[142] Dicto citius, before he had done his speech the waters were calm. So in Aesch. Suppl. 598 (of Zeus), πάρεστι δ᾽ ἔργον ὡς ἔπος Σπεῦσαί τι τῶν βούλιος φέρει φρήν. One of Ribbeck's cursives has ‘Haec ait.’
[143] The reversal of v. 88, “Eripiunt subito nubes caelumque diemque.”
[144] Cymothoe, one of the Oceanides, Hes. Theog. 245. In Apoll. R. 4. 1602 foll. Triton pushes the Argo into the sea, as Thetis and the Nereids had guided it through the Symplegades, ib. vv. 930 foll. Comp. the agency of Cymodoce, 10. 246.
[145] Navis, i. e. the three ships mentioned v. 108. ‘Levat,’ raises them with his trident, so that they may float off the rock.
[146] Vastas aperit Syrtis, makes a way through the Syrtes, so that the three ships (v. 110) may get out. Henry objects that ‘vastas’ shows that the action is on the whole Syrtes, which he accordingly supposes Neptune to level. But in the very instance which he quotes (10. 13, “Alpes inmittet apertas”) the meaning is not that the Alps are levelled, but that a way is made through them. ‘Vastas’ and ‘aperit’ are explained by v. 112, “aggere cingit arenae.” The ships are surrounded by the sandbank on all sides.
[147] Rotis levibus perlabitur: comp. in Hom.'s description of the progress of Poseidon, Il. 13. 29, τοὶ δ᾽ ἐπέτοντο Ῥίμφα μάλ᾽, οὐδ᾽ ὑπένερθε διαίνετο χάλκεος ἄξων. So 5. 819, “Caeruleo per summa levis volat aequora curru.” Heyne observes that such a Neptune is often found on gems.
[148] This simile is remarkable as an illustration of Nature from man, the reverse of which is the general rule in Virg. as in Hom. The image was no doubt suggested by the riots in the Roman forum during the furious political contests of the later republic.—‘Ac veluti.’ This passage, which has been already referred to in the note on G. 3. 196, is an instance of a simile where the construction of the sentence is fully drawn out. ‘Ac’ couples the whole (vv. 148—156) with what has gone before. The apodosis to ‘veluti’ is ‘sic’ (v. 154); that to ‘cum’ would seem to be ‘tum’ (v. 150), as it is there that the point of the simile is introduced. ‘Cum saepe,’ as Lucr. 3.912., 4. 1203, quoted by Forb.; apparently a confusion between “saepe cum” and “cum, ut saepe fit:” see Munro on Lucr. 5.1231. ‘Magno in populo,’ ‘in a concourse of people,’ not ‘in a mighty people.’ It may be questioned whether the position of the words here and in 6. 707, “Ac velut in pratis,” 11. 908, “Ac velut in somnis,” does not show that ‘magno in populo’ is meant to indicate the scene of the whole, so that a comma should be put after ‘populo.’
[149] Animis, ‘in their minds;’ like “obstipuere animis,” 9. 123, not, as Heyne renders it, ‘with passion.’ In 5. 462, which Weidner comp., “saevire animis Entellum haud passus acerbis,” the addition of an epithet of course makes a difference.
[150] Iamque, ‘and at last they have begun to throw,’ &c. Comp. 12. 656, “Iamque faces ad tecta volant.” ‘Faces,’ to fire buildings with, were regular arms of a Roman mob. Tac. A. 14. 45, “conglobata multitudine saxa et faces minitante.” Serv. mentions another reading ‘volunt,’ which seems to have been supported from 7. 340. ‘Furor arma ministrat’ is parenthetical. Comp. 7. 507, “quod cuique repertum Rimanti, telum ira facit.”
[151] Pietate, general discharge of duty; ‘meritis,’ services to the state. For the construction ‘pietate gravem,’ see on G. 3. 506.
[152] Adstant. Here and in 2. 303 (where the same words recur), ‘ad’ expresses attention. Comp. the expression “adesse animo,” ‘to attend to a speaker.’
[153] Animos, like ‘animis’ in v. 149. ‘Iste’ had at one time crept into the text (Heyne's, e.g.); but it was a mere typographical error.
[154] Cecidit fragor, like “ventosi ceciderunt murmuris aurae,” E. 9. 58.
[155] Aperto, cleared of clouds. ‘With clear sky all round him.’ ‘Genitor,’ 5. 817, note.
[156] Curru (his chariot and horses) is the dat. after ‘dat lora.’ The idea in ‘secundo’ is that of easy gliding; and the expression may be compared with “cursus secundus” and “secundo amne,” and, what comes still closer, “vela secunda” in Ov. A. A. 2.64, F. 3. 790 (quoted by Wagn.). See also 6. 146, “namque ipse volens facilisque sequetur Si te fata vocant.” ‘Volans:’ see on G. 2. 41. ‘Dat lora,’ v. 63, note. For ‘curru’ Rom. has ‘fluctu.’
[157-179] ‘The Trojans find a convenient harbour with a cave at the end, land, and prepare a meal.’
