[766] The introduction of the ‘oleaster,’ as Heyne suggests, is very probably due to a reminiscence of Homer's ἐρινεός, Il. 22. 145: Οἱ δὲ παρὰ σκοπιὴν καὶ ἐρινεὸν ἠνεμόεντα . . . . ἐσσεύοντο. The oleaster was a very tough tree: see the story in Theophrastus, Hist. Plant. 5. 3, about that in Megara, under the bark of which were said to have been found arms that had been hung up on it when it was younger; and comp. Aristoph. Plut. 939, Καὶ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸ μέτωπον αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα Ὥσπερ κοτίνῳ, προσπασσαλεύσω τουτῳί, with the scholion: ὅτι ἐπὶ τῶν κοτίνων καὶ ἄλλων δένδρων πανταχοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς προσπατταλεύουσι τὰ ἀναθήματα. ‘Foliis oleaster amaris’ G. 2. 314. The tree is dedicated to Faunus, as the oak (10. 423) is to be dedicated to Tiber. The worship of Faunus was, with few exceptions, an openair worship: see Preller, Römische Mythologie, p. 341 (2nd ed.).
[767] Olim, from long time: comp. “deprensis olim statio tutissima nautis” G. 4. 421. ‘Lignum,’ suggesting its toughness.
[768] Dona probably explained by ‘vestes’ in the next line. Comp. Horace 1 Od. 5. 13. The sailors would offer to Faunus not as a sea-god, but as the protector of their homes.
[770, 771] Stirps masc., as in v. 208 above &c. See on v. 781 below. ‘Nullo discrimine’ with ‘sustulerant:’ “though it was sacred (‘sacrum’), they had taken it up, making no difference.” ‘Puro:’ so Livy 24. 14, “Dimicaturum puro ac patenti campo.” Hor. 2 Ep. 2. 71, “Purae sunt plateae, nihil ut meditantibus obstet.” Ἐν καθαρῷ, ὅθι δὴ νεκύων διεφαίνετο χῶρος, Il. 8. 491.
[772] For the lengthening of the final syllable of ‘stabat’ see Excursus to this book.
[773] Detulerat fixam et lenta radice tenebat Med. originally, and so Gud., Minoraug., and another of Ribbeck's cursives. Med. corrected omits ‘et,’ and inserts ‘ab’ before ‘radice:’ comp. “alta ab radice revellit” v. 787 below. ‘Lenta ab radice’ Pal. corrected, ‘lenta in radice’ some inferior copies; and so Heyne and Wagn., who however would prefer ‘fixam lenta radice tenebat,’ making ‘oleaster’ the subject of ‘tenebat.’ Ribbeck seems right in adopting the original reading of Med., and punctuating ‘detulerat fixam et lenta radice tenebat,’ taking away Heyne's comma after ‘detulerat.’ ‘Fixam’ goes more naturally with ‘detulerat’ than with ‘tenebat:’ the prolepsis of the past participle may be paralleled by 3. 236, “tectosque per herbam Disponunt enses.” ‘Impetus’ is the most natural nom. for ‘tenebat:’ the swing of the throw was strong enough to bring it there, fix it, and to continue to hold it there in the root. ‘Lentus,’ tough, clinging, as in v. 781 below, “lento in stirpe.” With the whole passage comp. Il. 21. 171 foll., where Achilles' spear, aimed at Asteropaeus, is fixed in a bank: Ὁ δ᾽ ὑψηλὴν βάλεν ὄχθην, Μεσσοπαλὲς δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἔθηκε κατ᾽ ὄχθης μείλινον ἔγχος: Πηλείδης δ᾽ ἄορ ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ Ἆλτ᾽ ἐπί οἱ μεμαώς: ὁ δ᾽ ἄρα μελίην Ἀχιλῆος Οὐ δύνατ᾽ ἐκ κρημνοῖο ἐρύσσαι χειρὶ παχείῃ.
[774] Convellere: 3. 24, “viridemque ab humo convellere silvam.”
[775] Tergo Pal. originally for ‘telo.’ ‘Telo sequi’ like “sequi hasta, iaculo” 11. 674, v. 354 above. “Pariter cursu teloque secutus” 9. 559. Vv. 775—777 occur twice over in Med., being written again on the margin after v. 777.
[778] Εἴ ποτέ τοι χαρίεντ᾽ ἐπὶ νηὸν ἔρεψα κ.τ.λ., Il. 1. 39. ‘Colere honores’ like “religiones colere” Livy 3. 57; “caerimonias” Cic. Tusc. 1. 12. 27.
[779] Ferro, which is given as a variant in Gud., is found in Bottendorph's copies and the Zuylichem MS. Ribbeck likes it for the alliteration. ‘Bello,’ because they had done it for the sake of the combatants. ‘Profanos:’ “non omne quod sacrum non sit profanum, sed quod sacrum fuerit et desierit” Serv., and so Trebatius ap. Macrob. Sat. 3. 3. 3.
[780] In vota vocavit 5. 234 note. ‘Vocabit’ Pal. corrected.
[781] Luctans lentoque, an intentional alliteration. ‘Lentus’ v. 773 above. “Stirpem Vergilius et masculino et feminino genere dixit: masculino, cum radices arborum significare vult . . . feminino cum ad progeniem refert.” Probus de Nom. p. 218. Comp. Charisius i. 15. 85 (Neue, Formenlehre der Lateinischen Sprache i. p. 696.)
[782] Discludere Pal., Med. a m. s., Gud. corrected, with another of Ribbeck's cursives: ‘discurrere’ Med. a m. p., and as a variant in Gud. ‘Convellere’ and ‘discindere’ are found in other copies. “Ferit aures nostras hoc verbum discludere,” says Macrob. Sat. 6. 4. 11. ‘Morsus,’ grip, as of an anchor 1. 169.
[784] So Il. 22. 276 of the spear of Achilles: Ἀνὰ δ᾽ ἥρπασε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη, Ἂψ δ᾽ Ἀχιλῆϊ δίδου, λάθε δ᾽ Ἕκτορα, ποιμένα λαῶν. It is unnecessary to suppose with Serv. that Juturna had again assumed her own form: the words ‘in faciem’ &c. are a general description of her, as in v. 623 above. ‘Rursus’ therefore should be taken with ‘procurrit,’ not with ‘mutata.’ ‘Conversa’ (as in v. 623) Pal., Med. a m. s., with some inferior copies: ‘mutata’ Med. a m. p., Gud., and two other of Ribbeck's cursives.
[786] Indignari with acc. and inf. as 7. 770.
[787] De stirpe revellit Diomedes 369.
[788] Sublimis of a soaring spirit, as in Ov. F. 1. 301, “Non Venus et vinum sublimia pectora fregit.” Hor. A. P. 165, “Sublimis cupidusque.” ‘Armis animisque refecti,’ a conceit of the same kind as “ad caelum palmas cum voce tetendit” 2. 688 &c. ‘Animum’ Pal. originally.
[789] Arduus not, as Heyne says, = “elatus animo,” but in its literal sense, as 8. 299, “Arduus arma tenens” (of Typhoeus): 5. 479 (of Entellus), “Libravit dextra media inter cornua caestus Arduus.” ‘Arduus hasta’ like “cornibus ingens” 7. 483.
[790] Certamina Serv., confirmed by Med., Pal., Gud., and another of Ribbeck's cursives: and so Heins., followed by Ribbeck. Heyne, Wagn., and Forb. read ‘certamine,’ which, though as old as Serv., who mentions it as a various reading, is only found in one of Ribbeck's cursives and some inferior copies. The difficulty is to know what ‘adsistunt contra certamina’ could mean. The abl. sing. and neut. pl. are again confused in the MSS. in 9. 143 (see on 4. 98), and it is not impossible that ‘certamina’ was introduced by a scribe who did not understand the adverbial use of ‘contra.’ ‘Adsistunt contra,’ they stand there to meet each other: ‘adsisto’ as in Cic. Leg. 2. 4. 10, of Horatius Cocles waiting to meet the enemy, “ut contra omnes hostium copias in ponte unus adsisteret” (Forc.). ‘Contra,’ against each other: comp. “stant obnixa omnia contra” 10. 359: νεικεῖν ἀλλήλοισιν ἐναντίον, Il. 20. 252. ‘Certamen Martis’ like ἔριδα Ἄρηος Il. 5. 861. ‘Anheli’ nom. pl., not gen. sing.
[791-842] ‘A dialogue takes place between Jupiter and Juno, in which Juno unwillingly consents to leave the battle and let fate take its course, begging only that the victorious Trojans may not be allowed to impose their name upon the Latins. To this Jupiter agrees.’
