[525] Liquidis in nubibus is a sort of epexegesis of ‘volans’—in its flight, in the sky. Henry complains of other editors, who, from Serv. downwards, say that ‘nubibus’ = ‘aere,’ understanding the words himself of the untroubled clouds of a sunny sky as opposed to the turbid clouds of wintry weather. But vv. 512, 516 seem to show that Virg. had no such notion definitely before his mind, if indeed he did not mean expressly to exclude it. Here as in 7. 699 (referred to by Forb.), “liquida inter nubila” (if the reading is certain), I take ‘liquidus’ to be used not of a clear sky as opposed to clouds, or of one kind of cloud as distinguished from another, but generally of clouds as opposed to solid matter like earth.
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John Conington. P. Vergili Maronis opera. P. Vergili Maronis Opera. The works of Virgil, with a Commentary by John Conington, M.A. Late Corpus Professor of Latin in the University of Oxford. London. Whittaker and Co., Ave Maria Lane. 1876.
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