[441] For the spelling ‘Cymaeam,’ which is supported by Pal. and the original text of Med., see on E. 4. 4.
[442] Divinos seems to answer nearly to the modern notion of “haunted,” as Prop. 1. 18. 25 uses it of springs, being under the protection of some god or nymph. ‘Lacus et Averna’ is a hendiadys. ‘Sonantia silvis,’ sounding with woods, not sounding among the woods, as the lake would be stagnant and not affected by the wind. With the scenery comp. 6. 238.
[443] Insanus of the prophetic afflatus, like ‘furens’ 2. 345. Comp. the derivation of μάντις and μαίνομαι. The word perhaps would be more appropriate in the mouth of an ordinary person than in that of Helenus, himself a prophet. ‘Rupe sub ima,’ the “antrum inmane” of 6. 11.
[444] Fata canit 8. 499., 10. 417. ‘Notas et nomina’ G. 3. 158. Here it seems merely a poetical expression for written characters, “marks and words.” ‘Foliis mandat’ 6. 74. Leaves would be among the earliest materials for writing.
[445] Carmina like “Cymaei carminis” E. 4. 4.
[446] Digerit of predictions, 2. 182. Here the notion is that of regular succession in order of time.
[447] This line merely makes a contrast with what follows. There is no intention to dwell on the state of rest; all that is meant is that she leaves the writing so that the first opening of the door disturbs it. ‘Locis’ probably with ‘manent.’
[448] Eadem may refer either to ‘Sibylla,’ or to “carmina,” vv. 445, 451. In either case it has the force of “tamen.” Though she has written them out and left them, she takes no further care of them.
[449] Inpellere of setting in motion G. 4. 305 &c. The door is said to do what the wind does when the door is opened.
[450] Numquam deinde, never for the time to come. “Gentis Manliae decreto cautum est, ne quis deinde M. Manlius vocaretur,” Livy 6. 20.
[452] Helenus is giving the reason why the oracle is in bad repute. ‘Inconsulti,’ ἀμήχανοι, as Henry explains it. They get no counsel, and are just as if they had never consulted the oracle,—as we should say, they go away as wise as they came. Comp. “consulta petis” 6. 151 note.
[453] Dispendia morae may either be explained ‘dispendia temporis morando,’ or ‘loss consisting in delay.’ ‘Tanti’ is followed by ‘quin,’ as elsewhere by “ut.”
[454] ‘However good the time for sailing.’ There is no real difficulty in ‘vi cursus in altum vela vocet,’ which is merely one of those varieties which Virg. loves, the voyage being said to invite the sails into the deep, as we might say that the assurance of a favourable passage was an inducement to set sail.
[455] Secundus, elsewhere an epithet of the wind, is here applied to the sail which the wind fills.
[456, 457] A consideration of the structure of the passage, and a comparison of the parallel 6. 76, “Ipsa canas oro,” will, I think, show that Wakef., Bothe, and Jahn are right against the majority of editors in removing the stop after ‘poscas,’ so that the words will run ‘precibusque poscas ipsa canat oracula.’ On the other side comp. “poscere fata” 6. 45, where however the oracles are demanded not of the Sibyl but of the god. The objection that the manner in which the oracles were to be given has nothing to do with the delay, might be met by saying that the Sibyl might require greater pressure to make her speak than to make her write, the latter being her usual mode of prophesying: but it is more satisfactory to say that Virg., like every other poet, chooses occasionally to include more in a sentence than the exactness of logical simplicity would require. ‘Volens’ is applied to the Sibyl with the same feeling with which it is used of the gods in such phrases as “volens propitiusque,” as Serv. remarks. Compare θέλων. We should say ‘graciously.’ ‘Volens resolvat’ will then = “velit resolvere.” ‘Ora resolvat’ G. 4. 452.
[459] This line is substantially repeated 6. 892, where it is Anchises that expounds to Aeneas his future in Italy. Heyne remarks that the Sibyl's exposition 6. 83 foll. hardly comes up to the fulness of Helenus' promise here: but perhaps we might say that by taking Aeneas to Anchises she becomes absolved of part of her duty, if it were not more probable that the discrepancy is to be explained by supposing that this book (see Introduction to it) was composed independently of the others. ‘Que’ is disjunctive. He would hear all about the means of avoidance and endurance, according as either might be applicable.
[460] Dabit v. 85. ‘Venerata,’ duly besought, like “venerata Ceres” Hor. 2 S. 2. 124.
[461] Liceat: comp. v. 379 above. The subj. seems to be on the analogy of such expressions as “haec habui quae dicerem.” Comp. Martial 10. 47. 1 “Vitam quae faciant beatiorem . . . haec sunt,” though there some MSS. have “faciunt.”
[462] Ingentem seems to be proleptic, as Gossrau remarks. ‘Factis,’ not with ‘ingentem,’ as Wagn. thinks, but with ‘fer ad aethera,’ like “famam extendere factis” 10. 468. ‘Fatis,’ which some MSS. give and Heyne prefers, would be admissible, but not so good.
[463-471] ‘Helenus then bestows magnificent presents on me and my father.’
