[464] ‘Dehinc’ follows ‘postquam,’ like “tum” v. 194. For the dissyllable comp. G. 3. 167. ‘Heavy with gold and carved ivory’ seems to mean that the presents were massy, some of gold and some of ivory. For the lengthening of the short syllable, which is very rare in the case of a vowel (see v. 91), Gossrau comp. Tibull. 1. 7. 61, “Te canet agricola, magna cum venerit urbe,” where however Weber's insertion of “e” seems plausible. Lachm. on Lucr. 2.27 conj. ‘a sectoque,’ but not very confidently. ‘Secto elephanto’ is Homer's πριστοῦ ἐλέφαντος (Od. 18. 196., 19. 564). Mr. Long thinks it merely refers to pieces of ivory, which was chiefly used by the ancients for inlaying.
[465] Stipat carinas argentum like “vina cadis onerarat” 1. 195.
[466] Ingens argentum 1. 640. ‘Dodonaeos lebetas:’ the oracle at Dodona, according to Serv., contained brazen vessels which used to sound all at once at a single touch. Wagn. supposes that Virg. took the epithet from some Greek poet who represented Helenus as having settled at Dodona (see on v. 296).
[467] “The Roman ‘hastati’ wore cuirasses of chain-mail, i. e. hauberks or habergeons . . . Virgil several times mentions hauberks in which the rings, linked or hooked into one another, were of gold . . . A. 3. 467., 5. 259., 7. 639.” Dict. A. ‘Lorica.’ “The poets apply ‘trilix,’ which in German has become ‘drillich,’ to a kind of armour, perhaps chain-mail, no doubt resembling the pattern of cloth which was denoted by the same term.” Ib. ‘Tela.’ Cloth was called “bilix” or “trilix,” as is explained in the latter article, according as the number of leashes employed in weaving it was two or three. On a comparison of 7. 639 it seems better to couple ‘hamis’ with ‘consertam,’ ‘auro’ with ‘trilicem,’ here and in 5. 259, than to connect ‘hamis auroque’ with ‘consertam,’ leaving ‘trilicem’ as an epithet.
[468] For “galeam insignem cono cristisque comantibus.”
[469] “‘Sua,’ congrua meritis, apta aetati,” Serv.
[470] Of Serv.'s two interpretations of ‘duces,’ grooms or drivers for the horses, and guides for the voyage, Wagn. seems right in preferring the latter. ‘Addit,’ as he remarks, would have little force with the former interpretation: 10. 574, which Heyne quotes, only proves that a warrior in a car could be called “dux” in relation to his horses: and Dion. Hal. 1. 32 speaks of guides as having sailed with Aeneas from Epirus.
[471] It is doubtful whether ‘remigium’ is to be taken in its ordinary sense or i. q. “remiges.” It would be no objection to the latter, as Wagn. remarks, that the Homeric warriors are themselves rowers, as Virg. constantly blends the customs of his own time with those of the heroic ages. ‘Supplet’ would refer equally well to refitting the vessels and recruiting the crews. The parallel 8. 80 would be in favour of the ordinary sense of ‘remigium,’ but such considerations cannot be pressed. ‘Socios simul instruit armis’ will refer in any case to armour given by Helenus to Aencas' companions, not to the equipment of the vessels. The present of arms to the Trojans generally as well as to Aeneas is parallel to the entertainments vv. 352 foll.
[472-491] ‘He bids farewell to Anchises, and Andromache loads Ascanius with gifts.’
