Instruitur, mediisque parant convivia tectis: Aeneas, neque enim patrius consistere mentem 640 645 H Et circumtextum croceo velamen acantho, antrashaut, in t 639.] Arte laboratae' is the predicate. The coverlets were embroidered and of princely purple on the table was spread massy silver plate, and vessels of gold chased with legends.' Vestes' for "stragulae vestes," as in Lucr. 2. 36 &c. Ostro superbo,' abl. of the material. 640.] "Ingens argentum' 3. 466, as we speak of plate as silver.' 'Ingens' probably includes both massiveness and quantity. The gold seems to be plate also, cups, &c. 642.] Antiqua' Rom., Pal., and Gud. originally, 'antiquae' Med., Pal., and Gud. corrected. The former, which was restored by Heyne but ejected by Wagn., seems slightly preferable, both on the ground of authority and as avoiding a harsh elision. 643-656.] Aeneas sends Achates for Ascanius, bidding him bring royal ornaments as a present for Dido.' 643.] Consistere mentem.' Cic. 2 Phil. 28. 68, " neque vigilantem neque in somnis posse mente consistere." Pro Domo, 54, "ut neque mens, neque vox, neque lingua consisteret." 644.] Rapidum' explains 'praemittit.' Achates is sent express to bring Ascanius in time for the feast which is about to begin. 645.] Ferat ducat' are a sort of oratio obliqua, "Ascanio fer ipsumque duc" (comp. 2. 652., 4. 288 foll., 8. 507), though it is not easy to distinguish between such constructions as these and such as "volo facias." 646.] No strictly parallel instance has been adduced of this use of 'stat,' which seems to imply concentration, halting as it were and making a stand. Comp. con sistere in aliquo." See on 2. 163, which is 647.] Comp. 7. 243, "Dat tibi praeterea 648.] Pallam.' It is difficult to extract a consistent view from the two articles "Pallium" and "Tunica" in the Dict. Ant., the former of which makes "palla" a poetical synonym for "pallium," the outer garment worn by both sexes, while the latter makes " palla? as characteristic of women as "toga of men. The common opinion (comp. Forc. "Palla 33 and Forb. on this verse) seems to be that "palla" was a long garment (probably a pall without sleeves) worn by women and by persons of dignity, especially by the gods. For signis auroque rigentem' (which is probably a hendiadys) comp. Lucr. 5. 1427, "veste Purpurea atque auro signisque ingentibus apta," where "rigentibus" has been plausibly conjectured. 649.] A veil with a border of yellow acanthus.' Serv., on 7. 188, mentions the veil of Ilione as one of the seven national heirlooms which preserved the Roman empire. The acanthus' seems to have been specially appropriated to borders of this kind, so that Hesychius actually defines the word περίραμμα ὑφασμένον. Circumtextum' seems to have been used as a subst., equivalent to the Greek kúkλas, by which Serv. renders it here: comp. Varro L. L. 5. 132, Isidor. 19. 24. 10, cited by Lersch, A. V. § 79. The more ordinary colour of the acanthus was white, but later poets (Calp. 4. 68, Stat. 3 Silv. 1. 37, quoted by Heyne) speak of it as red or purple. Ornatus Argivae Helenae, quos illa Mycenis, 650.] Argivae Helenae' 'Apyeíny 'Exévny, Il. 2. 161. Mycenis:' 2. 577 note. Contrast Aesch. Ag. 690, K тwv åßpoтíμων προκαλυμμάτων ἔπλευσε. Helen 'took away with her ThμаTα which the Greeks sought to recover, Il. 3. 285 &c. 653.] Ilione, according to one story, was married to Polymestor, the treacherous king of Thrace. She is unknown to Hom. Juno bears a sceptre Ov. F. 6. 38, and Hecuba speaks of herself as supported by Priam's sceptre Eur. Tro. 150, but no instance has been adduced where it is carried by a woman who is not even a queen, but only a princess royal. 654.] Collo' for the neck, a construction generally found where there is a verb or verbal notion, as in 10. 135, "Aut collo decus aut capiti." Such a notion we may borrow here if we please from "munera ferre" above v. 647. So perhaps 7. 350, "fit tortile collo Aurum ingens coluber," though there a local abl. is at least equally possible. For 'monile bacatum' see Dict. A. "monile." 655.] Duplicem gemmis auroque coronam: probably a double circlet of gold and gems, whether formed by one circlet of each is difficult to say. The commentators evidently are at a loss, as their explanations are mere conjecture; some suggesting that duplex' refers to the combination of gems and gold, while others think that the double crown means a bridal crown as distinguished from the crown worn by virgins, which may have been single. ་ 656.] Celerans' = "celeriter exsequens,' an expression imitated by Val. Fl., who has "inperium celerare" twice, 4. 80, 385. 657-694.] Venus distrusts Dido, and 650 sit in tejolde 655 660 lays a plot to secure her affections by substituting Cupid for Ascanius, whom she conveys to Idalia.' 657.] Virg. seems to have had in his mind Apoll. R. 3. 112 foll., where Aphrodite, at the instance of Here and Athene, prevails on Love to inflame Medea with a passion for Jason: but there is no simiÎarity in the details. 'Novas artis' carries the reader back to v. 417. Virg. however may have intended to represent the Homeric eve' abr' ăλλ' èvónσe, which he has translated 12. 843. 658.] Faciem,' shape. Comp. G. 2. 131, A. 3. 310., 5. 222, quoted by Forb. 659.] Dulci' carries us back to his father's feelings v. 646, and forward to his probable attractions for the queen. Donisque furentem incendat reginam,' inflame the queen to madness by his gifts. Comp. v. 714, " pariter puero donisque movetur." There is possibly an allusion to the scene in the Medea of Euripides, where Medea's children carry to Creusa a crown and a robe which actually consume her. The parallel may serve as an answer to Schrader's wonder, mentioned by Heyne, that a wealthy queen like Dido should be captivated with presents. 660.] Ossibus inplicet ignem.' Comp. Cic. Div. 1. 36, "Di vim suam naturis hominum inplicant." Ossa' is put for the seat of feeling, like "medullae." Comp. G. 3. 258. 661.] 'Domum ambiguam' is to be explained by "Iunonia hospitia" v. 671; and so 4. 96, "veritam te moenia nostra, Suspectas habuisse domos Karthaginis altae." "Tyrios bilinguis' is of course an anticipation of the Roman feeling against Carthage. Bilinguis' occurs as a reproach more than once in Plautus (see Urit atrox Iuno, et sub noctem cura recursat. aonight draws on Ergo his aligerum dictis adfatur Amorem: Nate, meae vires, mea magna potentia solus, Nate, patris summi qui tela Typhoia temnis, Covertign vest Ad te confugio et supplex tua numina posco. Frater ut Aeneas pelago tuus omnia circum Litora iactetur odiis Iunonis acerbae, Freund), where it represents the forked tongue of a serpent, and has apparently no connexion with the notion of speaking two languages. 662.] There is no occasion to separate this line from what precedes with Wagn. and Forb., as vv. 670, 671 prove. "Daphnis me malus urit" E. 8. 83, where the anxiety is that of love.-Sub noctem' may be explained by observing that the action has arrived at evening. Having set her son on the way to Carthage, Venus is not at rest. She is alarmed at the warmth of his reception, and knowing that Ascanius has been sent for to the banquet, at the last moment she proposes to substitute Cupid for him. But there seems also a reference to the common thought that night aggravates rather than soothies anxiety, for which Henry comp. 4. 522 foll. Cura recursat,' 12. 802. 664.] "Qui solus es meae vires, mea magna potentia." The punctuation of Med., followed by many editors, which connects 'solus' with what follows, is harsh and opposed by similar expressions, such as 8. 574, "care puer, mea sola et sera voluptas." Catull. 62 (64). 215, "Nate mihi longa iucundior unice vita." Comp. 10. 507, "O dolor atque decus magnum rediture parenti." With the nom. 'solus' Forb. comp. Ov. Her. 14. 73, Surge, age, Belide, de tot modo fratribus unus," remarking that it is a question among grammarians whether solus' has a vocative. The line is imitated by Ov. M. 5. 365, " Arma manusque meae, mea, nate, potentia, dixit, Illa, quibus superas omnis, cape tela, Cupido." 66 665 (v. 201), is adopted by Heyne for the sake 666.] Tua numina,' the acc. of the 667. Serv., in commenting on the 668.] 'Iactetur fragm. Vat. originally, It seems hopeless to explain iacteturque,' as Wagn. inclines to do (Q. V. 12. 13), either by making 'que' couple 'pelago' with omnia litora,' or by supposing a corruption in pelago' or circum; or again, as might be just possible, by supposing 'pelago' to be coupled with 'odiis' (comp. 2. 179, where two dissimilar ablatives are 665.] For Typhoeus or Typhon struck joined by 'et'); while the insertion of by lightning comp. Aesch. Prom. 358 foll.que' is sufficiently accounted for by an The bolts are called from the giant they slew, as Serv. remarks, like Roman generals from the nations they conquered. A more far-fetched explanation is that of Pomponius Sabinus, who makes Typhoia' = "Aetnaea," Aetna being called "Typhois' Ov. Her. 15. 11, as resting, according to one story, on Typhoeus. The orthography Typhoia,' like "Cyclopia" VOL. II. anxiety to mend the metre. With the iactetur' as an abl. of circumstance, H Nota tibi, et nostro doluisti saepe dolore. Vat., Pal., Gud., all originally, 'iniquae' 669.] Nota,' for 'notum ;' a Grecism: see II. 16. 128 &c. Comp. 11. 310," Cetera qua rerum iaceant perculsa ruina, Ante oculos interque manus sunt omnia vestras," Pliny, Paneg. 44 (quoted by Wund.), "An prona parvaque sunt ad aemulandum, quod nemo incolumitatem turpitudine rependit ? " 'Et nostro doluisti saepe dolore,' apparently a phrase for sympathy, with which Forb. comp. Plaut. Pers. 5. 1 ult., "Bene ei, qui hoc gaudio gaudet." Dolore' however may be merely an abl. of the occasion, thou hast grieved at my grief.' Serv. gives both interpretations. 670.] 'Nunc,' Pal., fragm. Vat. originally, and some others. 'Hunc' Med., Rom., Gud., &c., which Wagn, ingeniously explains as ="eum nunc." On the whole I have preferred 'nunc,' with Wakef. and Ribbeck, as the repetition of 'hunc' v. 680 would be rather formal. The line is imitated from Od. 1. 55 foll., as Weidner remarks. 671.] Quo se vertant,' what may be their issue. "Quo sese vertant tantae sortes somnium," Enn. Alex. fr. 1. "Quod se bene vertat," for the more usual "quod bene vertat," is found Enn. A. 1. fr. 69. Here the word may suggest a notion of change, like "ne quo se numine mutet," v. 674. "Acneia hospitia," 10. 494, in a different sense. 672.] The nom. to 'cessabit' is "Iuno," contained in Iunonia.' Comp. Livy 2. 53, "Veiens bellum exortum, quibus (Veientibus) Sabini arma coniunxerant " (quoted by Forb.). Serv. says that there 670 675 is a proverb "res est in cardine, hoc est, in articulo." A similar use of 'cardo' is found in imitators of Virg., as Statius and Val. Flaccus, and twice in Quinctilian: see Forc. Here it may conceivably have been chosen with reference to vertant,' which would agree with Serv.'s explanation, “a ianua, quae motu cardinis hac atque illac inpelli potest." 673.] Capere ante dolis et cingere flamma.' Both terms are taken from strategy, though they are clearly not meant to be harmonized. The sense is, I mean to make a complete conquest of her, so as to preclude all other intervention. With cingere flamma,' comp. 10. 119, "moenia cingere flammis." ་ 674.] Ne quo se numine mutet,' that Dido's friendly feelings may not be changed by Juno. Quo numine' may either be rendered generally, by any power but mine, or by Juno's power in any way, like "quo numine laeso," v. 8. The abl. however is rather that of circumstance than of the instrument. 675.] Mecum:' "pariter atque ego is the common interpretation, adopted by Heyne, Wagn., and Forb. Comp. G. 1. 41, Ignarosque viae mecum miseratus agrestis." According to this interpretation Venus would wish that Dido's affection should not be hollow (" quippe domum timet ambiguam Tyriosque bilinguis "), but as sincere as her own. It might also be proposed to connect 'mecum' closely with teneatur,' kept on my side, or, in my power, which would accord with the general metaphor of the previous lines. Comp. 4. 115, “Mecum erit iste labor.” 6 Teneri amore' is a common expression; and if the latter interpretation be adopted, Virg. has blended this with other notions, perhaps that of a town invested (“obsidione teneri," 10. 109). Serv., who objects to the common view, on the ground that Dido could not love Aeneas like a mother, has "per meos amores, me adnitente,” which would not be so natural. 676.] For 'qua,' 'quam' is read by Gud., to Regius accitu cari genitoris ad urbem 678.]Mea maxuma cura:' so Ascanius 10. 132 is called "Veneris iustissima cura," as also "Dardanius puer." Wagn. not unnaturally complains of the words as otiose here, the plot not being intended to benefit Ascanius in any way, except so far as he is served by anything which serves Aeneas. It is possible however that the removal of Ascanius to Idalia may be meant to present itself to Venus as a natural outlet for her own affection, as well as in pursuance of the plot: comp. 10. 46-53, where the general thought is parallel. The very obscurity with which this is indicated may be an intentional stroke, in a speech from which everything is excluded which does not bear on the one object of persuading Cupid. But on such matters it is easy to be over-subtle. 679.] 'Pelago et flammis' is probably the dat. (restare' being construed like superesse'), not the abl., as Forb. thinks. 680.] Sopitum somno.' A similar pleonasm occurs in Lucr. 4. 453, "cum suavi devinxit membra sopore Somnus, et in summa corpus iacet omne quiete" (quoted by Forb.). Super alta Cythera:' Venus, like other gods, had her temples in high places. Cythera is called high here, and in 10. 86. "Alti Idaliae luci" are mentioned just below, v. 692, and "celsa Paphos," 10. 51. Comp. also "sublimis abit," v. 415. Wagn. appears right in remarking that "super" is frequently used for entering a high place, as "sub" for entering a low place, and "per" for entering a large place. 681.] Sacrata sede,' in my temple or 685 grove. "Cereris sedem sacratam," 2.742. As might be expected, two MSS. have "secreta." 682.] Ne qua scire dolos.' There is something inartificial in the arrangement here, as Cupid has not yet been told that he is to personate Ascanius, and the only way in which Ascanius could spoil the plot would be by appearing along with Cupid. Venus however has had the details in her mind from the first, v. 658, and she naturally dismisses the subject of Ascanius first, so as to conclude her speech with instructions to Cupid. Henry distinguishes between knowledge of the plot ('scire dolos') and accidental intervention (medius occurrere '). "Medius intercipit," 10. 402. 683.] "Digitum non altior unum," Lucr. 4. 414. See Madv. § 306. Noctem non amplius unam' is to be explained like "plus septuma ducitur aestas" G. 4. 207 (note), the case, which here is the acc. of duration, not being altered by the construction with the comparative, any more than if "quam" had been used. See Madv. §§ 305, 306. 684.] Falle dolo,' personate. Gossrau comp. μopoǹv doλwoas, Soph. Phil. 129, where however doloûv merely means to disguise. Comp. rather the use of 'mentior,' and see note on v. 407. 'Notos pueri puer indue voltus:' it will not be difficult for you to put on the expression of a boy as you are a boy yourself. Venus removes an objection by anticipation. The notions of actual transformation and of imitation are blended and perhaps confused throughout. Notos,' not known to Cupid, but i. q. "solitos:" "non corpore notae Sufficiunt vires," 12. 911. Pueri puer:' comp. 5. 569. ་ 685.] Laetissima,' when Dido, at the height of her pleasure as a queen exercising splendid hospitality, and rejoicing herself in the feast, opens her heart and takes thee to her bosom. |
