840

Rome instantly declared war, which ended in the destruction of Corinth, and the subjugation of its allies. This was completed by the consul Mummius, in the year of Rome 609. Ille victor. This refers to Mummius. He was honored by a triumph. Capitolia: neu. plu. a famous temple of Jupiter at Rome, commenced by Tarquinius Priscus upon the hill called Tarpzius, but afterward Capitolinus, from the circumstance of a human head (caput) being found when they were laying the foundation of that edifice. Hitherto the victors used to be drawn in a car to place their laurels in the lap of Jove. 838. Ille eruet Argos: he shall overthrow Argos, &c. Virgil is here supposed by Hyginus to confound two events which took place at different periods-the war of Achaia, which ended in the destruction of Corinth, and the war with Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. The former was conducted by the consul Mummius, to whom the ille, in the preceding line, refers; but it is not certain to whom the ille here refers; whether to Quinctius Flaminius, Paulus Æmilius, Cacilius Metellus, or M. Curius, each of whom acted a distinguished part in the war with Greece and Epirus. By Argos-Mycena, the best interpreters understand the power of Greece in general. And by aciden, not Pyrrhus, but the power-the government of Epirus. This was not destroyed during the reign of that monarch. It was, however, completed in the reign of Perses or Perseus, king of Macedonia, the last of the descendants of Achilles, whom Paulus Æmilius led in triumph. He may be called acides, as being descended from Achilles, the grandson of Eacus, by Olympias, the daughter of Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. He united the interests of northern Greece.

840. Ullus avos Troje: having avenged his ancestors of Troy. Temerata templa: the violated temple of Minerva. This alludes to the violence offered to it by Diomede and Ulysses, in taking away the Palladium.

841. Cato. There were two distinguished persons of this name. The one here spoken of is the Cato Major, sometimes called Cato Censorius, from his great gravity and strictness in the censorship. He lived to a very great age. He sprang from an obscure family; and, on account of his wisdom and prudence, was called Cato, from

calus, wise or prudent. The other Cato was his great grandson, and called Miner. He arrived at the prætorship. He subje gated Sardinia; and, in the year of Rome 560, obtained a triumph in Spain, where he acted as proconsul. He took part against Caesar, and, when he saw the republic was lost, slew himself. Cosse: Cornelius Cossus. He slew the king of the Veientes, and consecrated his spoils to Jupiter Feretris. These were the second spolia opima, since the building of Rome. He was afterward nominated dictator, and triumphed over the Volsci.

842. Genus Gracchi. Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus was the most distinguished of his family. He was appointed prete, and triumphed over the Celtiberi in Spain, destroying three hundred of their towns, in the year of Rome 576. He was twice co sul, and once censor. He married Cornelis, the daughter of Scipio Africanus. By her, among other children, he had the two fe mous brothers Tiberius and Caius. They were both appointed tribunes of the peoplest different times, and were the sincere adrecates of their rights. This excited the jeniomy of the senate, who raised a tumult, in which they both perished. The former in the your of Rome 621, and the latter in the year

843. Scipiadas. There were two Scipios Cornelius Scipio major, and Cornelius Sc pio minor. They were both surnamed ricanus. The latter was grandson of the former, and was adopted by Paulus Em lius, and to distinguish him from the forme he was called also Emilianus. They wer both distinguished men. At the age twenty-four, Scipio Major was appointed te command in Spain against the Carthag nians, whom he expelled from that country. He was afterward, anno urbis 549, smale consul. He passed over into Africa, where he defeated them again, and terminated the second Punic war, much to the advantage of the Romans. He obtained a triumph. anno urbis 553. Hence he was called an canus. Scipio Minor was appointed censal in 607. He took the department of Affio in the third Punic war, and entirely erase Carthage. He triumphed in 608. Hens also called Africanus. Duo fulmina boît two thunderbolts of war. They were called by Lucretius and Cicero...

844. Fabricium. Fabricius was raised from a low estate to the command of the Roman army. The Samnites and Pyrrhus both attempted to corrupt him with money; but he gave them to understand that Rome was not ambitious of gold, but gloried in commanding those who possessed it. He was twice consul, and twice he triumphed, Serrane: Quinctius Cincinnatus. He was twice dictator. At the age of eighty he was taken from his farm of four acres only, which he ploughed and sowed with his own hand. Whence he is called Serranus, from the verb sero. Florus calls him dictator ab

aratro.

845. Fabii. These were a noble family at Rome, of whom Quintius Fabius was the most distinguished. In the second Punic war Annibal reduced the Roman state

to the brink of ruin by two signal victories obtained over them, one at Trebia, the other at Trasimenus. In this state of things, Fabius was appointed dictator, and took the command of the army against the conqueror. By delaying to give him battle, by degrees he broke his power and compelled him to leave Italy. Cunciando restituis rem: by delaying you restore the state. He was honored with the surname of Maximus. He was five times consul, twice dictator, once censor, and twice he triumphed. 846. Rem: the state--the republic. Most copies have restituis, in the present; some restitues, in the future.

847. Alii excudent: others shall form with more delicacy the animated brass, &c. The Corinthians were famed for statuary; the Athenians for eloquence, and the Chaldeans and Egyptians for astronomy. These are the arts or sciences here alluded to. The Romans are advised to neglect them, or consider them of inferior importance to the art of war, to ruling the nations, and dictating the conditions of peace. It is well known

that for a long time the Romans paid little attention to the arts of civilized life; not until they had made themselves masters of Greece. Vivos: to the life. Era: statuas

ex ære.

849. Meatus cæli: nempe, cursus siderum. Radio: the radius was a stick or wand, used by the geomitricians to mark or describe their figures in the sand. Dicent: shall explain-treat of.

852. Morem: in the sense of legem, vel conditiones.

855. Marcellus ingreditur: Marcellus moves along, distinguished by triumphal spoils, &c. The spolia opima were those spoils which a Roman general took from the general of the enemy, whom he had slain with his own hand on the field of battle.

Such spoils Marcellus won from Viridomarus, the general of the Gauls. Tumultu. By tumultus here we are to understand a Gallic war, which broke out and threatened the peace of Italy. A civil war, or intestine commotion, was properly called tumultus. Majores nostri tumultum Italicum, quod erat domesticus; tumultum Gallicum, quòd erat Italiæ finitimus; præterea nullum tumultum nominabant, says Cicero. Marcellus was appointed to the command of the army, and wishing to attack the Gauls by surprise, or before they were prepared to receive him, he left his infantry behind, and proceeded with his cavalry, or horse, alone, because they could march with speed. Hence he is called here eques. Sistet: in the sense of firmabit.

859. Suspendetque tertia arma. The first spolia opima were offered to Jupiter Feretrius by Romulus, taken from Acron, king of the Caninenses. The second were offered by Cornelius Cossus, mentioned 841, supra. The third were taken, by Marcellus from Viridomarus. It is not certain who

magnam urbem

879. Non quisquam obvius tulisset se illi armato impunè, seu

we are to understand by Patri Quirino, to whom these spoils were to be suspended and offered. Nascimbenus explains Quirino by Marte, vel bello. He suspends to father Jove the spoils taken (capta) in battle. Servius, by Quirino understands Romulus. He suspends to father Romulus, &c. and produces a law of Numa which ordered the first spolia opima to be offered to Jupiter, the second to Mars, and the third to Romulus. But this law regarded those who might repeat the spolia opima. Rumus understands by Patri Quirino, Jupiter Feretrius, in the same manner as Janus is called Quirinus by Suetonius; because he presided over war, and because his temple was built by Romulus Quirinus. He thinks Jupiter Feretrius may be called Quirinus. Suspendet, &c. he shall suspend to father Jove the third triumphal spoils taken from the enemy. Marcellus was of a plebeian family, and was advanced to the consulship five times. In his third, he was sent to Sicily, where he distinguished himself in the defeat of Hannibal. He laid siege to Syracuse, and took it after he had been before it three years. It was nobly defended by the celebrated mathematician Archimedes, who repeatedly destroyed the fleet of the assailants by his machines and burning glasses. It was at last taken by stratagem, and Archimedes slain.

862. Parùm leta: in the sense of tristis. 863. Virum: M. Marcellus, the consul. 867. Ingressus: in the sense of cœpit. Obortis: gushing from his eyes.

869. Fata ostendent: the fates will only show him to the earth, &c. This is Marcus

866

870

875

890

Marcellus, the son of Caius Marcellus and Octavia, the sister of Augustus. He de signed him for his daughter Julia. When a boy, he adopted him as a son, and intenseed him for his successor in the empire. He died about the age of twenty years, at Bais. His body was carried to Rome, and cosumed to ashes in the campus Martius. The Romans were much affected at his loss, and made great lamentation over him. He wBE interred near the banks of the Tiber with great pomp. Propago: race-stock-ofspring.

871. Propria: lasting-permanent; that is, if Marcellus had been permitted to live.

872. Quantos gemitus ille: how great groans of men shall that Campus Martine send forth! Mavortis, gen. of Mavers, a name of Mars. Rome was sacred to Mars, as being the father both of Romulus and Remus. Aget: in the sense of emillet. ‚åd: in the sense of prope.

876. Tantùm spe. Some read, in tanim spem: others, in tanta spe. Heyne reads in tantum spe; so also Ruæus. But spe may be for spei, the gen. (as die is put for da. Geor. i. 208.) governed by tantum. The last I prefer.

878. Heu pietas! heu prisca fides! The poet here deplores the loss which virtue, integrity, and valor, sustained in him. Both Velleius and Seneca give young Marcellus a most excellent character.

880. Seu cùm pedes. The meaning is: whether, as a footman, he should rush agains the foe, or whether he should spur on his foaming steed to the attack.

881. Armos: in the sense of latera.

882. Aspera: in the sense of dura, vel crudelia. Plenis manibus: in full hands.

883. Marcellus eris. On hearing this line, it is said, Octavia fainted. The encomium which the poet passes upon this noble youth is esteemed one of the finest passages of the Eneid. Augustus was so much pleased with it when he heard Virgil read it, that he ordered a present to be given him of ten sestertia for every line, which is about seventyeight pounds sterling.

886. Munere: Rumus says officio.

887. Latis campis aëris. By this we are to understand the Elysian fields, so called; quia vacuum, et inanibus umbris habitatum; vel quia situm in aëreis pratis, says Ruæus. Heyne takes the words simply in the sense of locis caliginosis.

888. Per qua through all which things. Singula: properly, all taken separately and singly-all one by one. Venientis in the sense of futuræ.

890. Viro: Encas. Exin: (for exinde :) in the sense of tunc.

891. Laurentes. See En. vii, 63. 893. Gemina porta. This fiction is borrowed from the Odyss. lib. 19. The most probable conjecture why true dreams are said to pass through the horn gate, and false ones through the ivory gate, is, that horn is a fit emblem of truth, as being transparent and pervious to the sight, whereas ivory is impervious and impenetrable to it.

894. Umbris. Heyne takes this in the sense of somniis. Ruæus says figuris.

895. Perfecta: in the sense of facta est. 896. Manes: here the infernal gods. Ad cœlum: in the sense of ad homines, vel ad miperas auras.

897. Ubi. This is the common reading. Some copies have ibi. The sense is the same with either.

898. Prosequitur Anchises: Anchises accompanies Eneas and the Sibyl through the various parts of the infernal regions, and discourses with them as they pass along, till they arrive at the ivory gate, through which he dismisses them. Servius thinks that Virgil, by telling us that Eneas passed through the ivory gate, would have us believe all he had been here saying was fiction. But it is hardly to be imagined that so judicious a poet, by one dash of his pen would destroy the many fine compliments he had paid his prince and the whole Roman people, by informing them the whole was false. Mr. Davidson conjectures that Virgil had in view the Platonic philosophy. By emitting his hero through the ivory gate, through which lying dreams ascend to the earth, he might mean that thus far he had been admitted to see the naked truth-had the true system of nature laid open to his view, and the secrets. of futurity unveiled; but henceforth he was returning to his former state of darkness, ignorance, and error; and therefore he is sent forth from those regions of light and truth by the ivory gate, in company with lying dreams and mere shadows, which are to attend him through life. But, on the whole, as the poet hath concealed from us the reason of his hero's passing through the ivory gate, after all our conjectures on the subject, we may be as far as ever from the truth. Prosequitur: in the sense of alloquitur.

900. Fert se ad portum : he takes himself along the shore direct to the port, &c. Caïeta

was a promontory and town of the Ansones (hodie, Gaëta) a name derived from the nurse of Æneas, who died there. Some derive it from a Greek word, which signifies to burn, because the fleet of Eneas was

here burnt by the Trojan women, as some authors say. Litore: this is the commen reading, but Heyne reads limite in the sense of via, vel itinere.

Is this one of the books which Virgil read in the presence of Augustus and Octavia? What is the subject of it? What is the nature of it?

What, probably, suggested to the poet this fine episode?

Can you mention any others who, according to the poets, visited those regions?

What, probably, was the object of the poet in conducting his hero thither?

In what light does bishop Warburton consider this book?

Were these mysteries in great repute at one time in Greece?

Is there no difficulty in this interpretation?

What are the principal difficulties? Is it certain that Virgil was ever initiated into those mysteries?

If he had been acquainted with them, is it probable he would have divulged them? What does Heyne say upon this subject? At what place in Italy did Æneas land? Who founded the city of Cuma? What celebrated temple was there? By whom was it built? Who was Daedalus ? What is said of him?

Was there any curiously carved work upon the doors of this temple?

What was this sculpture designed to represent?

What was the residence of the Sibyl? By whose inspiration did she give prophetic responses?

What direction did she give Æneas in regard to his descent to the regions below? Where was this golden bough to be found? In what way did he find it?

To whom was the baugh considered saered?

Where does the poet represent the entrance to those regions?

What did Æneas and his guide do immediately preceding their descent?

What is the lake Avernus properly? Why was that thought to give admission to the regions of the dead?

From what circumstance did it receive the name of Avernus ?

What is its Greek name?

According to the poets, how many rivers watered the realms of Pluto?

What were their names?

Which one was said to flow around them nine times?

Why did the gods swear by the river Styx?

If they violated their oath, what was the penalty? Who was Charon?

What was his employment?

From what historical fact is this fable supposed to be derived?

On the approach of Eneas, what did the ferryman do?

What effect had the sight of the golden bough upon him?

What punishment had he received for carrying over Hercules?

Who was said to be the door keeper of Pluto's realms?

How many heads had Cerberus?

What did Hercules do to him?

What did the Sibyl do that he might per mit them to pass?

How many were represented as judges of the dead?

What were their names?

Who was Minos?

Who Radamanthus?
Who Eacus?

Why were they made judges of the dead? How was Minos employed, when Eness visited his court?

As he passed along, and viewed the van ous apartments, did he see Dido?

What effect had the sight of her upon him?
What is the nature of his address to ber?
What effect had it upon her?
Did Dido leave him abruptly?
Where did she go?

What passage of the Odyssey had Virgi here in view?

What was the conduct of Ajax? What does Longinus say of his silence? After this, to what place did he go? What was his object in visiting the court of Pluto?

Where did he see the place of punishment? What was the name of that place? What river surrounded it? What is the meaning of the word Phlege thon?

From what language is it derived?
From the palace of Pluto, where then did
Eneas and the Sibyl go?

Whom did they meet in the way?
What was the employment of Orpheus?
What poet was distinguished above all

the rest?

Why was no mention made of Homer? Who was Museus?

When did he flourish?

Are there any fragments of his poems en tant?