[356] Dies alterque dies would strictly denote that two days had passed; but we need not limit the poet so exactly. So “unus et alter.” ‘Aurae vela vocant:’ the wind is favourable, while the ships are lingering. In 4. 417, as Gossrau remarks, we have the opposite image, “vocat iam carbasus auras,” where the ships are ready.
[358] For the connexion between this and the previous lines see on 2. 134. ‘Adgredior dictis’ 4. 476.
[359] Troiugena, like “Graiugena,” is a Lucretian word (Lucr. 1.465). Comp. also the prophecy of Martius, Livy 25. 12, “Amnem Troiugena Cannam Romane fuge; ne te alienigenae cogant in campo Diomedis conserere manus,” and Catull. 62 (64). 355. Here, as Donatus says “plurimum dat ei generi, ex quo fuit etiam ipse qui laudabat.”
[360] Sentis, as we should say, ‘whose senses are alive to.’ These supernatural facts were as open to Helenus as the common facts of sense to ordinary men. The enumeration ‘tripodas, Clarii laurus’ may remind us of v. 91 above, as the passage generally resembles 10. 174 foll. Here, as there, astrology is made part of divination —a notion much later than the Homeric times. Apollo is called “Clarius” from his temple at Claros near Colophon, where oracles were given as late as the time of Germanicus, who is said to have received there an ambiguous presage of the fate awaiting him (Tac. A. 2. 54). ‘Clari,’ the reading of Pal., Med. a m. pr., &c., would be unmetrical. ‘Laurus’ Med. a m. pr., Pal., ‘lauros’ Med. a m. s. &c. See on E. 6. 83.
[361] ‘Volucrum linguas’ and ‘praepetis omina pennae’ refer to the two modes of divination, from the note and from the flight of birds. ‘Praepes’ is an augurial term, variously explained (see Forc.), though authorities seem agreed that the appearance designated by it was a favourable one.
[362] “Hypallage: nam non omnem cursum prospera dixit religio, sed omnis religio dixit prosperum cursum.” Serv. There is another reading ‘omnis,’ found in Pal. and Gud. a m. pr., and adopted by Ribbeck; but Virg. probably chose to vary the expression in the two clauses, saying in the first that there were favourable prognostics of the whole of Aeneas' voyage, in the second that the divine voices were unanimous in favour of his journeying to Italy.
[363] Religio is used of a divine presence or utterance Phaedrus 4. 11. 4, “Repente vocem sancta misit religio.” ‘Numen’ of the expression of the divine will 2. 123 note.
[364] Repostas i. q. ‘remotas:’ “penitusque repostas Massylum gentis” 6. 59.
[365] Nefas must be understood as = “nefandum,” ‘dictuque nefas’ being coupled with ‘novum’ as an epithet of ‘prodigium,’ though no instance is quoted of this adjectival use. Wagn.'s proposal to make ‘dictuque nefas’ parenthetical fails on account of the ‘que,’ to which such passages as v. 615 below furnish no parallel; indeed, its author seems to abandon it in his smaller edition.
[366] Prodigium, like ‘monstrum’ (from which the grammarians attempted to distinguish it: see Serv.), seems to be used of anything contrary to ordinary experience, and consequently attributable to supernatural interposition. So here it is applied to an event which seemed as if it could not happen under ordinary conditions.
[367] ‘Obscenus’ is used of revolting food Pliny 10. 29. For the present indicative ‘vito’ see on v. 88. ‘Vito’ in fact is explained by ‘prima.’ He puts the question directly instead of making it depend on ‘fare age,’ perhaps on account of the length of the intervening parenthesis.
[368] Tantos: “quantos Harpyia praedixerat,” Serv. It seems better to take it ‘those many hardships which such a voyage must involve.’ From the encouragement of the gods he inferred that the difficulties could be surmounted in some way or other. ‘Possim’ might be explained as a return to the indirect question (comp. Pers. 3. 67 foll.): but it seems better to regard it as depending on ‘sequens,’ which may be resolved into ‘si sequar.’
[369] I have removed the commas which are generally placed after ‘Heienus’ and ‘iuvencis,’ as “deinde” v. 373 shows that ‘primum’ is not confined to ‘caesis iuvencis,’ but belongs to the whole sentence down to the end of v. 372. ‘Hic’ of time 1. 728, ‘de more’ v. 65. Victims are sacrificed before consulting the oracle, as in 6. 38.
[370] Pacem above v. 261. ‘Vittasque resolvit;’ this action of Helenus is apparently to be paralleled by such passages as Tibull. 2. 5. 66, Ov. F. 1. 503, the unbinding of the hair being in keeping with the abnormal physical condition of those who are about to be made subjects of the divine afflatus. Thus we may comp. the Sibyl 6. 48, and even the frantic action of Cassandra Aesch. Ag. 1264 foll. Helenus however seems to have performed the action gravely and deliberately. Serv. has a mystical interpretation to the effect that unbinding the head is supposed to free the mind, and so make it susceptible of divine communications.
[371] The sacrifice seems to have been made elsewhere, not in the temple itself, unless we take ‘limina’ of the adytum, or suppose a ὕστερον πρότερον.
[372] Ipse manu G. 4. 329 &c. ‘Multo numine’ is the presence of the god, which fills the temple and takes possession of the mind of the worshipper. Comp. 9. 336, “multoque iacebat Membra deo victus.” ‘Suspensum,’ αἰωρηθέντα, bewildered. Serv, mentions another reading ‘suspensus.’
[373] Helenus is priest as well as prophet. ‘Divino:’ “quia divina canit,” Donatus. See Forc.
[374-462] ‘He told me that my home in Italy was not so near as I thought, the neighbouring coast being occupied by Grecian settlements. I was to sail round by Sicily, and the sign of my home was to be the appearance of a white sow with thirty young ones on a river's bank. In sailing by Sicily I was to avoid the passage by Scylla and Charybdis, for fear of destruction, and go round by Pachynus. Special care was to be taken to propitiate Juno. Arrived in Italy, I was to go to Cumae and consult the Sibyl, who would tell me all about my future conflicts with the Italian nations in establishing my kingdom.’
