484 frigidus, the emphatic position makes it predicative, 'should my heart's blood be too chill, and forbid me, &c.' It was a common notion that the heart was the seat of intelligence (cf. Latin words cordatus, 'prudent', excors, 'silly', and the wise consul Scip. Nasica called Corculum): but V. here is probably referring more specially to Empedocles' theory that the blood about the heart was the seat of the mind. Cic. Tusc. I. 9 Empedocles animum esse censet cordi suffusum sanguinem. 487. Spercheos, river in North Greece, watering the plain (just N. of Thermopylae) between M. Oeta and M. Othrys. bacchata, lit. 'revelled over', the deponent being used passive; cf. Aen. III. 125 bacchatam Naxon. virginibus is dat., see above, II. 16. 488. Taygeta, range of mountains W. of Laconia. Haemus, range in North Thrace, S. of Danube, G. I. 492. The love and longing for the country and beautiful scenery is genuine and deep in the poet's mind: but the names chosen are from places he had not seen they are literary. 490. qui, Lucretius: the poem entitled 'De rerum natura'. 6 491. V. is clearly thinking of Lucretius' great address to Epicurus, his master in philosophy, in his third book (13-30): Soon as thy teaching...has proclaimed the nature of things, the terrors of the mind are dispelled...On the other hand the regions of Acheron vanish...'. The Philosophy of Epicurus destroyed the fear of death. 494. Pan (notice Greek acc.), the Greek god of flocks and shepherds, inventor of the syrinx or pipe. Silvanus, the Latin god of fields and woods: later sometimes even identified with Pan. 495. fasces, the lictor's rods (sign of magistrate's authority), called populi because the people elected the magistrates. 497. The Dacians, a savage tribe N. of Danube, used constantly during the whole of Augustus' rule to cross the river and harry the borders of the Roman possessions in Thrace. Histro is the Danube. coniurato, a bold and picturesque personification. 498. peritura, 'doomed' realms: the subject races destined to fall before Rome. 499. Observe that 'pity for the poor' is one of the troubles from which the country life is free. A suggestive difference between the ancient and modern point of view. 501-2. tulere...carpsit...vidit, gnomic or habitual perfects, I. 49. The iron laws, the mad turmoil of the forum, the people's archives'. ferrea merely describes the stern rigidity of the courts: the simple gentle country life has nothing to do with such harsh things. 503-512. Description of men's various fatal follies and pursuits and wickedness opposed to the simple healthful energies and pure delights of the country. The whole passage is written in Vergil's most compressed and vivid and telling style. 504. fenetrant, press through to'. 505. petit, in its hostile sense: 'smites with havoc a city or hapless household, that he may drink from a jewelled cup or sleep on Tyrian purple'. 506. Sarranus; Sarra was the old name of Tyre. 508. 'One is rapt in amaze at (the glory of) the tribune'. rostra, orig. the stone stage in the forum (adorned with beaks (rostra) of ships taken from the Antiates B.C. 339), whence the orators addressed the comitia. So any platform. 508-10. 'Another, awe struck, is transported by the cheers from plebs and patres (peers and populace) echoing again and again along the benches'. 509. cunei are 'wedges' or blocks of seats in the theatre. enim, the old use of the word (not as usually giving the reason, but) simply an affirmative and emphasising enclitic. So Aen. VI. 317 Aeneas miratus enim, 'Aen. marvelled indeed': x. 874 Aen. adgnovit enim, 'Verily Aeneas knew him'. So in enim vero: and the affirmative use in comedy, Ego enim vocari iussi (I did send for you), enim me nominat ('pon my word he mentions my name). 514. Hence comes his year's work', i.e. the produce; a bold use, being a further extension of what we find e.g. A. VII. 248 Iliadum labor vestes, VI. 27 labor ille domus. So in English we speak of a man's work, meaning both the labour and the result of the labour. 516. nec requies quin: quin is due to the negative idea, 'no rest'. non cessat quin would be a more commonplace construction, and this is practically the same. Moreover the 'no rest' in thought extends beyond the quin-clause (which only has to do with the fruitful season) to the winter, &c. 'No respite: either with fruit, &c.' 517. merges, 'sheaf'. 518. oneret sulcos, when growing. horrea vincat, when reaped. 519. Sicyonia (literary or poetic epithet). Sicyon, in N. Peloponnese, famous for olives. trapeta (Greek word), 'oil press': though in Greek the work Tрanτns is an agent, masculine, and means 'grape treader', 'wine presser'. 519-22. Notice the picturesque rapidity of all this: giving the right suggestion, of cheerful energy and variety. 524. His pure house guards its chastity', poetic personification. 528. ignis, the altar in the open air. cratera coronant, crown the bowl' with flowers, Vergil means, which the Romans did at feasts: so cratera corona induit, A. III. 525: but he intends also to translate no doubt the common Homeric κoupo δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο, which however simply meant ‘flled not crowned'. 529. Lenaeus, common Greek name (from Aŋvós, ‘wine press') for Bacchus. 530. certamina, abstract ('contest') for the concrete 'mark' by a rather bold variation. He also at the same time after his manner works in the technical phrase certamina ponere, 'to appoint a contest'. 534 scilicet, 'doubtless', 'surely'. 536. Dictaei, 'Cretan', referring to the tale of Iuppiter being born in the cave of M. Dicte in Krete. Iuppiter succeeded Saturn who reigned in the Age of Gold in Latium. 537. The ox the friend of man was of old regarded as sacred: it was impious to kill him. race. 541. acquor is the 'plain': and the met. is clearly a chariot |