[225] Heins. restored ‘in,’ which had been omitted before ‘flagrante.’ It is found in all Ribbeck's MSS.
226. ‘Super,’ to crown the whole. Serv. mentions a variant ‘magni,’ which is found in one of Pierius' MSS., evidently from 8. 9. Here the rhythm is against it.[227] Nihil agere is a phrase. Vell. 2. 66, “Nihil tamen egisti, M. Antoni, . . mercedem caelestissimi oris et clarissimi capitis abscisi numerando” (on the death of Cicero).
[228] Tantorum operum = “tantae operae.” Forb. refers to the phrase “tanto opere.” ‘Dona’ are mentioned here for the first time, agreeably with Virgil's indirect mode of narration.
[230] Petendum Med. a m. s., two of Ribbeck's cursives, Serv., ‘petendam’ Rom., Pal., Med. a m. p., Gud. The authority of Serv. is supported by Rufinianus and another grammarian (the anonymous author of a treatise “de verbo”): ‘petendam,’ on the other hand, is likely to have been introduced by transcribers. Serv. cites Lucr. 1.111, “Aeternas quoniam poenas in morte timendum.” See Madv. § 421, obs. 2. b. Rom. has ‘a rege.’
[231] Deficit, as we should say, is prostrated. “Ne una plaga accepta patres conscripti conciderent, ne deficerent,” Cic. Att. 1. 16.
[232] Numine of the indication of Heaven's will, 2. 336. ‘Ferre’ of fate, 2. 34. ‘Fatalem’ with ‘ferri.’
[233] Ira deum is explained by ‘tumulique’ &c., though the ill success of the mission to Diomede may have been regarded as part of the wrathful manifestation.
[234] Comp. Il. 18. 245 foll., where the Trojans call a council after they have been frightened by the appearance of Achilles; a council in which Polydamas plays a somewhat similar part to that which Virg. assigns to Drances. ‘Concilium magnum’ seems to be explained by ‘primosque suorum,’ so that it was not a popular assembly, but a meeting of the senate: comp. “curia” v. 380. ‘Magnum’ then must refer to solemnity, not to size.
[235] The place to which the senate is summoned is probably, as Serv. thinks, that mentioned 7. 170 foll., and called “Laurentis regia Pici,” which would agree with “regia tecta” here. Rom. has ‘moenia’ for ‘limina.’ ‘Concilium cogit’ below, vv. 304, 460. ‘Inperio,’ by his command, he being the chief magistrate.
[236] Fluunt Rom., Gud., and virtually Pal., ‘ruunt’ Med. ‘Fluunt’ expresses numbers where ‘ruunt’ would express eagerness, and so seems preferable. Wagn. comp. 12. 443, “omnisque relictis Turba fluit castris.” ‘Plenis viis,’ so as to flood the streets, as if it had been “oppletis viis,” though it may be a local abl.
[237] Maxumus aevo like “maxuma natu” 5. 644. Latinus doubtless occupied his place in the senate not by seniority, but by virtue of his office: but Virg. has chosen to express himself as if the two qualifications concurred. An old reading before Pierius gave ‘rex’ for ‘et.’
[238] Primus sceptris i. q. “primus potestate,” with reference, not, as Heyne thinks, to other confederate kings, but to the whole body of the senate. “Frons laeta parum” 6. 862.
[239] Aetola ex urbe like “Aetolis ab Arpis” 10. 28. ‘Remissos,’ sent back by Diomede. ‘Hic’ seems to be the adv., not, as Wagn. thinks, the pronoun. Comp. 6. 494, 860. Here, as in the latter passage, it denotes time, not place.
[240] Responsa, the reply of Diomede, v. 294 below. These Latinus demands to have given formally and in detail.
[241] “Tum facta silentia tectis” 1. 730. ‘Linguis’ however is not constructed like “tectis,” but is either dat. (comp. Pers. 4. 7, “calidae fecisse silentia turbae”) or abl. instr.
[242] “Dicto parens” 1. 695. ‘Infit’ 5. 708 note. The construction with inf., though not used elsewhere by Virg., occurs repeatedly in Plaut. and twice in Lucr.: see Forc.
[243-295] ‘Diomede warned the ambassadors by his example and that of the other Greeks, and advised them to conciliate Aeneas, whose prowess he extolled.’
