[655] ‘In monte’ is the first reading of Gud., the second of Pal.
[657] Nota shows how he made his way in spite of his blindness.
[658] Key (Lat. Gr. § 973) would connect ‘ingens’ with ‘lumen,’ comp. v. 636, and referring to other places in Virg. where the relative stands in the same part of the verse, preceded by a spondee in the same clause. But “Monstrum horrendum, ingens” 4. 181 is in favour of the old pointing, and there is more force in making the line consist of four attributes of Polyphemus, dreadfulness, hideousness, vastness, and blindness. ‘Monstrum ingens’ too seems intended as a translation of καὶ γὰρ θαῦμα τέτυκτο πελώριον Od. 9. 190. Another novelty is proposed by Henry, who understands ‘lumen’ not of the eye, but of the light of day,—a view supported by Ov. M. 14. 197, where Polyphemus says “Quam multum aut leve sit damnum mihi lucis ademptae!” (comp. v. 200 “inanem luminis orbem.”) Virg. perhaps did not distinguish the two meanings as sharply as we do: but the use of ‘lumen’ vv. 635, 663 confirms the old interpretation, as does the fact that elsewhere he uses ‘cassus lumine,’ ‘spoliatus lumine’ of the darkness not of the blind but of the dead.
[659] The Cyclops in Hom. (vv. 319 foll.) has a huge club of pine-wood, as long and thick as a mast, τὸ μὲν ἔκταμεν ὄφρα φοροίη Αὐανθέν. This is doubtless intended here by ‘trunca manu pinus,’ where ‘manu’ expresses personal exertion (see on G. 2. 156). There is another reading ‘manum,’ which though not supported by the oldest extant MSS. (Med. has it from a correction), is as old as Quinctilian, who says (8. 4), “Nam quod illud corpus mente concipiam, cuius trunca manum pinus regit?” But it is difficult to see how the staff guides the hand, though it is the instrument by which the hand guides the steps. Burm. however adopted ‘manum.’ Serv. read ‘manu,’ though he curiously enough understood it of the pine, connecting ‘regit’ with ‘lumen ademptum’— “cuius caecitatem manu pinus regit.” Whether the object of ‘regit’ is Polyphemus or his footsteps matters little. Comp. 6. 30, which favours the latter view.
[660] Ulysses and his companions had carried off the rams, but left the ewes. With ‘ea sola voluptas,’ which awakens our sympathy for the blind monster, comp. his playful address to his pet ram Od. 9. 447 foll.
[661] Pal., Gud., and some others fill up the hemistich with the words ‘de collo fistula pendet,’ or as one or two give it, ‘pendebat’ or ‘dependet fistula collo.’ The variety would itself excite suspicion, being what we find in other places where later copyists have amused themselves by filling up ‘lacunae’ (see e. g. 2. 767., 3. 340), while the detail belongs to Theocritus' Polyphemus, not to Hom.'s. Thus the presence of the words in Pal. merely proves that they are of earlier date than most of the Virgilian interpolations. Heins. however seems to have been the first to omit them.
[662] There is no difficulty in ‘altos,’ though ‘ad aequora venit’ must be taken as a ὕστερον πρότερον.
[663] For ‘effossi’ Med. has ‘effusi,’ the original reading (a m. pr.) having been ‘effuso.’ ‘Fluvidum’ is the spelling of Med. and most other MSS.; but the word so spelt is supposed to be long, as in Lucr. 2.464. ‘Inde,’ “de fluctibus,” according to Serv.'s first explanation. Comp. the Homeric λούεσθαι ποταμοῖο, which shows that we need not press the words here with Forb., as if they meant that he takes up some of the water in his hand to bathe his eye with.
[665] For ‘fluctus’ there is an old variant ‘fluctu,’ supported by Serv. (who however mentions ‘fluctus’), Pal., Gud. a m. p., and a correction in Med. For ‘tinxit’ some give ‘texit’ (the first reading of Med.), others ‘strinxit.’
[666] Partly from Od. 9. 471 foll., partly from 10. 126 foll., where Ulysses escapes from the Laestrygons.
[667] Merito is rightly taken by the later editors as a participle, not as an adverb. “Sic meritae” is similarly used by Val. Fl. 2. 145.
[668] Vertimus is the reading of Med., Pal., Gud., and others, supported also by Donatus. In itself it might stand well enough, as it is frequently used of ploughing, while “versare” is said of rowing by Val. Fl. 1. 450. But we have already had “verrere” of rowing vv. 208, 290 above, and we shall find it used elsewhere, 5. 778., 6. 320 (“vertunt” being given by Pal. in the latter place), after the example of Ennius, A. 14. fr. 1, quoted by Gell. 2. 26, “Verrunt extemplo placidum mare.” Independently of this authority, ‘verrimus’ would seem the better word under the circumstances, expressing rapidity of motion, and answering more nearly to Homer's πολίην ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς (Od. 9. 472). Whether “versus” in 5. 141., 10. 208 comes from “verto” or from “verro” is doubtful: see on the former passage. ‘Proni’ of the action of rowing compared with the action of driving 5. 147.
[669] It signifies little whether ‘vocis’ be understood of the κέλευσμα or of the plashing of the oars (comp. v. 556 above “fractasque ad litora voces”); but the latter seems simpler, and agrees better with ‘taciti’ v. 667. The pleonasm ‘sonitum vocis’ need hardly trouble us.
[670] ‘Dextram adfectare’ is the reading of fragm. Vat., Pal. (corrected), Gud., and others, supported by Med., a m. pr. ‘dextrum;’ but the words would have no meaning, as “adfectare aliquid” is to aim at a thing. The change was probably made by those who thought the object of ‘adfectare’ ought to be expressed. ‘Potestas adfectare’ = “potestas adfectandi:” see on G. 1. 213.
[671] Potis [est] = “potest,” sc. Polyphemus. The meaning seems to be rightly given by Wund.: ‘he cannot move as fast as the waves carry the ship along.’ The old interpretation, ‘he cannot keep in his depth if he goes farther,’ would be hardly consistent with vv. 664, 665, which seem to show that he could ford the ocean. Wund. comp. 10. 248 “ventos aequante sagitta.”
[672] The cry of the Cyclops and the consequent gathering of his brethren are partly from Od. 9. 399, where the Cyclops cries in the agony of his wound, partly from Od. 10. 11., foll., where Antiphates calls the Laestrygons.
[673] Wagn. and Ribbeck are perhaps right in preferring the reading of Med. ‘contremuere’ to ‘intremuere,’ the reading of fragm. Vat., Pal., &c., on the ground that the former is the stronger word: but the case is very doubtful. ‘Exterrita’ stands for a finite verb.
[674] The effect extends from Sicily to Italy. Some copies however give ‘Trinacriae.’ For ‘curvis’ see on 2. 748.
