[561] For ‘voltum’ Pal. corrected and another MS. have ‘voltu.’
[562] Solvite corde metum, a variety for ‘solvite corda metu.’ ‘Solve metus’ has however already occurred v. 463. Pierius mentions other readings, ‘metus’ and ‘seducite,’ neither of which however appears to be found in any first-class MS.
[563] Res dura, my hard case, i. e. the difficulty she had in keeping her ground on a hostile territory, and her fears from her brother. ‘Novitas’ is rather a favourite word with Lucr., who uses “novitas mundi” of the infancy of the world 5. 780, 818, 943. Canon. has ‘cogit.’
[564] Custode sing. in pl. sense 9. 380.
[565] She compliments Aeneas by calling the Trojans ‘Aeneadae’ (above v. 157).
[566] Comp. Catull. 66 (68). 90, “Troia virum et virtutum omnium acerba cinis.” This reference however does not prove, as Wagn. thinks, that ‘virtutesque virosque’ is to be taken as a hendiadys. The natural sense is ‘the gallant deeds and the heroes.’ ‘Tanti incendia belli:’ comp. Cic. pro Marcell. 9, “belli civilis incendium salute patriae restinguere.” The same metaphor occurs de Rep. 1. 1 and elsewhere in Cic. ‘Tanta,’ the reading before Heins., has no first-class authority. In the parallel 7. 222 foll. the siege and fall of Troy are also expressed by a metaphor, but it is from a tempest and a deluge.
[567] Obtunsa, blunted and so dull; the reverse of “curis acuens mortalia corda” G. 1. 123. ‘Pectora,’ minds, not hearts. Hor. 1 Ep. 4. 6, “Non tu corpus eras sine pectore.” ‘Gestamus pectora’ like “Is sapientia munitum pectus egregie gerat,” Attius Brutus fr. 2: see Munro on Lucr. 3.1049. Comp. φέρειν, φορεῖν. ‘Obtunsa’ is of course a predicate—‘the minds within us are not so dull.’
[568] Both this and the preceding line are intended to rebut the supposition of ignorance respecting the history of Troy, not of want of feeling; so that the references of the older commentators to the recoil of the sun from the banquet of Thyestes are quite out of place. The notion seems to be ‘we do not lie so far out of the pale of the civilized world—out of the circuit of the sun, and so out of the course of fame.’ Comp. 6. 796, “iacet extra sidera tellus Extra anni Solisque vias.” It would add great force to the passage if we could suppose Virg. to have conceived of the sun as the actual bearer of news to the nations of the earth, as in the well-known passage in the dying speech of Ajax, Soph. Aj. 845—849, and in Od. 8. 270, 302, Aesch. Ag. 632—676. But it is to be observed that in these passages the sun is the only possible witness; and though such a thought may possibly have crossed the mind of Statius when imitating this passage in Theb. 1. 683 (“Scimus, ait; nec sic aversum Fama Mycenis Volvit iter”), it would be hazardous to assume this to have been Virg.'s meaning when the passage can be explained without it, and the simpler view is confirmed by the language of the parallel 7. 225—227. Silius (15. 334) has imitated these words in a way which seems to show that he understood them, like the old commentators, as having reference to the recoil of the sun at a dreadful occurrence. ‘Iungit equos’ seems to imply that the people disclaimed by Dido lie beyond the sun-rising.
[569] Hesperiam magnam (7. 4) like “Italiam magnam” 4. 345, seemingly an ornamental epithet. ‘Saturniaque arva:’ see 8. 349 foll.
[570] Optatis, choose, not wish.
[571] Auxilio tutos, protected by an escort. ‘Tutos’ is a participle, as in 6. 238., 9. 43. ‘Opibus iuvabo:’ she will open her stores and arsenals to them, not, give them money. The line is nearly repeated 8. 171.
[572] Wagn. and others, following Serv. (“deest vel si”), strike out the interrogation at the end of this line, understanding it as a hypothesis without ‘si,’ on the ground that Dido is simply giving them their choice, not pressing an invitation. They do not however attempt to prove either that the invitation conveyed by the interrogative form is a pressing one, or that an invitation would be inappropriate here. On the contrary the whole tenor of Dido's language to the end of the speech seems to show that she hopes they will settle. For the expression comp. Hor. 1 Od. 27. 9, where no one has yet proposed to change the punctuation. ‘Mecum pariter:’ ‘pariter’ has its strict sense: on equal terms with me. The order in Pal. is ‘pariter mecum.’ Some inferior MSS. have ‘consistere,’ Rom. ‘terris.’ ‘Considere’ of settling in a country 3. 162., 4 39 &c.
[573] Urbem quam statuo, vestra est. This attraction of the antecedent to the case of the relative has been abundantly illustrated by the commentators. The commonest and perhaps the best passage is Ter. Eun. 4. 3. 11, “Eunuchum quem dedisti nobis, quas turbas dedit.” “Urbem praeclaram statui” are Dido's words 4. 655.
[574] Nullo discrimine agetur is commonly explained by reference to the Greek ἄγειν, to weigh or to regard, in which case we must suppose ‘agere’ to be a variety for “ducere.” Comp. 10. 108, “Tros Rutulusne fuat nullo discrimine habebo.” It is possible however that Virg. may have also been thinking of “discrimen agere” as equivalent to “discrimen facere” (comp. “censuram,” “delectum agere,” &c.). Serv.'s “‘agetur,’ regetur,” if intended for anything more than the most general explanation, seems quite untenable.
[575] Noto eodem, the same gale, “procacibus Austris” v. 536. ‘Compulsus:’ ‘compello’ like “cogo” means originally to drive together to the same spot, hence to drive together into straits, constrain (“compellere aliquem in angustias”). Either sense would be tenable here. ‘Compulsus’ may mean either driven as you were driven, in which case we might take ‘eodem’ adverbially (comp. Caes. B. G. 1. 4, “Omnis clientes suos eodem conduxit”), or driven by stress of weather (‘Noto’). Comp. generally 7. 263 foll. “Ipse modo Aeneas . . . adveniat.” ‘Atque utinam’ E. 10. 35.
[576] Certos, trusty messengers. See Forc. s. v.
[577] Dimittam, “in diversas partis mittam,” as Heyne explains it.
[578] Si quibus, to see whether, ‘to see’ being implied in ‘lustrare.’ ‘Eiectus,’ 4. 373. Some inferior MSS. give ‘montibus,’ which Burm. prefers; but Dido's messengers are doubtless meant to seek Aeneas in other territories, e. g. the Gaetulian towns: comp. 4. 40, 173.
[579-612] ‘Instantly Aeneas and Achates become visible. Aeneas thanks Dido for her splendid and ever-memorable generosity.’
