Tempore ab hoc quodcumque potest fecisse videri 240 245 250 255 inveighing against the chiefs.-237. Meum est qui. From the possessive meum we must supply ego, to which the relative refers. 239. Acta, here in the most general sense; not merely things done, but also things to be done.241. Est aliquid, it is of some consequence. See Metam. xii. 93.- -243. Sic tamen, and yet, although we were both united. For Dolon, see v. 98. Spreto noctisque hostisque periclo, like sic tamen, to be joined to the following ausum eadem. ·246. Perfida Troja, where Laomedon, where Paris was born. 248. Promissa cum laude, with the glory which had been promised me beforehand, which had been predicted.-251. Captivo, as a collective for captivis; as miles, eques, pedes, in the same way. Votisque, vows put for the object of the vows.-252. Laetos imitante triumphos, again an expression borrowed from the Roman customs, as curia, v. 197.-253. Cujus equos - Arma, the demonstrative is wanting ejus arma. : So xii. 93: Est aliquid non esse satum Nereide sed qui totum temperat aequor. Hostis, Dolon.-254. Fueritque benignior Ajax, ipse Ajax, utut inimicus meus, cumulatius mihi gratiam retulerit, for Ajax had said (v. 102): Dividite et major pars sit Diomedis in illis; he had therefore allowed him a part at least.-255. Sarpedonis. Sarpedon, king of Lycia, had come to the help of the Trojans, and was severely wounded in battle by Tlepolemus; when he was being carried off the field, Ulysses slew a number of his band, whose names are here given after Homer.256. Devastata, a strong word, exitio et internecioni data, seldom used of men.-257. Alastoraque.-258. Noëmonaque. The lengthening of the que in the fifth foot is of rare occurrence, but is here Exitioque dedi cum Chersidamante Thoona, Adspicite en!' vestemque manu deduxit et 'Haec sunt 260 265 270 275 280 excused by the position.-263. Ipso pulera loco, in corpore adverso; hence honesta, decora. Vanis verbis, not as if he had said what was untrue, but because words always awaken less confidence than visible signs or actions. -264. Vestemque manu deduxit, he drew down his garment to show his breast: not diduxit, as others read, which would mean scidit; but Ulysses is without passion, he does no more than is necessary.-265. Vestris rebus, in your behalf, for your interest. 266. At nihil impendit Telamonius-Sanguinis. Hercules had, on a visit to Telamon, wrapped Ajax, who was still a child, in his lion's skin, and thereby rendered him invulnerable, except in the breast, which the skin did not cover. This is referred to v. 390: et in pectus tum demum vulnera passum Qua patuit ferro letalem condidit ensem.-273. Actorides, Patroclus, son of Menoetius, son of Actor. Sub imagine tutus Achillis. Patroclus had put on the armour of Achilles, so that the Trojans fled before him, supposing him to be Achilles himself.-274. Cum defensore, collectively, as v. 251. Arsuris, quae alioquin concrematae fuissent cum illis qui eas defenderent.-275. Hectoreo Marti, bellicoso Hectori. -276. Regisque, Agamemnonis To Bacidevтátov.- 277. Nonus in officio, in sponte oblato certamine singulari. Nonus does not indicate that Ajax was the last of the nine to offer himself, but that besides him there were eight in the same case.-279. Hector abit violatus vulnere nullo. Ovid does not here follow Homer-according to whom Hector was wounded by Ajax-but some authority unknown to us.-281. Graium murus, tutela, a metaphor of fre Tardarunt, quin corpus humo sublime referrem. His humeris, his, inquam, humeris ego corpus Achillis 285 Artis opus tantae, rudis et sine pectore miles 290 Indueret! Neque enim clypei caelamina norit, Oceanum et terras cumque alto sidera coelo, Pleiadasque Hyadasque immunemque aequoris Arcton Diversosque orbes nitidumque Orionis ensem. 295 do. Postulat ut capiat, quae non intelligit, arma ! 300 305 310 - quent occurrence.-284. His humeris, foll., an emphatic refutation of what Ajax had said, v. 107, foll.-285. Laboro, contendo, operam 287. Honores, dona.-289. Ambitiosa-fuit, sued with fawning, coaxing prayers.-290. Sine pectore miles, a mere soldier, in bad sense, as miles gloriosus in the comic poets, without a heart in his breast. Pectus is frequently used in opposition to rude physical life : Non tu corpus eras sine pectore (Hor.); Pectus est quod disertos facit (Quintil.).-291. Caelamina, a rare word, met with first in Ovid. 293. Pleïadasque Hyadasque, foll. Names of the constellations represented on the shield. Immunemque aequoris. See above, ii. 172. 294. Orbes, worlds. Nitidumque Orionis ensem. See viii. 207.--300. Ego sum maturior illo, ego maturius veni, the adverb given as attribute of the subject. - 307. Admiremur, here only a strengthened form for miremur. -310. Facinus defendere, coarguerere, fellere. 312. Vidistis, without any adversative conjunction, the strongest mode of expressing opposition. Pretioque, auro; objecta vobis pate Esse reus merui; factum defendite vestrum : Ne mandate mihi; melius Telamonius ibit, 315 320 325 330 335 340 345 314. Esse bant, they were laid open before your eyes by the gold. reus merui, merui ut reus essem.—319. Fida-fidelem, both words are used without perceivable distinction. -321. Melius Telamonius ibit, melius erit quum Telamonius ibit. So Metam. xiv. 28: Melius sequerere volentem.-326. Pectore, in antithesis to Ajacis stolidi.— 334. Dardanio vate, Heleno. See v. 99.-337. Et, and--not withstanding all these actions-Ajax can compare himself to me! The force of the particle is increased by the circumstance, that the whole clause is given in a parenthesis. - 338. Nempe introduces a fact known to every one, and therefore to his rival.-339. Ingentia Verba, an intentionally exaggerated expression for the usual magna verba.343. Summas arces, equivalent to summam arcem. The plural gives the expression the appearance of generality, as if the same thing had taken place more than once.-346. Tergora. This form occurs first in the poets of the Augustan age, and afterwards in the prose Illa nocte mihi Trojae victoria parta est; 350 355 360 365 370 writers. Gestasset-septem, a somewhat comic expression; instead of saying, Ajax would have fought in vain, would have applied his courage in vain,' he says, ' Ajax would have borne his shield in vain, would have in vain defended himself against the enemy.' The sarcasm is heightened when we call to mind the story that Ajax was invulnerable.-350. Ostentare, to hold up as a pattern. Sua, here used in an emphatic sense: the share which belongs of right to him. 351. Nec tu cum socia-tenebas. See v. 93.-355. Moderatior Ajax, the less violent Ajax; that is, the son of Oïleus. Those who are named here had all offered themselves to fight in single combat with Hector. -356. Eurypylus, the son of Euaemon, leader of the Thessalian troops. Claroque Andraemone natus, Thoas, leader of the Aetolians.-357. Idomeneus, king of the Cretans; his charioteer was Meriones.-365. Anteit, a dissyllable, as is usual with this word. 371. Titulus; properly, the claim; then, by an easily-intelligible transition, that to which claim is laid, as spes for the object of hope, and the like. Pensandum, quippe quem pensare debeatis. 373. Posse capi faciendo, for faciendo ut capi possent, a Greek mode of expression a opted by the Roman poets. Metam. vii. 690: telum Flere facit; x. 357: dubitare facit. Epist. ex Pont. |