[411] Suggested perhaps by Il. 16. 527 foll., where Apollo heals Glaucus. ‘Indignus,’ of which he was not worthy, which he did not deserve: so 4. 617, “Indigna suorum Funera.” Serv., deriving ‘dignus’ and ‘indignus’ from “indicere,” thinks ‘indignus’=“magnus.” ‘Concussus’ of the effect of grief, as in 5. 700, 869., 9. 498: but this use of the word seems to be rare out of Virg.
[412] Dictamnum or ‘dictamnus,’ a herb found in abundance on the Cretan Ida (ἴδιον τῆς Κρήτης, Theophrastus, Hist. Plant. 9. 16), and said to have been sought for by wounded goats: Aristot. Hist. An. 9. 6. 1, ἐν Κρήτῃ φασὶ τὰς αἶγας τὰς ἀγρίας, ὅταν τοξευθῶσι, ζητεῖν τὸ δίκταμνον: δοκει γὰρ τοῦτο ἐκβλητικὸν τῶν τοξευμάτων ἐν τῷ σώματι. Cic. N. D. 2. 50 nearly translates this passage. Theophrastus (l.c.) and Pliny (25. 8. 53) distinguish the different kinds of the plant. ‘Genetrix’ emphatic by its position, ‘with motherly care.’
[413] Pliny (l.c.) says that the genuine ‘dictamnum’ had “flos nullus . . . . aut caulis.” Virg.'s description rather suits Pliny's “aristolochia” (25. 8. 54), “caulibus parvis, flore purpureo.” ‘Caulem’ in apposition to ‘dictamnum’ above. ‘Puber’ as applied to leaves, like “pubens” (4. 514 note), seems to include the notion of downiness with that of luxuriance and maturity. See on G. 2. 390. Dioscorides (3. 37) says of the ‘dictamnus,’ that its leaves were γναφαλώδη καί τινα ἐπίφυσιν ἔχοντα. ‘Pubens’ is used of plants in the simple sense of full-grown by Stat. 3 Silv. 3. 129, “pubentesque rosae primos moriuntur ad Austros;” Auson. Epist. 2. 14, “pubentes salicum frondes:” comp. ib. Idyll. 10. 203 (Forc.). ‘Flore comantem:’ so Stat. 1 Silv. 4. 102, “dictamni florentis opem.”
[415] Gramen for a plant, as in G. 4. 63, “cerinthae ignobile gramen.” ‘Tergo’ dat.: comp. 4. 73, “haeret lateri fatalis arundo” of the wounded stag in the Cretan forests.
[416] Nimbo: see on 10. 634.
[417] Δίδοται δὲ (τὸ δίκταμνον) πίνειν ἐν ὕδατι, Theophrast. l. c. ‘Labra’ = a cauldron, as in 8. 22. ‘Fusum labris’ = “fusum in labra:” ‘infusum labris’ would be a commoner constr. So “spargere undis” = “in undas” 4. 601. ‘Pendentibus’ Rom. for ‘splendentibus.’ “Amnem pro aqua: . . . Sic supra (v. 119) ‘fontemque ignemque ferebant’” Serv.
[418] Med. a m. p. spells ‘infecit:’ and so Ribbeck.
[419] Ambrosiae is here a plant: in G. 4. 415 it is an ointment of the plant. Pliny (27. 4. 11) says, “Ambrosia vagi nominis est et circa alias herbas fluctuati: unam habet certam, densam. . . . Coronantur illa Cappadoces. Usus eius ad ea quae discuti opus sit.” See also Dioscorides, 3. 37. 129. ‘Panacea’ or ‘panaces’ is reckoned among aromatic plants by Theophrast. 9. 7: its various uses are enumerated ib. 9. Comp. Lucr. 4.124, “quaecunque suo de corpore odorem Exspirant acrem, panaces, absinthia taetra.”
[420] Fovit: note on G. 4. 230. So Pliny 24. 37, “Foliis in vino decoctis foveri nervos utilissimum;” 32. 34, “Scorpio in vino decoctus ita ut foveantur ex illo.” Comp. Colum. 6. 12, “Si genua intumuerunt, calido aceto fovenda sunt.” (Forc.)
[421] 421—425 are added by a later hand in Gud. Comp. Il. 16. 528 (of Apollo healing Glaucus), Αὐτίκα παῦσ᾽ ὀδύνας, ἀπὸ δ᾽ ἕλκεος ἀργαλέοιο Αἷμα μέλαν τέρσηνε, &c.
[422] Quippe is peculiar here as occurring in narrative, and still more so from its position in the sentence. It seems intended (as perhaps in 1. 56) merely to lend emphasis to the description of a startling event. The English expression “of course” will often be found to be a fair equivalent for ‘quippe’ in its various shades of meaning. ‘Dolōr:’ see Excursus to this book. ‘Imo in volnere’ Pal., Rom., Gud. corrected, and another of Ribbeck's cursives: but Wagn. seems right in saying that ‘imo volnere’ is more likely, as the oblique cases of ‘imus’ are seldom elided in Virg.
[423] Manum Med. corrected, Rom., and two of Ribbeck's cursives: ‘manu’ Med. originally, ‘manus’ Pal. originally. ‘Secuta manum,’ following the motion of his hand.
[424] Novae = “novatae.” ‘In pristina’ for the more ordinary “in pristinum.”
[425] “Arma acri facienda viro” 8. 441. ‘Properare’ with acc. may either mean to be busy about a thing, hurry it on (“haec pater Aeoliis properat dum Lemnius oris” 8. 454), or (as here) to produce or bring quickly: comp. “fulmina properare” G. 4. 171; “properare mortem” A. 9. 401. ‘Viri’ two of Ribbeck's cursives for ‘viro.’
[426] Animos, probably their spirits, not his own.
[427] Non arte magistra, not through the guidance of my art. ‘Magistra’ here is predicative: in 8. 442, “omni nunc arte magistra” (usus est), it is a simple epithet: so Ov. Her. 15. 83, “Abeunt studia in mores, artesque magistrae.” Serv. suggests that ‘humana’ may be understood with ‘arte’ from ‘humanis opibus.’
[428] Non haec proveniunt, &c. This success is not due to man alone, ‘provenire’ generally having the notion of a happy event. ‘Aenean’ Med. a m. p. for ‘Aenea.’
[429] Maior deus either ‘a greater hand, even a god,’ i. e. Apollo, or ‘a greater god than Apollo, the god of ordinary healing.’ The first, which is Serv.'s explanation, is most natural. Heyne takes ‘agit’ as = προπέμπει: ‘sends you back to the battle;’ which seems very unnatural. ‘Opera maiora,’ deeds greater than your former ones.
[430] “Surasque incluserat auro” of Turnus 11. 488: where the plup. is followed as here by a present (v. 491), “Exsultatque animis et spe iam praecipit hostem.” Comp. also (with Wagn.) 8. 219, “Hic vero Alcidae furiis exarserat atro Felle dolor: rapit arma manu,” &c. Κνηυῖδας μὲν πρῶτα περὶ κνήμῃσιν ἔθηκεν, &c. Il. 3. 330, &c.
[431] Hinc atque hinc on this foot and then on that. For ‘coruscat’ one of Ribbeck's cursives has ‘recusat.’
[432] Habilis lateri—tergo seems to mean ‘fitted to his side and back:’ comp. 11. 555, “habilem mediae circumligat hastae,” where “habilis” may be taken with “hastae.” Conversely Ov. says (Fast. 2. 14), “His habilis telis quilibet esse potest,” any one can fit himself to these weapons.
[433] Armis, i.e. “armatis bracchiis:” comp. Tac. Hist. 1. 36, “prensare manibus, conplecti armis.” (Forb.)
[434] Oscula delibans: note on 1. 256. ‘Per galeam,’ imitated by Quintil. Declam. 9. p. 197, “Iamque suprema per galeam dederam oscula.” (Peerlkamp.)
[435, 436] Disce virtutem . . . . . fortunam, &c., ‘learn what virtue is from me, what fortune is from others:’ there is no zeugma in the use of ‘disco’ here, as Serv. and Heyne think: but it = ‘to learn about,’ as in 6. 433, “vitasque et crimina discit.” So “audire” = ‘to hear about’ 7. 196. “Eorum quos legisset” for “de quibus legisset” Cic. Acad. Pr. 2. 1. 3. ‘Verum laborem,’ real toil: not fighting that beats the air. Virg. is probably thinking of the often-quoted words of Ajax (Soph. Aj. 550), “Ὦ παῖ, γένοιο πατρὸς εὐτυχέστερος, Τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλ᾽ ὅμοιος: καὶ γένοἰ ἂν οὐ κακός”. Serv.'s explanation of ‘verum’ is curious and significant: “Quem per me ipse suscipio: non qui ex aliorum virtute inperatoribus ascribi consuevit.”
[437] Defensum dabit = ‘defendet:’ comp. “placataque venti Dant maria” 3. 69 (note). ‘Inter praemia,’ where rewards are to be found. ‘Praelia’ for ‘praemia’ several of Pierius' MSS., Menag. pr., and some inferior copies.
[438] Med. originally gives ‘tum’ for ‘tu,’ and ‘adoleverat’ for ‘adoleverit.’ ‘Tu’ in an exhortation as in G. 2. 241, &c. ‘Matura adoleverit,’ has grown up and is ripe: comp. “prima adolescit aetas” = is growing up and is young, G. 2. 362. ‘Aestas’ Rom. for ‘aetas.’ “Inde ubi robustis adolevit viribus aetas” Lucr. 3.449.
[439] Sis memor, i.e. “meorum factorum.” (Serv.)
[440] Excitat Pal. originally, from 3. 343, whence this line is nearly repeated.
[441-500] ‘Aeneas comes back again to the battle. His companions, Mnestheus, Gyas, and Achates, slaughter some of the enemy and put the rest to flight: Aeneas, passing the rest by, seeks only to encounter Turnus, whose chariot is kept out of his path by Juturna. At length Aeneas' helmet is struck by a spear from Messapus, and he turns in anger to a promiscuous slaughter of the Rutulians.’
