[224] Comp. 8. 26. There is a general resemblance to Il. 2. 1 foll., 10. 1 foll. ‘Somno’ abl. instr., though it might be ‘in sleep.’ Comp. 5. 836, “placida laxabant membra quiete,” where there is the same doubt, the probability rather inclining to the latter view.
[225] See on 4. 528. ‘Laxare curas’ like “vincula, nodos, iugum laxare:” see Forc. Cerda comp. Lucr. 4.908, “somnus . . animi curas e pectore solvat.” ‘Oblita laborum’ with ‘corda,’ proleptically, as Forb. says.
[226] “Primi duces” 7. 107. The reading before Heins. (whether found in any MSS. is uncertain) was ‘et delecta iuventus,’ which Peerlkamp and Ribbeck prefer, distinguishing the leaders, such as Aletes v. 246, from the youth. Virg. however obviously imitated Lucr. 1.86, “Ductores Danaum delecti, prima virorum,” and used ‘iuventus’ generally of warriors. Comp. “Argiva iuventus” 7. 672, of the two leaders Catillus and Coras, and Livy 1. 14, “iuventute armata inmissa.” “Delecta iuventus” 4. 130., 8. 499.
[227] Serv. says this line is from Lucilius (Sat. 1 fr. 1 Müller), “Consilium summis hominum de rebus habebant.” ‘Summis rebus’ (see on 2. 322), the same as “summa rerum.”
[228] Iam, by this time, implying that there was no time to be lost. ‘Nuntius esset:’ one inferior MS, gives ‘iret’ as a variant.
[229] While in deliberation, they held themselves in readiness for attack. The comParison with Il. 8. 493, where Hector leans on his spear in haranguing the Trojans, is not quite in point, as he is advising them to disarm for the night. Pal. originally had ‘enscut. atq. entes,’ from which meaningless jumble Ribbeck gratuitously extracts “in scuta tuentes.”
[230] Castrorum et campi medio is generally understood, after Serv., to mean that the generals are met in a free space answering to the Roman praetorium in the middle of the encampment, and so Lersch § 44, though it would still be open to question whether ‘campus’ is intended for that space or for the whole area covered by the ‘castra.’ Mr. Long however rejects the interpretation altogether, and thinks the meaning must be ‘in a place between the camp and the plain.’ In Il. 8. 491., 10. 199 the Trojans and Greeks meet severally ἐν καθαρῷ, ὅθι δὴ νεκύων διεφαίνετο χῶρος.
[231] Alacres with ‘orant.’ ‘Admittier’ like “accingier” 4. 493, “dominarier” 7. 70.
[232] “Rem magnam esse quam adferant, et pretium fore morae, temporis sibi audiendis dati” Forb. Serv. mentions another explanation, that the thing would not admit of delay, that delay might cost them dear: but ‘pretium morae’ seems to be modelled on “operae pretium.” We may say if we like that ‘magnam’ and ‘pretium morae’ are predicates: but it does not signify much.
[233] Accepit, welcomed, 8. 178. ‘Dicere’ i. q. “loqui,” as in the wellknown formula of the Censul calling on the senators to speak, “Dic, M. Tulli” (Cic. Att. 9. 5).
[234] ‘O’ out of place, as in 6. 509. ‘Mentibus aequis,’ kindly, like the more common “aequo animo.”
[235] The more common expression is “spectare ex aliqua re,” as in Ter. Andr. 4. 1. 22, “Tuum animum ex animo spectavi meo,” Cic. Tusc. 5. 10, “Non ex singulis vocibus philosophi spectandi sunt, sed ex perpetuitate atque constantia.”
[236] See on v. 189. Here, besides the authority for ‘sepulti’ quoted there, it is found as a variant in another of Ribbeck's cursives.
[237] Pal., Gud., and another of Ribbeck's cursives have ‘procubuere,’ as in v. 190, Gud. however giving ‘conticuere’ as a variant. In v. 190 however the fact of silence is mentioned immediately afterwards. Virg. is fond of repeating himself partially, and here he also thought of 2. 252, “fusi per moenia Teucri Contienere.” Heins. retained ‘procubuere.’ ‘Insidiis’ with ‘locum:’ comp. Sall. Jug. 50, “uti locum castris antecaperet.”
[238] The meaning seems to be that by going through the gate next the sea they will be able to make their way stealthily (‘insidiis’ of a stealthy expedition) to Pallanteum. The camp would have more gates than one, like a Roman camp. ‘Bivio portae’ seems merely = “porta,” the gate affording a passage out and in, so that there will be no special relevancy in it here. Mr. Long, however, agrees with Forc. that ‘bivium’ = ‘luogo di due strade:’ two roads meeting at the gate, which is thus disinguished from other gates.
[239] The sense seems to be that instead of a regular chain of fires, some have gone out, and some are smouldering; a contrast to Il. 8. 509, καίωμεν πυρὰ πολλά, σέλας δ᾽ εἰς οὐρανὸν ἵκῃ.
[240] “Sub auras Erigitur” 8. 25. ‘Fortuna uti,’ to make use of the opportunity, like “utere sorte tua” 12. 932.
[241] The old reading was ‘ad moenia.’ which is found in one of Ribbeck's cursives (see on 2. 139). Heyne, who, like his predecessors, retained it, adopted in his later editions a change in the pointing, suggested by a “vir doctus,” so as to construct “quaesitum Aenean ad moenia Pallantea” with ‘adfore,’ ‘quaesitum’ being understood as a participle. His reasons for this were the harshness of ‘quaesitum’ after ‘uti,’ and the impropriety of Nisus talking about slaughter and spoils, when his object was to summon Aeneas. Wagn. restored ‘et’ and brought back the usual pointing, defending the construction of the supine after other than verbs of motion by a fragment of Sall. “neque vos ultum iniurias hortor,” and arguing from v. 208 that Nisus had more than a simple errand to Aeneas in his mind from the first. No doubt Virg.'s judgment may be questioned in allowing Nisus and Euryalus to waste their time in killing and plunder; but as he chose to make them do so, there is nothing strange in making them avow their intention unrebuked. He was thinking of course of the double object of Ulysses and Diomed Il. 10. 206, 207. The supine may be explained either by saying that ‘fortuna uti’ is really equivalent to a verb of motion (e. g. “fortuna usis ire”), or by the wider considerations suggested by Wagn., or by both. Serv. says that some placed the line after v. 243. ‘Moenia Pallantea’ v. 196.
[243] Med. has ‘fallet,’ which would be preferable, if there were more authority for it.
[244] Vidimus primam urbem, we have caught a glimpse of the city (Pallanteum). So nearly Serv., “primam partem urbis.” Comp. “prima terra” 1. 541. ‘Sub vallibus’ with ‘vidimus,’ not with ‘urbem.’ Pallanteum, as Serv. observes, was on a hill, and they would see it from the valley, Pal. corrected has ‘moenibus;’ and so Gud, with ‘vallibus’ as a variant.
[245] Assiduo explains how they came to get within sight of Pallanteum.
