I wish it would fairly admit of his meaning; because otherwise the sense draws too far toward the extravagant; though not so much as Lucan's, in his storm, where he says, that their sails sometimes touched the clouds, and their keel the bottom of the sea: “Nubila tanguntur velis, et terra carinâ." Phars. V. 642. VER. 630-636. "Simul expletus dapibus, vinoque sepultus 66 "Ingens, quod torvâ solum sub fronte latebat.” *This is a very natural description, and well suited to such a brute as Polypheme; but would be too gross for the ears of a Queen, if we do not consider the story as related by Aeneas, "totidem verbis," from Achemenides. However, I think it was well that supper was over. VER. 682-688. "Praecipites metus acer agit quocunque rudentes "Excutere, et ventis intendere vela secundis. "Contrà, jussa monent Heleni Scyllam atque Charybdim "Inter utramque viam, leti discrimine parvo, "Ni teneant cursus: certum est dare lintea retro. "Ecce autem Boreas angusta à sede Pelori "Missus adest.". * Aeneas is here in such difficulty from the danger of being driven on Scylla and Charybdis to avoid the Cyclops, that methinks he seems somewhat embarrassed even in his account; till a northerly gale springs up, and sets him clear. AENEID THE FOURTH. VER. 24-27. "SED mihi vel tellus optem prius ima dehiscat; For the situation of Erebus in the supposed subterraneous world, and the propriety of Virgil's description of it in this line, see Pol. XVI. 4 and 13. + Prius, ver. 24, makes this Ante a needless, or rather a faulty, repetition.-It was probably, according to Markland' conjecture, SANTE, or SANCTE PUDOR, in the old manuscript. VER. 40, 41. "Hinc Getulae urbes, genus insuperabile bello, * Infraeni here is very improperly interpreted Indomiti, by Ruaeus. Virgil certainly means their governing their horses without a bridle, by a wand only. See Lucan, lib. IV. "Gens fraenorum nescia," etc. Martial, lib. IX. Ep. xxiii. "Et Massylaeum virga gubernet equum." Claudian, De bello Gildon. Silius Italicus describes this horsemanship of the Numidae most particularly: "Hic passim exultant Numidae, gens inscia fraeni; "Queis inter geminas per ludum mobilis aures "Quadrupedem flectit non cedens virga lupatis." Lib. I. 215. VER. 120-122. "His ego nigrantem commista grandine nimbum, 66 That Juno and Minerva shared the high privilege of managing the thunder, with Jupiter, is proved at large in Pol. VI. 80. 66 VER. 141-150. Ipse ante alios † pulcherrimus omnes Virgil, in speaking of Aeneas, has often an eye toward Augustus: how particularly so in this comparison of Aeneas to Apollo, see Pol. VIII. 1, and 10 to 22.-The Apollo here described has a great resemblance to the famous Belvedere Apollo. Ib. 23. 66 66 VER. 165. "Speluncam Dido †, dux et Trojanus eandem "Deveniunt.' + Mr. Addison used to observe," that Virgil was more judi"cious in the use of his epithets than Homer. Homer's usual epithet for his hero (said he) is Todas wnus, or пodaguns; and " is used by him of Achilles whether he is fighting, standing, "sitting, or lying down. Virgil's most common epithet for his "hero, is Pius, or Pater; and I have considered what passage "there is in any part of the Aeneid, where either of these appellations would be the most improper for him: and this, I "think, is his meeting with Dido in the cave; where Pius "Aeneas would have been absurd, and Pater Aeneas a burlesque. The Poet has therefore judiciously dropped them "both for Dux Trojanus: which he has repeated twice; in "Juno's speech, and in his own narration: for he very well "knew, a loose action might be consistent enough with the "usual manners of a soldier; though it became neither the chastity of a pious man, nor the gravity of the father of a people." From the Tatler, N°. VI. It was this observation of his, which he had communicated before to his school-fellow Steel, which discovered to the former who was the author of the Tatlers; and, in about half a year after, engaged him to join in the work: and so, at the long run, was the occasion of all his fine Spectators, etc. 66 66 VER. 181-183. "Monstrum horrendum, ingens; cui quot sunt corpore plumae, "Tot vigiles oculi subter (mirabile dictu), "Tot linguae, totidem ora sonant, tot subrigit aures." In Pol. (pl. XXIX.) is a figure of Fame, the under side of whose wings is all studded with eyes.I am apt to imagine, that some of the lower painters of old used to represent Fame (as some of the moderns have done of late) with eyes and ears all over her body; even to her fingers' ends: for which, in particular, Lucian seems to ridicule them in the following passage. Πολυωλον σεαυτον αναπέφηνας, τοσαύτα ακηκοως· ὡς και καλα το τερα Ίωδες, και δια των ονύχων ηκηκοεις. Tom. II. p. 756. ed. Blaeu. Lucian here calls Fame, To repalades, as Virgil calls her Monstrum. VER. 246, 247. 66 Jamque volans apicem et latera ardua cernit "Atlantis duri, caelum qui † vertice fulcit." In another place Virgil says, that he supports it with his shoulder (Aen. VIII. 137.); and Ovid says in one place, he supports it with his shoulders (Fast. V. 169.); and in another, with his neck (Met. VI. 175.) These seeming contrarieties are reconciled by the Farnese Atlas: in which figure he is represented as supporting the globe of the heavens, at the same time, with his head, neck, and shoulders. See Pol. pl. XXXIV. VER. 345-361. "Italiam magnam Grynaeus Apollo, "Italiam Lyciae † jussere capessere sortes: x. T. λ. † Aeneas's reason for leaving Dido is the very strongest that could have been given, to an Heathen. "He had repeated "commands from the Gods to leave her; and therefore could "not stay." The reason why it sounds so weak to many of the modern critics must be; either from those who were then looked upon as Gods being now seen in a ridiculous light; or from our critics. not having so strong a notion of the interposition of Providence as the Heathens had. I do not remember that any one of these critics has ever observed that this speech is left unfinished by Virgil: and yet a good-natured critic, that was not satisfied with the reasons given, might well say, "that Virgil probably had others in re"serve, had he lived to complete his work.' VER. 402 405. "Ac veluti ingentem formicae farris acervum * Jodicus Badius Ascensius, in his notes on Horace, lib. I. Sat. vii. observes, that this verse is taken from Ennius, who speaks it de Barris, i. e. Nigris Elephantis; from whence Virgil very beautifully applies it to ants. VER. 435-440. "Extremam hanc ora veniam; miserere sororis : 1 "Quam mihi cum dederit, cumulatum *' morte remittam. "Talibus orabat, talesque miserrima fletus "Fertque refertque soror: sed nullis ille movetur "Fletibus, aut voces ullas tractabilis audit. “Fata obstant: ** placidasque viri Deus obstruit aures.' *Quaer. If this must not be supposed to be spoken aside, so as not to be overheard by her sister? Otherwise it contradicts what follows. ** Aeneas in his speech to Dido's shade, lib. VI. 460, speaks. to the same purpose, and owns that he loved her: "Invitus, Regina, tuo de littore cessi:” etc. And Anchises's ghost declares as much to Aeneas: "Quàm metui, ne quid Libyae tibi regna nocerent!" The greatest souls are subject to this passion. VER. 509-511. Lib. VI. 694. "Stant arae circum: et crines effusa sacerdos "Ora vides Hecates, in tres vertentia partes.' "Diana interim est altè succincta, venatrix; et Ephesia, "mammis multis, et veribus extructa; et Trivia, multis capiti"bus et multis manibus horrifica." Minutius Felix, § XXI. p. 108. ed. Davis. |