ENEIDOS LIBER TERTIUS. Æneas continues his narrative. He gives a minute account of his voyage, the places he visited, and the perils he encountered from the time of leaving Troas until he landed at Drepanum, where he buried his father. A period of seven years is comprehended in this book, and the book ends with the dreadful storm described in the opening of the First Book. The different subjects may be divided thus: 1st & 2nd Years. 3rd, 4th, & 5th years. 69-288. 6th & 7th years. 289-718. LINE. 1. Episode of Polydorus. 73. Oracles of Apollo. 209. Episode of the Harpies. 291. The Meeting with Andromache and Helenus. PUBLII VIRGILII MARONIS, ENEIDOS LIBER TERTIUS. 5 POSTQUAM res Asia Priamique evertere gentem Res 1. Asia. Asia, in the Roman sense, meant Asia Minor. Asia, "the power of Asia," referring to the kingdom established by the Trojans. 3. Ilium. Ilium, which is used by Virgil in the neuter gender, means only " the citadel," while Troja means "the city." We find in Horace and Ovid the city Ilios to be feminine, in compliance with the rule respecting the genders of cities and countries. 3. Neptunia Troja. Consult the notes in Book II., pages 64, 65. 5. Auguriis Divum. "By the oracles of the Gods." These oracles refer to the prophetic ad 9 monitions mentioned in Book II., namely, the apparition of Hector (line 290). The tuft-like flame that played about the temples of Ascanius (line 681). The falling star, and the thunder on the left (line 694), and lastly, the interview with the shade of Creusa (line 773). 12. Pěnātībus. Some commentators consider Penates and magni dii to be the same; but it is better to consider Penates the household gods of Troy, and the great gods as those of the whole nation. See note 68, page 10, No. I.-This line is a spondaic line. 15 19 Terra procul vastis colitur Mavortia campis; Thraces arant, acri quondam regnata Lycurgo; Hospitium antiquum Troja, sociique Penates, Dum fortuna fuit. Feror huc, et litore curvo Moenia prima loco, fatis ingressus iniquis; Eneadasque meo nomen de nomine fingo. Sacra Dionææ matri divisque ferebam Auspicibus cœptorum operum; superoque nitentem Colicolûm regi mactabam in litore taurum. Fortè fuit juxtà tumulus, quo cornea summo Virgulta, et densis hastilibus horrida myrtus. Accessi, viridemque ab humo convellere silvam Conatus, ramis tegerem ut frondentibus aras, Horrendum et dictu video mirabile monstrum. Nam, quæ prima solo ruptis radicibus arbor Vellitur, huic atro liquuntur sanguine guttæ, Et terram tabo maculant. Mihi frigidus horror Membra quatit, gelidusque coit formidine sanguis. Rursus et alterius lentum convellere vimen Insequor, et causas penitùs tentare latentes: Ater et alterius sequitur de cortice sanguis. Multa movens animo, Nymphas venerabar agrestes, Gradivumque patrem, Geticis qui præsidet arvis, 35 Ritè secundarent visus, omenque levarent. 13 Terra procul. This land refers to Thrace, which is separated from Troas by the Hellespont, now called the Dardanelles. "Sacred to Mars," because Mars was born and had his favourite abode there. 14. Lycurgo. Lycurgus was king of Thrace, and is called acris, "bold," because he is said, in mythology, to have boldy driven out Bacchus from Thrace. 15. Săcii Pěnūtes. "These gods 25 31 were confederate," referring most likely to Polymnestor, king o Thrace, who married Ilione, the eldest of Priam's daughters. The crime afterwards committed by this king, is referred to by Virgil in the subsequent lines. 19. Diōnææ mātri. Meaning Venus, who, according to Homer, was daughter of the nymph Dione, and Jove. The common legend in mythology, makes her to have sprung from the froth of the sea Tertia sed postquam majore hastilia nisu* * Or nixus. We find linquere in some editions. 42. Non me tibi Troja, &c. "Troy produced me no stranger to thee." Polydorus was the youngest son of Priam and Hecuba, and consequently sister to Eneas' wife, Creusa. Take non with externum in the construction. 51. Threicio regi. This Thracian king is Polymnestor, referred to in note 15. When the Greeks besieged Troy, Priam sent great part of his treasures, as well as 50 56 his son Polydorus, to the care of Polymnestor. Being informed of the death of Priam, he murdered Polydorus, in order to become master of the riches which were in his possession. 61. Dăre classibus Aūstros. By a figure in rhetoric (antimetabole), these words are taken in inverse order, as if, et committere classem ventis. Auster is frequently put for ventus in general. Ergo instauramus Polydoro funus: et ingens Et circùm Iliades crinem de more solutæ ; 65 71 75 Inde, ubi prima fides pelago, placataque venti Dant maria, et lenis crepitans vocat auster in altum, Deducunt socii naves, et litora complent. Provehimur portu, terræque urbesque recedunt. Sacra mari colitur medio gratissima tellus Nereïdum matri, et Neptuno Ægæo: Quam pius Arcitenens, oras et litora circum Errantem, Mycono e celsâ Gyaroque revinxit, Immotamque coli dedit, et contemnere ventos. Huc feror; hæc fessos tuto placidissima portu Accipit. Egressi veneramur Apollinis urbem. Rex Anius, rex idem hominum Phœbique sacerdos, Vittis et sacrâ redimitus tempora lauro, Occurrit; veterem Anchisen agnoscit amicum. Jungimus hospitio dextras, et tecta subimus. Templa dei saxo venerabar structa vetusto : 81 84 "Da propriam, Thymbræe, domum; da monia fessis 62. Instaūrāmus Põlýdōro fūnus. Some editions have a comma at funus, but it seems better to put the colon. "We therefore celebrate the sepulture of Polydorus." This marks the whole ceremony subsequently explained. 66. Cymbia. From cymbium, a word from the Greek, meaning a small boat; hence a drinking vessel in the form of a boat, having a broad oval rim. 67. Animamque sepulcro con dimus. The souls of the unburied were said to wander about the place where their bodies were, until the funeral rites were performed, 74. Nereidum matri. The mother of the Nereids is Doris, wife of Nereus. 76. Gyăros and Mycone were two of the Cyclades in the Ægean sea. 76. Errantem. The legend was, that Delos was a floating island, and that Apollo rendered it fixed. |