[734] This Oebalus is not otherwise known, Serv. merely repeating Virg.'s account. ‘Sebethide,’ from the river Sebethus (Dict. G.).
[735] The Teleboae were the inhabitants of the Taphian isles (Dict. G. ‘Taphiae’), mentioned in Hom. Od. as pirates, and also in connexion with their chief Mentes. Tac. A. 4. 67, speaking of Tiberius' retirement to Capreae, says “Capreas Telebois habitatas fama tradit.”
[737] Tenebat Med., Pal., Gud., the last with a variant ‘premebat:’ but ‘tenebat’ could not stand with ‘teneret’ so near, and the word obviously came from 1. 622 (comp. ib. 236). “Dicione premat” 10. 53.
[738] The Sarrastes are unknown to history: but Serv. refers to a work on Italy by Conon for the statement that they were Pelasgian and other Greek emigrants who settled in Campania, and gave the river near which they took up their abode the name of Sarnus from a river in their own country. No Greek river is mentioned as bearing the name: nor is it known when Conon lived, though there were two or three writers so called (Dict. B. ‘Conon’). For Sarnus see Dict. G., where it is said that the course of the river is not now what it was, having doubtless been changed by the eruption of Vesuvius which overthrew Herculaneum and Pompeii.
[739] Rufrae seems to have been a Samnite town on the borders of Campania. Batulum is only mentioned by Silius, and Celemna (sacred to Juno, according to Serv.) not even by him.
[740] Almost all the MSS. have ‘Bellae,’ which Serv. says was written by Virg. instead of ‘Nolae’ on account of his quarrel with the people of Nola, mentioned in G. 2. 225. Ribbeck adopted ‘Bellae,’ believing it to be the reading of all the MSS., but the discovery of ‘Abellae’ in one copy seems to have led him to alter his mind (Prolegomena p. 353). Serv. says that critics in his time read ‘Abellae,’ supposing it to be a case of synaloepha: and the change is one which might safely be made in the teeth of all external authosity, the cause of corruption being of the commonest, and proper names especially liable to corruption. Abellae is five miles N.E. of Nola. It was known for a particular kind of nut, filbert or hazel, called “nux Abellana.” Sil. 8. 543 speaks of it as “pauper sulci Cerealis.” There are remains of the old town on a hill, which accounts for ‘despectant.’ An inscription was discovered there, one of the most important remains of Oscan, recording a treaty between Abella and Nola (Dict. G. ‘Abella’).
[741] A change of construction like that in v. 729 above. The ‘cateia,’ according to Serv., was like the ‘aclys’ (v. 730). Isidorus 18. 7. 7, quoted by Lersch § 40, describes it similarly, except that he supposes that it returned of itself to the thrower, like an Australian boomerang. Papias ap. Lersch makes it a Persian word: later writers consider it Celtic (Dict. A. ‘Cateia’), which would agree with ‘Teutonico ritu,’ the Celtae and Teutones being often confounded. Various mediaeval writers mention it (see Lersch), but differ as to whether it was a club or a spear. Sil. 3. 277 calls it “panda.” Val. F. 6. 83 mentions it as the weapon of an Oriental nomad tribe.
[742] “Bene ‘raptus’ [i. e. raptim sublatus], quia recens suberis cortex in quamvis formam tota (nota?) flectitur facilitate,” Serv. Comp. the use of cork for beehives G. 4. 33.
[743] Micant, co-ordinate with the verb subst. understood in the preceding line.
[744-749] ‘Ufens commands the Aequi.’
