[209] Traces of a reading ‘voltus’ are found in fragm. Vat., Gud., and another of Ribbeck's cursives; but the corruption is easily accounted for: see on v. 174 above. The balance of the sentence requires that too much stress should not be laid on ‘premit,’ which will mean not ‘represses,’ but simply ‘holds concealed.’ In 4. 332 the word has more force. ‘Altum corde dolorem’ is much the same as “alto corde.” “Spem fronte serenat” 4. 477.
[210] Praedae dapibusque futuris, the game which is to be their banquet.
[211] Deripiunt, though found but in one MS., is rightly preferred by Heyne and Wagn. after Heins. to ‘diripiunt.’ Comp. 4. 593, G. 2. 8, notes. On such a question MS. testimony is nearly worthless: see on 6. 734. ‘Viscera,’ not only the intestines, but whatever is beneath the skin, the flesh. Serv. The passage is partly imitated from Il. 1. 459 foll.
[212] Secant, sc. ‘viscera.’ Henry seems right in saying ‘veribus figunt’ is ‘pierce with,’ not ‘stick on, spits.’ ‘Trementia,’ as Wund. remarks, shows their eagerness.
[213]
There is a doubt about the purpose
of the ‘aena.’ Boiled meat was unknown
to the Homeric age; but Virg.
may have introduced the habit of his own
time; and such seems to be the interpretation
of Val. Fl. in his imitation
8. 254, where the caldron is skimmed.
But, as Henry observes, the other view,
that water was heated for bathing before
the meal, is strongly supported by a passage
in Apoll. R. 3. 271 foll., which Virg.
probably had in his mind.
“τοὶ μὲν μέγαν ἀμφεπένοντο
Ταῦρον ἅλις δμῶες: τοὶ δὲ ξύλα κάγκανα
χαλκῷ
Κόπτον: τοὶ δὲ λοετρὰ πυρὶ ζέον.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Δμῶες δ᾽ ὁππότε δή σφιν ἐπαρτέα θῆκαν
ἐδωδήν,
Αὐτοί τε λιαροῖσιν ἐφαιδρύναντο λοετροῖς
κ.τ.λ.
”
[214] Fusi, ‘stretched,’ not ‘scattered,’ as Henry observes. Comp. “fususque per herbam,” G. 2. 527.
[215] Inplentur is middle, ‘fill themselves.’ Elsewhere in Virg. it is found with an abl., not with a gen. One MS. here actually adds ‘munere,’ as a hemistich. No use of ‘ferina,’ i. q. “ferina caro,” is quoted before Virg.; but he is not likely to have invented it. Comp. “agnina,” “bubula,” “vitulina,” all occurring Plaut. Aul. 2. 8. 4.
[216] Αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο, Μνησάμενοι δὴ ἔπειτα φίλους ἔκλαιον ἑταίρους, Od. 12. 309, 310. ‘Postquam exempta fames’ occurs 8. 184, ‘mensaeque remotae’ below, v. 723. ‘Epulis’ here is an instrum. abl. ‘Mensae remotae’ is not appropriate to this occasion, but is the general phrase for concluding a meal, derived from the Roman practice of removing the ‘mensae’ (Dict. A. ‘mensa’).
[217] Requirunt, they utter their regret for their companions. “In quo equidem maiorum nostrorum saepe requiro prudentiam,” Cic. Parad. 1. 1. 7.
[218] Comp. Aesch. Ag. 667 foll., which Virg. perhaps imitated. With ‘seu’ after ‘dubii’ Wagn. comp. 2. 739, “seu lassa resedit, Incertum.” Serv. says that some separated ‘spemque metumque inter’ from ‘dubii.’
[219] It is not necessary to limit the meaning of ‘extrema’ actually to the crisis of death, (which would seem to be the sense of the phrase ‘extrema pati’ in Tac. H. 4. 54, “famem, ferrum et extrema pati,”) as in that case “passos esse” would be required here. The expression rather implies death as a continuing state: ‘to be lost.’—‘Nec iam exaudire vocatos.’ Wund. distinguishes between the “conclamatio” which took place at the moment of death, and the “inclamatio” or “acclamatio” which took place after the burial, and of which we have instances 3. 68., 6. 231, 506; and he thinks that the first is referred to here, on the ground that the Manes were supposed to hear the “inclamatio.” Henry may be right in going farther, and supposing the words to mean that the “conclamatio,” which, as he observes, was originally a means of ascertaining whether a person was really dead, actually takes place.
[220] Wagn. retains the comma after ‘Aeneas;’ but there is no reason to separate ‘Aeneas’ and ‘gemit,’ though in 6, 176 “Praecipue pius Aeneas” refers to what had preceded. ‘Oronti,’ the quasiGreek gen., as “Oronten” v. 113 is the Greek acc. ‘Oronti’ is supported here by fragm. Vat., Med., the second reading of Rom. and Gud., Serv., Charisius, and Priscian; but the first reading of Rom. and one or two grammarians have ‘Orontis.’
[221] Secum may imply that while taking part in the general sorrow he indulged his own special griefs, as Achilles weeps for his father and Patroclus while Priam is weeping for Hector, Il. 24. 509 foll.
[222] Weidner remarks well, that ‘fortemque Gyan, fortemque Cloanthum’ serve to represent the monotony of the lamentation, “O fortis Gya, O fortis Cloanthe.”
[223-253] ‘Jupiter is surveying the scene in Africa, when Venus addresses him, reminding him of his promise of empire to her Trojans, and contrasting their present sufferings with the success of a Trojan migration under Antenor.’
