[182] Virg. is thinking of the burial described Il. 7. 422 foll. consequent on the embassy of the Trojan Idaeus to the Greeks (Ἠέλιος μὲν ἔπειτα νέον προσέβαλλεν ἀρούρας . . . . Οὐρανὸν εἰσανιών. οἱ δ᾽ ἤντεον ἀλλήλοισι κ.τ.λ.). ‘Interea’ might be pleaded as an argument for supposing the Arcadian mourning to have taken place at night (see on v. 142). But it is doubtless used quite loosely, probably referring to a considerably later time than that just spoken of. A truce of twelve days had been agreed on (v. 133): the bulk of these, if we may argue from the parallel (Il. 24. 789 foll.), would be spent in cutting down wood, and then the burning would begin. After two days of burning (vv. 210 foll.) the Latins raise their funeral mounds: and about the same time there is a debate in the senate, which is interrupted by the news that Aeneas is marching on the town (vv. 445 foll.), so that the truce must thus have been over. ‘Miseris mortalibus’ is from Lucr. 5.944, a translation of Hom.'s δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσι, like ‘mortalibus aegris,’ 2. 268, G. 1. 237, where as here it savours of pessimism, referring in all three cases to boons supposed to be granted by the gods in compassion to man's wretchedness. With the spirit of the passage we may perhaps comp. Lucr. 2.578—80, “Nec nox ulla diem neque noctem aurora secuta est, Quae non audierit mixtos vagitibus aegris Ploratus mortis comites et funeris atri.” “Diem mortalibus almum Aurora extulerit” 5. 64.
[183] Serv. has a strange note: “Asinius Pollio dicit ubique Vergilium in diei descriptione sermonem aliquem ponere aptum praesentibus rebus, ut hoc loco, quia funerum et sepulturarum res agitur, dicit ‘extulerat.’ Item in quarto, quia est navigaturus Aeneas et relicturus Didonem, dicit ‘Tithoni croceum linquens Aurora cubile.’ Quod licet superfluum sit, tamen in multis locis invenitur (necessarium).” ‘Referens opera atque labores:’ Cerda well comp. Hom. Hymn to Hermes 98, ὄρθρος δημιοεργός. We may also quote Hes. Works 579 foll. ἠώς τοι προφέρει μὲν ὁδοῦ, προφέρει δὲ καὶ ἔργου, Ἠώς, ἥτε φανεῖσα πολέας ἐπέβησε κελεύθου Ἀνθρώπους, πολλοῖσι δ᾽ ἐπὶ ζυγὰ βουσὶ τίθησιν.
[185] Suorum more patrum seems to mean that the Trojans followed their customs, the Etruscans and Arcadians theirs. Accordingly what follows is partly Homeric, partly Roman.
[186] Subiectis ignibus 6. 223 note, v. 119 above. Here there seems a double notion, the application of the torches from beneath, and the shooting up of the fire and smoke so as to involve the sky (“caelum subtexere fumo” 3. 582). So ‘atris’ is both smoky and funereal.
[187] “Conditus in nubem” G. 1. 442.
[188] The custom of soldiers marching round their general's pile (“decurrere,” “decursio”) was a Roman one. Tac. A. 2. 7 (of Germanicus), “Honori patris princeps ipse cum legionibus decucurrit.” Virg., however, doubtless thought also of Od. 24. 68 foll., and especially Il. 23. 8 foll.: see also Apoll. 1. 1059, 4. 1535, which he has almost translated. Livy 25. 17 seems to imply that the custom was common to various nations. “Cingor fulgentibus armis” 2. 749. Rom. has ‘cuncti.’
[189] Ter—dedere: Il. 23. 13, Οἱ δὲ τρὶς περὶ νεκρὸν εὔτριχας ἤλασαν ἵππους. Here the horsemen succeed the infantry. Comp. Appian, Hispan. 75 (of the funeral of Viriathus), κατὰ ἴλας οἵ τε πεζοὶ καὶ οἱ ἱππεῖς ἐν κύκλῳ περιθέοντες αὐτὸν ἔνοπλοι βαρβαρικῶς ἐπῄνουν.
[190] “Lustravere in equis” 5. 578.
[191] Δεύοντο ψάμαθοι, δεύοντο δὲ τεύχεα φωτῶν Δάκρυσι, Il. 23. 15.
[192] “It clamor caelo” 5. 451. ‘Clamor—tubarum’ repeated from 2. 313. “Tubae” formed part of a Roman funeral, Hor. 1 S. 6. 44, Pers. 3. 103.
[193] Hic is found in all Ribbeck's MSS., and is not less appropriate than ‘hinc’ as an adverb of time. For the custom of burning spoils with the dead Cerda comp. Livy 8. 7, the funeral of young Manlius. See A. 8. 562 (note). ‘Derepta’ is read by Ribbeck's uncials and Gud.
[194] Igni = “in ignem.” ‘Decoros,’ as Peerlkamp remarks, is not an idle epithet, but shows that the offerings made were valuable.
[195] “‘Ferventis’ non modo sed quae solent fervere,” Serv. But the epithet is an awkward one here, as they were so soon to glow from another cause. ‘Munera nota’ as having belonged to the dead in life. This seems better than to take it of customary offerings, as a distinction apparently is intended between the enemies' spoils and the dead men's own arms. See on 6. 221, where too much hesitation is expressed.
[196] “Felicibus armis” 7. 745.
[197] Serv. gives a choice of interpretations, “aut in morte, aut morti ipsi deae.” The later editors prefer the latter, Heins. the former. If the former is right, ‘morti’ is best taken as an archaic abl. like “sorti” G. 4. 165 note, “mactare morti” being like “mactare malo.” But in a passage like this the personification of ‘mors’ is natural enough, though in other places (see on G. 3. 480) the case may be less clear. ‘Mors’ then will practically = “Orcus,” so that we may comp. Livy 9. 40, where Junius Bubulcus, Papirius Cursor's magister equitum, attacks the Samnite right wing, “eos se Orco mactare dictitans.” Sheep and oxen are killed at Patroclus' pile Il. 23. 166, the fat being used to wrap the dead man in: comp. Od. 24. 65 foll.
[198] ‘Saetigerosque sues’ 7. 17.
[199] In flammam ingulant pecudes 12. 214. Comp. Aesch. Ag. 1057, ἕστηκε μῆλα πρὸς σφαγὰς πυρός.
[200] Comp. Juv. 10. 253, “videt acris Antilochi barbam ardentem.”
[201] Bustum of a funeral pile as in Lucr. 3.906. “Nox humida” 2. 8. In Il. 23. 218 foll. Achilles remains at the pile all night.
[202] “Vertitur interea caelum” 2. 250. ‘Fulgentibus’ is the reading of Rom., Canon., and a few others, the majority of MSS., including all of Ribbeck's but Rom., having ‘ardentibus.’ This latter reading, however, would naturally have been introduced from 4. 482 (note), 6. 797, while it comes in awkwardly here after ‘ardentis.’ ‘Fulgentibus’ got into the printed text of Virg. early, and was retained by Heins. and Heyne.
[203-224] ‘The Latins burn their dead also, burying them on the third day. There is strong feeling against Turnus in the city, aggravated by Drances, though Turnus also has his partisans.’
