[136] Heyne altered the pointing, ‘dum vela, darent si forte, dedissent,’ but the order of the words and the rhythm of the line are so strongly against him, that the poet would in that case have been guilty of an inexcusable ambiguity. ‘Dum vela darent’ is ‘while they might be setting sail,’ to give them time to set sail, the subj. being used to show the logical relation of the clause to the verb preceding it. See note on G. 4. 457. ‘Si forte dedissent’ cannot stand, as Wagn. supposes, for “si forte daturi essent.” The explanation of other passages to which he applies his hypothesis has been given on v. 94. ‘Si forte tulisset,’ v. 756, suggests a better interpretation, in the hope, or on the peradventure that they would have sailed, of which of course there would be a doubt, as the necessary condition had not been fulfilled. An inconsistency will still remain between ‘darent’ and ‘dedissent,’ the one implying that Sinon waited while they were getting off, the other that he trusted to their having got off before his waiting was over; but this is hardly an objection, if indeed the confusion might not be said to have a dramatic propriety. Virg. probably thought of Il. 2. 794, δέγμενος ὁππότε ναῦφιν ἀφορμηθεῖεν Ἀχαιοί.
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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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