[629] Med. has ‘et iam,’ doubtless for ‘set,’ though Heins. conj. “eia age.” In ‘susceptum munus’ the meaning seems to hover between the duty undertaken of carrying the offering to Proserpine and the offering itself, ‘perfice’ belonging to the former sense. Having used the expression, Virg. considers himself free in v. 637 to talk of ‘perfecto munere divae,’ employing ‘munus’ in the sense of gift. In the first line of the poem, written, or supposed to be written by Virg., on the prospect of his Aeneid (‘In Venerem,’ Catalecta 6), ‘susceptum munus’ is used in the ordinary sense of a duty undertaken.
[630] Adcelerare intransitive 5. 675. Some MSS. give ‘Hac celeremus.’ ‘Cyclopum educta caminis,’ reared by the forges of the Cyclops, i. e. by Vulcan and his Cyclops. The Cyclops were supposed to be the authors of those unhewn polygon structures still seen in Greece, like the walls of Mycenae and Tiryns, and called Cyclopian architecture; the mass of the commentators too may be right in supposing that Virg. means the palaces of Pluto to be built of iron, which would be the natural material used by Vulcan and his workmen. ‘Ducta’ is found in various MSS., including Rom., fragm. Vat., Pal., and Gud. a m. p.; but though ‘ducere murum’ is a technical expression (1. 423 note), it would not go well with ‘Cyclopum caminis,’ even if ‘moenia’ and ‘murus’ could be used indifferently. ‘Educere’ of rearing a fabric 2. 186, 461., 12. 676.
[631] Adverso fornice portas, the arched gateway fronting us. ‘In fornice’ was the reading before Pier. and Heins.
[632] Praecepta not of course the precepts of the Sibyl, but the rules of the gods. It would be possible however to take ‘praecepta’ with ‘dona,’ like “praeceptum iter” Culex 289 (comp. “iussos sapores” G. 4. 62, “monstratas aras” ib. 549), making ‘iubent nos’ = ‘iubemur.’
[633] “Angusta viarum” 2. 332, “opaca locorum” ib. 725, which is actually found here in Gud. as a various reading.
[634] Corripiunt: see note on G. S. 104. The meaning here is, as we should say in English, they annihilate the intervening distance. “Corripiunt spatia” 5. 316.
[635] “Occupat Aeneas aditum” v. 424 note. We must suppose that there were means of lustration, vessels of water and lustral branches, at the entrance of Pluto's palace, like the περιρ᾽ῥαντήρια at the entrance of Greek temples. ‘Recenti aqua’ is emphatic, like “flumine vivo” 2. 719, “fluviali lympha” 4. 635. ‘Recens’ of fresh water G. 3. 301.
[636] “Adverso in limine” v. 279 above.
[637-659] ‘At last they come to Elysium, a garden-like region wrapped in unearthly sunshine. There are games, and music, and chariot-driving, each one following the pursuit which was his delight in life. In another part feasting is going on near the source of the river known on earth as Eridanus.’
