[435] Orsa: passive, 10. 632, here used strangely for “verba quae orsus est.” Val. Fl. 5. 470 has the same use, doubtless imitating Virg. ‘Vatem:’ she is prophetess as well as priestess, and it is in her prophetic capacity that he ridicules her.
[436] Undam: fragm. Vat., Med. &c., ‘alveo’ Rom., supported by some other MSS. and a variant in Gud. Heins. restored the latter: but it seems to have been introduced from v. 303 above. ‘Invectus’ with acc. occurs 8. 714. Wagn. recalled ‘undam,’ and Ribbeck retains it. ‘Unda’ and ‘undas’ are also found.
[437] Nuntius with an object clause 6. 456. It may here he news, not a messenger: but see on 4. 237. ‘Effugit’ like “fugit” G. 2. 265. It is common in prose: see Freund. So we talk of a thing escaping a person, whether he has not heard it, or has heard and forgotten it.
[438] Metus, referring to v. 421—424. ‘Mihi’ is probably the dat. eth. “Regia Iuno” 4. 114., 10. 62.
[440] “Sed mihi tarda gelu saeclisque effeta senectus” &c. 8. 508. The connexion is ‘Do not conjure up these fears: Juno will not suffer this to befall me: it is but the wandering of your dotage.’ ‘Situs’ seems to denote all overgrowth or incrustation arising from long neglect, especially that on untilled fields (see on G. 1. 72); and here metaphorically the dulness which comes over the senses in an inactive old age. Ovid uses the word absolutely for old age M. 7. 302, “demptos Aesonis esse situs.” ‘Victa situ’ is not unlike “pulvere victa” G. 1. 180. ‘Veri effeta’ like “steriles veri” Pers. 5. 75. So “veri vana” 10. 630. ‘Effetus’ is applied to exhausted land G. 1. 81; and is perhaps a metaphor of the same kind as ‘situ.’ But it may equally well refer to the exhaustion of the body in old age, Turnus telling her that she is enfeebled in mind as in body, in opposition to the common sentiment which contrasts the failure of bodily powers in the old with their increase in foresight.
[441, 442] “Exercita curis” 5. 779. ‘Arma regum inter’ among visions of warring kings. The words are not to be interpreted, as Forb. thinks, by what follows, “ergo in rebus quae regibus curandae sunt, non tibi.” ‘Ludit vatem,’ deceives you as a prophetess, mocks your power of foresight. With the position of ‘inter’ comp. G. 2. 345.
[443] “Effigies divom” 3. 148. Comp. the word “aedituus.”
[444] Πόλεμος δ᾽ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει, Il. 6. 492., 20. 137 (comp. 5. 428 foll.). This parallel seems to support ‘gerent,’ the reading of fragm. Vat., Rom., Gud. &c., retained by Heyne and Ribbeck. Heins. introduced ‘gerant’ from Med. and Schol. Veron., and is followed by Wagn. and Forb. ‘Quis bella gerenda’ is marked as spurious by Heyne after a suggestion of Heumann, but the words are found in all the MSS., though the somewhat inartificial substitution of ‘bella’ for ‘bella pacemque’ may perhaps show that the passage is not finished. Perhaps Virg. may have thought of a passage in Od. 21. 352, τόξον δ᾽ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει Πᾶσι, μάλιστα δ᾽ ἐμοί: τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἔστ᾽ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.
[445-474] ‘Allecto, enraged, appears in her true form, and flings a torch at him. He wakes in frenzy and calls to arms. The Rutulians respond.’
