Pars epulis onerant mensas et plena reponunt 379.] The kindling of altars to the gods was part of a solemn banquet A. 1. 704. For ignibus' Med. a m. s. has ' pinguibus,' which Wagn. approves, regarding Panchaeis' as a substantive, on the analogy of the names of wines, ointments, &c., and questioning the Latinity of Panchaeis ignibus.' But this use of Panchaeis' would require something stronger than analogical confirmation, and there seems no reason why 'Panchaeis ignibus' may not stand for fire fed with Panchaean spices as well as "Herculeis ignibus," A. 8. 542, for fire on the altar of Hercules. Adolescunt:' this seems a solitary instance of 'adolescere' used in a sacrificial connexion. Whether it had really acquired the sense of adoleri' (see note on E. 8. 65), or whether its application here is a mere extension by Virgil of its ordinary meaning, advantage being taken of the similarity of the two words (see on 3. 560), is a question which it is perhaps impossible to settle. 380.] Carchesia,' A. 5. 77. "It was slightly contracted in the middle, and its two handles extended from the top to the bottom." See Dict. A. s. v., where authorities are referred to and a woodcut given. 'Maeonii,' Lydian, perhaps Tmolian (2. 98). 381.] The libation comes after the meal, A. 1. 723., 8. 274. 382.] Virgil translates Il. 14. 246, Ωκεανοῦ, ὅσπερ γένεσις πάντεσσι τέτυκTaι, giving the words however a physical sense found not in the original, which speaks of the mythological descent of the gods, but in later philosophy, such as that of Thales. Segaar and Royaards, who seem first to have adduced this passage from Hom., needlessly suppose Virgil to have misunderstood návrσo as if it were a neuter. The structure of the verse seems modelled on another line in the same episode, v. 201, Ὠκεανόν τε, θεῶν γένεσιν, Kai μηrépa TηOúv. There is something strange in the injunction to offer libation to the nymphs, addressed to one who had just been receiving quasi-menial ministra 380 385 tions from some of their number. It matters little whether we understand by sorores' sisters of Cyrene, as the nymphs have been apparently called vv. 351, 377, or simply a sisterhood, as in 2. 494, there being a further reference here to their relation to Oceanus. 383.] Servant' here combines the notion of tutelar presidency (1. 499) with that of constant tenancy (v. 459 below). 'Centum' can hardly be used for an indefinite number, as both the repetition of the word and the tone of the passage, which expresses solemnity of enumeration, such as was usual in prayer, show that the specification of the number is an important ritual point; but there was no occasion for Virgil to tie himself to any tradition fixing the number of Dryads or Naiads, except so far as it might happen to suit his purpose; so we need not be surprised that no evidence has been quoted to show that 100 was the recognized sum of either. Virgil is followed by Gratius (Cyn. 17), "tuo (Diana) comites sub nomine divae Centum omnes nemorum, centum de fontibus omnes." 384.] Wine was poured on the altar apparently towards the end of a sacrifice, partly, it would seem, with a view of quenching the fire (comp. "relliquias vino et bibulam lavere favillam," A. 6. 227, with Aesch. Αg. 597, θυηφάγον κοιμῶντες εὐώδη pλóya), but partly to create a momentary blaze, which was regarded as auspicious (Soph. Ant. 1006, E. 8. 106, &c.), a result also promoted by flinging incense on the fire (Ov. F. 1. 75 foll.). Emm. refers to Ov. Her. 13. 113, "Tura damus lacrimamque super: qua sparsa relucet, Ut solet affuso surgere flamma mero." Nectar,' of wine, E. 5. 71. Vesta,' of a sacrificial hearth, as Volcanus' of fire generally, a use of which no other instance has been found. 385.] For 'subiecta' Med. a m. pr. and Gud. have 'sublata,' while two MSS. have subvecta.' The latter variety has already met us 3. 241. Med. also has flammam' and' tectis.' Omine quo firmans animum sic incipit ipsa : Est in Carpathio Neptuni gurgite vates, 386.] Firmans animum' is explained 387-414.] She bade him go to Pallene with her, and find there Proteus, the prophetic old man of the sea, who would tell him the cause and cure of the evil, but only under the stress of persevering violence, as he would endeavour to elude the pressure by exercising his power of transforming himself into any kind of material form.' 387.] Cyrene's speech is imitated from two by Eidothea to Menelaus, Od. 4. 384 foll. It is difficult to see why Keightley should take 6 Neptuni' with 'vates,' as that would hardly be the rendering of the Homeric γέρων ἥλιος νημερτής, or even οἱ Ποσειδάωνος ὑποδμώς. 'Neptune's Carpathian gulf' is a natural expression in poetry for the Carpathian sea, even if we do not say that 'Neptuni' 'maris,' and the epithet Carpathio' properly belongs to it. The geography as usual is vague, the Carpathian sea being strictly between Rhodes and Crete. 388.] It is possible that here, as elsewhere where sea-gods are spoken of (e. g. Ov. M. 2. 8, "Caeruleos habet unda deos," and other instances in Forc.), 'caeruleus' may merely mean 'marinus.' In the postHomeric legends of Troy, Proteus is a king of Egypt, who detains Helen on her way to Troy (see Hdt. 2. 112 foll.). Taubmann collects a number of interpretations which have been placed on the story by various authors, ancient and modern, 390 Plato finding in the versatility of the old god an allegory of sophistry; Caesar Calcagninus, on the contrary, seeing in it the inscrutability of truth; Diodorus Siculus referring it to the changes in the shape of the diadem of the Egyptian kings; Lucian making him a stage-player; Melanchthon thinking of the self-transforming power of intelligence; Natalis de Comitibus of the operations of the atmosphere; while various unnamed writers talk of the manifoldness of nature, the ideal of the wise man, and the variety of garments worn by the countrymen of Proteus :-"tot autem fere allegorias huic figmento induerunt, quot Proteus ipse formas." 66 389.]"Eosdem et pisces et equos dicit" (Philarg.). Equi enim marini prima parte equi sunt, postrema resolvuntur in pisces" (Serv.). This accounts for 'bipedum;' but the hendiadys is rather a strange one. 'Metitur' is doubtless, as Heyne says, from the Homeric äλa μɛTOŃσares: but it receives force as applied to a sea-god from the contrast of the epithet inmensum mare,' well adduced by Cerda. · 390.] This points to a legend unknown to Homer, but referred to by Lycophron 115 foll., and variously given by Serv. and Philarg., one version being that Proteus fled from Egypt to escape from the tyranny of Busiris, and came to Pallene; another that he originally lived in Pallene, where he had a wife Torone, whence the name of the town, and two sons, Telegonus and Polygonus or Tmylus, who used to wrestle with and kill all comers, till at last they were themselves wrestled with and killed by Hercules, when Proteus in his grief removed to Egypt, through a sea-cavern made for the purpose by Neptune. 392.] Grandaevus Nereus,' frequently called yépov by Hom., e. g. Il. 1. 358. 393.] ὃς ἤδη τά τ' ἐόντα, τά τ ̓ ἐσσόμενα πρό τ ̓ ἐόντα (Il. 1. 70), of Calchas : a comprehensive conception of a prophet, which became afterwards narrowed to a simple knowledge of the future, as divination degenerated into a trick. Comp. Apollo's knowledge of the present as shown Quippe ita Neptuno visum est, inmania cuius in the answer of the Delphic oracle to Croe- 394.] Hom. does not say that Proteus owed this knowledge to Neptune; but Virgil may have been thinking again of Calchas, who received his prophetic power from Apollo, Il. 1. 72. 395.]The herds of the sea-god' is an expression found in the old Latin poets. Forb. comp. Liv. And. (fr. Aegisthus) v. 5, "lascivum Nerei simum pecus;" Pacuv. (fr. inc.) v. 408, "Nerei repandirostrum incurvicervicum pecus." 395 400 405 'Turpis,' 3. 52. 397.] It is not clear, and it does not much signify, whether eventus' is to be taken of what has happened or of what will happen, the expression in the one case being explained with Wund. "quae acciderunt mala in melius mutet," in the other with Keightley, "det eventus secundos." 399.] For 'flectes,' the reading of the best MSS., others have 'vinces,' which Burm. prefers; but Wagn. rightly urges that the concurrence of 'vinces... vim... vincula' would be an objection. 400.] Tende vim may be explained like tendere retia,' 'insidias,' or we may make 'vim et vincula' a hendiadys, though even then we should have to seek for some plausible explanation of the combination of the verb with the substantive, as such things are not effected arbitrarily. For vincula tende' see note on A. 2. 236. 'Circum haec' seems to give a sort of physical image, combined with frangentur.' Against these barriers his craft will break.' 'Inanes' with 'frangentur,' proleptic. 401.] In Od. 4. 407 Eidothea promises to conduct Ulysses to Proteus up' noì paiνομένηφιν. CO 402.] 'Cum sitiunt,' &c. is not ordinate with 'cum accenderit,' but defines and explains it, as if Virgil had said 'simul ac venerit tempus cum sitiunt.' The clause seems not very appropriate, being intended apparently to speak of the habits of land cattle as if they held equally good of the seals. 403.] Secreta,' the retreat, like "secreta Sibyllae " A. 6. 10, " Aeneae secreta 8. 463. Proteus is supposed to sleep at midday, like Silenus (E. 6. 14) or Pan (Theocr. 1. 17, Nemes. Ecl. 3. 3), as if they were earthly shepherds. Λέξεται ἐν μέσω oyoi, voμevc wc tweσɩ μýλwv, Od. 4. 413. 405.] Manibus vinclisque :' Hom. makes Tum variae eludent species atque ora ferarum. Videris, incepto tegeret cum lumina somno. 410 Haec ait, et liquidum ambrosiae diffundit odorem, 415 407.] In Hom. the transformations of Proteus are summed up hastily by Eidothea, enumerated in greater detail by Menelaus when they actually occur: in Virgil the manners of description are reversed. There is nothing unnatural in either course: Menelaus, in speaking of what he had actually gone through, would naturally be particular: Virgil has no such reason for detailing what actually happened to Aristaeus; while, independently of a desire for variety, he might think precision of detail especially suited to Cyrene's speech, as tending to reassure Aristaeus, who would wish to know all that was likely to happen. 'Sus horridus:' "horrens Arcadiae sus," Lucr. 5. 25, the bristled boar' of Gray. Hom. has μέyaç σuç. 'Atra,' which is designated by Heyne as mirum epitheton,' must be explained with him 'deadly.' See on 1. 129. There are, I believe, black tigers: but Virgil is not likely to have thought of them. Homer's beast is ópdaλiç. 408.] ἀλλ ̓ ἤτοι πρώτιστα λέων γένετ' hüyέvelos, Od. 4. 456. The lioness, Wagn. remarks, has no mane, so that Virgil in his love of poetical variety has lapsed into an error in natural history, besides the awkwardness of turning a god into a female animal. Val. Fl. 3. 740 talks of a lioness' mane. 409.] 0εomidaès Tup is mentioned by Eidothea among the shapes which her father assumes, but is not found among those enumerated by Menelaus. 410.] In aquas abibit,' like "fructus praediorum abeunt in sumptus," Cic. Att. 11. 2, though the image here seems purely physical. Tenuis,' 3. 335. The Homeric epithet is ὑγρόν. 412.] 'Contende tenacia vincla' is Virgil's equivalent for Homer's μᾶλλον πιέζειν. Serv. on v. 400 gives an allegorical explanation of the binding of Proteus, ending with these words: "unde sacerdotem hunc dicit posse vaticinari, et suscipere divinitatem, cum religata in eo fuerint ignea cupiditas, silvestris asperitas, lapsusque animi, aquarum mobilitati similis.” 413.] Eidothea tells Ulysses to loose Proteus ὅτε κεν δή σ' αὐτὸς ἀνείρηται ἐπέεσσιν, Τοῖος ἐών, οἷόν κε κατευνηθέντα ionoɛ. Ovid (M. 11. 253), in a passage which has been studied after Virgil and Hom., makes Proteus himself, "Carpathius medio de gurgite vates," give similar advice to Peleus about gaining possession of Thetis, "Nec te decipiat centum mentita figuras, Sed preme quidquid erit, dum quod fuit ante reformet.' At 415-452.] Having anointed him with ambrosia, she then took him to a sea-cave which Proteus haunted, and placed him in the shade, being herself invisible. mid-day Proteus came there from the sea, and having counted his seals, laid himself down, when Aristaeus rushed on him, and in spite of his transformations, succeeded in making him resume his natural shape. The old god asked why he had come. Aristaeus replied that there was no need to tell him what he knew already. Then Proteus at last began to tell him the cause of his trouble.' 415.] In this paragraph, as in the last, Virgil follows Homer, though with some variety in the circumstances. Menelaus has an application of ambrosia, not to his whole body, but to his nostrils, and that for a homely matter-of-fact reason, to overpower the smell of the sea-calves. In Virgil the object of the ambrosia seems to Quo totum nati corpus perduxit; at illi Atque habilis membris venit vigor. Est specus ingens Cogitur inque sinus scindit sese unda reductos, Intus se vasti Proteus tegit obiice saxi. Hic iuvenem in latebris aversum a lumine Nympha be to invigorate Aristaeus for his struggle. 416.] With 'quo totum nati corpus perduxit' comp. Pers. 2. 56, "auro sacras quod ovato perducis facies," cited by Taubmann. 417.] Conpositis' is not an ordinary epithet, but seems to imply that his hair was arranged at the time when the perfume was imparted, if not by the same process. 418.] Est specus ingens' probably imitated from Il. 13. 32, ἔστι δέ τι σπέος εὐρύ. 419.] 'Exesus' frequently occurs as a descriptive epithet of a cave. "Cyclopum exesa caminis Antra," A. 8. 418. Comp. v. 44 above. Quo' refers to 'specus,' as the waves flowing into the cove, would flow into the cave at the end of it. 420 425 420.] Sinus reductos' seems evidently to mean the depth of the bay, the plural perhaps denoting the various indentations. Scindit sese' then will be used as implying motion. This passage helps us to understand A. 1. 160 foll., where the present line is almost repeated: see the note there. 421.] The bay, like that in A. 1, 1. c., is from time to time (olim,' which may also be understood with Forb. from long time') used as a shelter for ships. Comp. A. 2. 23, "sinus, et statio male fida carinis." Deprensis' of men overtaken in a storm, A. 5. 52. So 'prensus' Hor. 2 Od. 16. 2. 422.] There is a rock in or near the entrance of the cave, behind which Proteus retires that he may sleep undisturbed. 'Tegit' expresses habit. The clause is introduced to complete the description and prepare us for what follows, while the mention of his concealment apparently accounts for the fact that the same place is a roadstead for ships and a retreat for the sea-god. 423.] Aristaeus is placed in a dark corner. 'A limine' is an ingenious variation in Gud. 424.]Resistit' may mean no more than stat;' but it seems possible that it may have the force of standing off,' with reference perhaps to the cloud into which Cyrene may be said to retire, just as A. 1. 588 it seems to mean 'stands out,' being applied to Aeneas emerging from the cloud. So where 'resto means to remain,' the sense seems to be that of independent standing. The early editions read 'recessit,' which however has scarcely any MS. support. 425.] In order that the mid-day heat may be intensified to the utmost, it is made to occur at the time of the domination of the dog-star. Rapidus,' E. 2. 10 note. 'Sitientis Indos' like "sitientis Afros" E. 1. 65. The Indians are here mentioned not of course as having any topographical |