139.] 'Finibus,' from their respective places, which were their limits until the signal was given. It is the limen' of v. 316, the carcer' of the circus. 140.]"Ferit aurea sidera clamor" 2. 488. 'Clamor nauticus' 3. 128. دو 141.] It is doubtful whether 'versa' here and 'verso' in the parallel passage 10. 208 "spumant vada marmore verso come from 'vertere' or from verrere.' Verrere' is used several times of rowing (see 3. 668), while to support the use of vertere' in that sense we must perhaps look to the analogy of ploughing, 'vertere terram,' &c. But the participle versus ' from verrere' is exceedingly rare; and though 'verrere' is the more natural word for rowing where quick motion is the notion intended to be brought out, vertere' would seem to be fitter to express great exertion and disturbance of the water, which seems to be the meaning both here (seeing that it is followed by 'spumant,' infindunt sulcos,' another metaphor from ploughing), and in the passage from A. 10. 142.] "Telluri infindere sulcos" E. |