[279] Comp. 2. 774., 3. 48. ‘Amens’ here denofea bewilderment rather than frenzy.
[280] It is difficult to say how far ‘horrore’ here is meant to be physical and how far mental. Perhaps we may render ‘his hair stood shudderingly erect.’
[281] Ardere with inf. 2. 105.
[283] The thoughts that pass through his mind are expressed in a sort of oratio obliqua, as in G. 4. 504, 505. ‘Ambire adfatu’ like “ambit prece” Hor. 1 Od. 35. 5, comp. by Wund. Heyne says “ambire cum dilectu pro adire:” but the words are rather contrasted than parallel, as ‘ambire’ expresses an indirect, ‘adire,’ though general, a direct mode of approach.
[284] Quae prima exordia sumat is illustrated both in expression and in substance by Eur. Iph. A. 1124, τίν᾽ ἂν λάβοιμι τῶν ἐμῶν ἀρχὴν κακῶν; Ἅπασι γὰρ πρώτοισι χρήσασθαι πάρα. But the reference may conceivably be to action rather than to speech. ‘Sumere’ has the force of “eligere.” as in Hor. 1 Od. 12. 2, A. P. 38, so that the expression is not strictly parallel to “initium capere.” “Exordia sumet” occurs Lucr. 1.149, where Munro suppeses the metaphor to be from beginning a web. ‘Et quae’ was read before Heina.
[285, 286] These lines, an expansion of what Hom. expresses more briefly by διάνδιχα μερμήριξεν, have been suspected by several of the editors, as occurring again, 8. 20, 21. Here v. 286 is omitted by fragm. Vat., Gud., and Pal., the two former adding it in the margin in a later hand, so that Ribbeck is perhaps right in placing it in brackets. ‘Atque’ is rightly explained by Wund. by regarding the preceding couplet as equivalent to “incertus est quid agat.” ‘Dividere’ is used with ‘huc’ and ‘illuc’ as a verb of motion, on the analogy of its use with the dative of the persons among whom a thing is shared. But there is an apparent confusion between Aeneas dividing his mind, and bestowing the whole of it at one time here, and another there. ‘In partis rapit varias,’ hurries it in this direction and that, as v. 630 below shows.
[287] Ὧδε δὲ οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι, Il. 14. 23., 16. 652, which shows, if proof were needed, that Cerda is right in making ‘haec’ agree with ‘sententia,’ against Heyne, who takes it with ‘alternanti.’ The neuter use of “alternare” is not unexampled, being found three times in Pliny: see Forc.
[288] For ‘Serestum’ some inferior MSS. have ‘Cloanthum,’ which was the reading before Wagn. On internal grounds it might seem as if Brunck were right in pronouncing that Serestus and Sergestus are only two forms of the same name (see on 1. 611); in 12. 561 however, where this line recurs, all the MSS. except one, of no great authority, give ‘Serestum,’ so there seems no sufficient reason for resisting the weight of external evidence here. ‘Cloanthum’ may either be a critical correction made by some transcriber who thought with Brunck, or an introduction from 1. 510. So some copies here read ‘Anthea.’ Forb. remarks on Virg. having told us not the resolution but the action to which it led. Thus we get a rhetorical contrast between the state of uncertainty and that of decision.
[289] The subjunctives are a sort of oratio obliqua, depending on the sense rather than on the expression of the previous line. Comp. 2. 652. ‘Classem aptent’ 3. 472. ‘Sociosque’ Med., fragm. Vat., ‘socios’ Pal., Gud., which Heins. and Heyne prefer.
[290] Arma parare 7. 468. Aeneas wishes to be ready for the worst, as Serv. remarks. But it may refer to equipping the fleet, v. 299. Wagn. restores ‘quae rebus sit’ from Med., Pal., Gud., and fragm. Vat. for ‘quae sit rebus.’ ‘Res novare’ is a phrase for taking a new step, such as a revolution: see Forc. For the construction of the gerundive, see on G. 1. 3.
[291] Quando = “quoniam,” as in v. 315 below. Here it seems to express Aeneas' thoughts rather than the actual fact—‘assuming that.’
[293] Comp. v. 423 below, “Sola viri mollis aditus et tempora noras.” It is not necessary however to supply ‘mollis’ before ‘aditus’ here from the context, as Wagn. thinks. ‘Temptaturum’ is used in a slightly different sense in the two clauses. Aeneas will endeavour to get at Dido (comp. 9. 67, “qua temptet ratione aditus”), and will see what are the most favourable opportunities.
[294] Rebus, for his circumstances, like “quae sit rebus fortuna videtis” 2. 350, nearly = “rerum.” ‘Modus’ i. q. ‘ratio,’ as in 12. 157, “si quis modus.” Heins. restored ‘quis’ for ‘qui,’ which seems to have little or no authority.
[295] I have restored ‘et iussa’ from Med. a m. pr., fragm. Vat., Pal., and Gud. ‘Ac,’ the common reading, is found in Med. a m. s. ‘Facessunt’ G. 4. 548 note.
[296-330] ‘Dido detects him at once. She raves like a Bacchant, reproaches him with his treachery, wonders how he can encounter the perils of the sea to leave her, conjures him to stay by all she has done and sacrificed for him, and wishes she had a child to remind her of him in his absence.’
