4; G. 230; H. 533, 1 (467, 2); H.-B. 485 and 481. — turbida, gloomy: the opposite of liquida, bright and clear; cf. Job x. 21, 22. 536. medium axem : a night appears to have been spent in the preliminary sacrifices, and it is now past noon of the next day. 537. traherent: for tense see § 517, a (308, a); B. 304, 2; G. 597, R.1; H. 579, I (510, N.2); H.-B. 518, b. The construction changes at sed, and so no formal protasis appears. 540. via findit, etc.: the two regions are the inner courts of the under-world, the proper places of reward and punishment; but why the shades previously mentioned should be excluded does not appear. Probably there is a mixture of different ideas, the earlier conception of the under-world and that associated with the Eleusinian mysteries (cf. introductory note to book vi). 541. dextera: sc. est. 542. Elysium: accus. of end of motion, after iter [est]. 543. exercet poenas, inflicts the doom: i.e. by sending them to Tartarus (which is expressed in the coördinate clause mittit, etc.). 545. explebo numerum: i.e. of the shades (by returning to my place among them). 548. respicit, looks off (i.e. away from where he stands; not looks back). The 549. moenia, a fortress or vast castle used as a dungeon, to which Phlegethon, the river "blazing with flame," serves as a moat. image is drawn from a torrent of lava. 552-554. Cf. Crashaw, Suspicion of Herod, i. 39: The adamantine doors forever stand The walls' inexorable steel no hand Of time or teeth of hungry ruin fears. 553. bello: i.e. with the engines of war. 554. ferrea turris, a tower or "keep" of steel, rising high in the midst. 566. Rhadamanthus: like Minos, he was a famous Cretan hero, said to have been made a judge in the world below. Here he appears in the character of a Roman quaesitor parracidii, trying greater offenders than those who come before Minos. The criminals are supposed to have contrived to conceal their guilt during life (furto laetatus inani). 567. castigat, audit, subigit: the famous hysteron proteron in this passage is a fiction of grammarians (cf. note on ii. 353); castigo cannot refer to punishment, but must refer to the upbraiding, menacing language of the judge, which was perhaps accompanied with torture (subigitque fateri). dolos, dark ways. : 568. quis indef. — quae commissa piacula, the committed guilt, which, equivalent to commissa quorum piacula. 569. distulit in seram mortem, has deferred [the expiation of] till death - too late, since the expiation must now be in the other world. 570. sontes: obj. of insultans; § 367, b (227, b); G. 346, N.2; H. 429, 4 (386, 4); H.-B. 364, 5. 571. Tisiphone: the eldest of the Furies, who opens the awful doors (sacrae portae). Dante (Inferno, ix. 46 ff.) assigns her, with her sisters Megæra and Allecto, to the sixth circle of his Hell. 573. horrisono cardine: cf. Milton's celebrated imitation, Paradise Lost, ii. 879-882: On a sudden open fly, With impetuous recoil and jarring sound, Th' infernal doors, and on their hinges grate Harsh thunder. 574. custodia: Tisiphone; within is the Hydra, fiercer than she; and still beyond, Tartarus itself, more dreadful than either. 576. hiatibus: the gaping jaws of the several heads. 578. bis patet: cf. iv. 445, 446. 579. suspectus ad Olympum, the upward look to Olympus. 580. pubes: the Titans, sons of earth who warred with the gods. 582. Aloidas, sons of Aloeus, - Otus and Ephialtes, who put Mars in chains (Il. v. 385-387; Bry. 476). 585. Salmonea: king of Elis, brother of Sisyphus, who contemptuously imitated the thunder and lightning of Jupiter.— dantem: see note to ii. 103. 586. dum imitatur = imitantem, i.e. punished for imitating the thunders of Jupiter (so qui . . . simularet below): cf. § 492 (290, c) ; G. 570, N.2; H. 640, 5 (550, N.5); H.-B. 602, 2. 588. per Elidis urbem: i.e. Olympia, built in especial honor of Zeus ; thus the affront was increased. 591. aere, either a brazen chariot, as was that of Salmoneus, driven over a bridge, or vessels of “sounding brass."— simularet : § 535, ← (320, e); B. 283, 3; G. 633; H. 598 (517); H.-B. 523. Cf. Dryden, Astræa Redux, vv. 197-198: Which durst with horses' hoofs that beat the ground And martial brass belie the thunder's sound. 593. non ille faces, etc.: his was no mere imitation of thunder and lightning. 594. immani turbine: i.e. the mighty whirling thunderbolt (cf. the "wind" of a shot, and see Vocabulary). 596. cernere erat=one might see, by a common Greek construction. - iugera, the iugerum was about half an acre (240 feet by 120). 598. iecur the liver, as the supposed seat of lust, is fitly the organ attacked; compare the punishment of Prometheus. fecunda poenis (dat.), fertile for torture. 599. rimatur epulis (dat. akin to end of motion), tears at his banquet. Cf. George Peele, Battle of Alcazar, iv. 2: Racked let him be in proud Ixion's wheel, Pined let him be with Tantalus' endless thirst, Prey let him be to Tityus' greedy bird, Wearied with Sisyphus' immortal toil. 603. genialibus toris, banqueting-couches, especially those set for the birthday festival. 604. fulcra, props or supports (gold-footed frames for couches). 606. manibus, with contingere. Fill high the sparkling bowl, The rich repast prepare, Reft of a crown, he yet may share the feast: Close by the regal chair Fell Thirst and Famine scowl A baleful smile upon their baffled guest. GRAY, The Bard, vv. 77-82. 608. hic quibus, here [are they] to whom, etc. invisi fratres : like Atreus and Thyestes. 609. pulsatus parens: the act of striking a parent was regarded with peculiar horror. nexit, contrived (lit. wove a web of fraud). — clienti : the client had a certain sacred claim to the protection of his patronus; see note to Cic. Rosc. Am. § 4; Cat. iv. 23. 610. qui . . . repertis: those who have found a treasure, and kept it all to their selfish use, - a type of all who are greedy of gain. 612. arma impia : i.e. civil war. 613. dextras: the pledge of the right hand, referring to servile insurrection; cf. fallere numen, v. 324. 615. poenam : sc. exspectent. 616. saxum, etc.: an illusion to Sisyphus (see Fig., p. 175). Cf. Thomson, Castle of Indolence, i. 12: Come, ye who still the cumbrous load of life Push hard up hill, but as the furthest steep You trust to gain, and put an end to strife, Down thunders back the stone with mighty sweep, And hurls your labors to the valley deep. 617. districti: fastened with their limbs strained apart, monly reported punishment of Ixion (see Fig., p. 175). the com 618. Theseus, punished for his crime in attempting to carry off Proserpine; Phlegyas, son of Ares, and founder of a robber community, the Phlegyæ. His crime was that he burned the temple of Apollo at Delphi. 621. vendidit imposuit: these were the special crimes of a period of civil war, such as Rome had just passed through. 622. fixit, refixit: laws were published by being posted up on brazen tablets, and when repealed were taken down again. Cf. Landor, Gebir, iii. 228, 229: Here are discover'd those who tortur'd law To silence or to speech, as pleas'd themselves. 625. sint: equivalent to a present condition contrary to fact. For tense see note on v. 294. 630. Cyclopum educta caminis (abl. of separation): i.e. wrought at the forges of the Cyclops. The walls of Pluto were supposed to have been built of iron or steel. 631. adverso fornice (abl. of quality), with their arch in front of me. 632. praecepta, the instructions given by the gods. 635. corpus spargit: the water stands ready for ceremonial purification, as in the vestibule of a temple. 640. largior aether: i.e. not closed in by the denser clouds and exhalations of the earth. Cf. Milton, Comus, vv. 4-6: In region's mild of calm and serene air, Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot, Which men call earth. -et: connecting irregularly the two ideas of freedom and brilliancy. — lumine purpureo, glowing light. 642-647. Imitated by Milton in his account of the fallen angels in hell, Paradise Lost, ii. 528 ff.: Part on the plain, or in the air sublime As at the Olympian games or Pythian fields; Others more mild, Retreated in a silent valley, sing With notes angelical to many a harp 645. Threïcius sacerdos: Orpheus, "the Thracian bard" (Paradise Lost, vii. 34), the mythic father of song and institutor of the Orphic mysteries. - longa: as a priest. 646. obloquitur: cf. Hamlet, iii. 2. 374: "discourse most eloquent music." — numeris septem (dat.), the seven tones of the scale as played on the lyre. — discrimina vocum, the notes of the voice. 647. eadem: grammatically referring to discrimina, but really referring to the tune as a whole as both played and sung. - pectine: so called because inserted among the strings of the harp like the "comb " among the threads of the loom. 648. Teucri: see Table, p. 190. 651. arma . . . inanes, he gazes from afar upon the phantom arms and chariots of the heroes. 653. gratia, fondness for.657. choro: abl. of manner. currum (obj. gen. contracted). 658. superne volvitur, flows in the world above. was held to have its rise in the infernal regions. it flows underground for about two miles. The Eridanus (Po) In fact, near its source 660. manus ... passi: § 286, b (187, d); B. 235, B, 2, c; G. 211, R.1, exc. a; H. 389, 1 (461, 1); H.-B. 325. Cf. i. 212. 663. vitam excoluere, etc.: as we should say, adorned or ennobled human life by skilful inventions. - inventas: § 497 (292, a); B. 337, 5; G. 325, R.3; H. 636, 4 (549, N.2); H.-B. 333. Cf. Pope, Temple of Fame, vv. 70, 71: Or worthies old, whom arts or arms adorn, 664. qui... merendo: a general phrase for the benefactors of mankind. 665. vitta: i.e. as if victors in the games. 667. Musaeum: selected as being the mythical father of poets (so Milton, Il Penseroso, v. 104). - nam : introducing the reason why the priestess addressed him particularly; the respect in which he is held indicates a corresponding distinction. 668. umeris: abl. of manner, not degree of difference. 670. illius: § 359, b (223, e); G. 373; H. 446, 5 (398, 5); H.-B. 339, d. 672. atque, and at once. 676. sistam: Museus is to leave them when they have passed the ridge and the way is in sight. 680. ituras: the doctrine of metempsychosis, here hinted at, is further developed later. |
