[604] Ribbeck adopts ‘hinc’ from Pal., Rom., Gud., &c. ‘Fidem’ not with ‘mutata’ but with ‘novavit.’ ‘Fidem novavit’ is however modelled on “mutare fidem,” which occurs Plaut. Mil. 4. 1. 36 &c. The general reference is to the fickleness of Fortune.
[605] Referunt probably of paying a due, though it might also express that these were the second funeral honours paid. There is the same doubt about G. 1. 339, where also I now think a due is more probably meant. “Tumulo sollemnia mittent” 6. 380. ‘Variis ludis’ modal abl.
[606] Repeated 9. 2. The old grammarians (see Serv.) attempted to distinguish between the offices of Mercury and Iris; but no difference can be found in Virg. Iris indeed seems to be peculiarly under the command of Juno, which sufficiently accounts for the character of her intervention here and elsewhere in the Aeneid: but she is Jupiter's messenger too, and on one occasion (9. 803) takes a minatory message to Juno.
[607] She seems to have been sent down with general instructions to burn the ships, the way of doing so being left to herself. With ‘ventosque adspirat eunti’ Serv. well comp. “voca zephyros,” addressed by Jupiter to Mercury 4. 223 (note). The construction is the same as in 8. 373, “dictis adspirat amorem,” though there the word is used metaphorically.
[608] “Multa movens animo” 3. 34. With ‘necdum antiquum saturata dolorem’ comp. 1. 25: with ‘saturata’ “nec exsaturabile pectus” v. 781 below. Some MSS. (none of Ribbeck's) have ‘exsaturata’ here.
[609] Med. (originally) gives ‘celebrans:’ see on 4. 641. The bow serves as Iris' means of passage from earth to heaven—a piece of machinery perhaps hardly consistent with the employment of the winds, unless the meaning is merely that she describes a semicircle in her passage. ‘Mille coloribus’ answers the purpose and occupies the position of an epithet, as if it had been “multicolorem arcum.” See Madv. § 298. b. where, though the peculiarity treated of is different, the referring of a preposition with its case to a single substantive (e. g. “caedes in pace Fidenatium”), the principle is the same, and the defect of the Latin language as compared with the Greek, in the want of a definite article, is properly noted. ‘Illa’ followed quasi-pleonastically in the next line by ‘virgo,’ as by ‘puella’ G. 4. 457 note. The propriety of the position of ‘virgo’ here is not quite easy to see, as there is no palpable connexion between swiftness of motion and a virgin goddess.
[610] Cito tramite, the way and the course along it being identified. Or we may say with Gossrau that the change is in ‘cito,’ which may mean ‘speeding her along,’ i. e. sloping. The speed seems connected with the invisibility, though absolute invisibility of course was one of the prerogatives of the gods.
[611] Med. a m. pr. and another MS. have ‘consessum.’ But ‘concursum’ is more natural here, preparing us to hear that the shore was empty.
[612] This line, which is almost a repetition of 2. 28, developes ‘litora lustrat.’
[613] We need hardly suppose with Heyne that Virg. intended to preserve a trait of early Greek society, when women were not present at public shows. Their absence here is sufficiently accounted for by the context. ‘At procul:’ the coast was forsaken by those who had lined it to witness the ship-race, but in a distant part these women were sitting, ‘secretae,’ separated (8. 670 &c.) alike from the people in the circus and the place which the spectators had occupied on the shore. This ‘acta’ was doubtless a separate part of the beach, not the same as the ‘litus.’
[614] This mourning for Anchises seems to have been a part of the funeral solemnities, not merely a spontaneous outburst of feeling: see v. 652. The spirit which they threw into it however was all their own. Gossrau has well expressed it: “Pontum adspectant flentes cui iterum se tradere eoguntur. Facile ex Anchisis memoria ad hanc ducuntur cogitationem: scilicet et ille et alii mortui sunt in longo itinere: iam quae nostrum certam sedem assequetur? Inde quae Beroe sive Iris facit recte facit et ex animi humani natura.” The picture seems to be from Il. 1. 349, 350, δακρύσας ἑτάρων ἄφαρ ἕζετο νόσφι λιασθείς, Θῖν᾽ ἔφ᾽ ἁλὸς πολιῆς, ὁρόων ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον, though the feelings of Achilles are sufficiently unlike those of these ancient women.
[615] Flentes is not an awkward repetition, but refers pointedly to ‘flebant.’ ‘They were weeping for Anchises, and in their weeping were gazing on the sea.’ ‘Heu superesse:’ Madv. § 399, who quotes “Me miserum! te ista virtute, fide, probitate, humanitate in tantas aerumnas propter me incidisse!” Cic. ad Fam. 14. 1.
[616] “Tantum campi iacet” G. 3. 343. “Mens omnibus una” G. 4. 212.
[617] A half-echo of 4. 451. Comp. also v. 769 below, which is meant to remind us of the present line by its similar structure as well as by its contrasted sense. For the feeling in ‘urbem orant,’ which, as has been remarked elsewhere, is in fact the key-note of the Aeneid, comp. vv. 631 foll. below, and such passages as 1. 437.
[618] Ergo, finding the ground thus prepared for her. ‘Haud ignara nocendi’ is a translation of such Homeric expressions as ὀλοφώϊα εἰδώς (Od. 4. 460), an identification of knowledge and moral purpose which is natural in a simple and early writer. However, though the main thought here is evil intent, we may comp. Juno's language to Alecto 7. 337, “tibi nomina mille, Mille nocendi artes.”
[619] “Coniicit sese in latebras” 10. 657. In each case the word seems to imply a hasty movement, as in “coniicere se in fugam,” “in pedes,” “in noctem,” &c. adduced by Forc. The ‘vestis’ was probably the ‘palla’ with which the goddesses were represented: see on 1. 404. We may suppose that Iris' would be many-coloured.
Reponit: Iris lays aside the marks of her deity as Cupid lays aside his wings 1. 689.[620] In Il. 3. 121 foll. Iris, sent with a message to Helen, assumes the form of Laodice, Priam's daughter and Helicaon's wife. Nothing more is known of this Beroe. The nation of her husband is disputed, the word being variously written in the MSS.; the varieties however reduce themselves to two, ‘Tmarii’ and ‘Ismarii,’ the rest, which are more or less obvious errors, tending to support ‘Tmarii.’ We have already seen the MSS. vary between ‘Tmaros’ and ‘Ismarus’ E. 8. 44. Internal evidence, as Heyne admits, would seem to be in favour of ‘Ismarii.’ Thrace and Troy were neighbouring and allied countries, and a Trojan woman might easily marry a Thracian; while those who vindicate Tmarus have to suppose that Beroe left Troy with Helenus, married in Epirus, and (probably becoming a widow) accompanied Aeneas. But the external authority for ‘Tmarii’ is too great to be resisted, the only evidence for ‘Ismarii’ among Ribbeck's MSS. being an abortive attempt in Med. to correct ‘Mari,’ the original reading, into ‘Immari’ or ‘Immarii,’ so that we must suppose Virg. to have introduced another reference (comp. note on v. 360) to Aeneas' visit to Epirus, either from a legend now lost, or from his own spirit of invention, seeking to give an air of verisimilitude to a narrative which has not the background of a consistent history. Lachmann's decision (on Lucr. 4.1169) that the final vowel in ‘Beroe’ would not have been elided by Virg. seems arbitrary. The name of Doryclus occurs Il. 11. 489, as that of a natural son of Priam, killed by Ajax.
[621] Cui probably refers to Beroe, not to Doryclus, who is mentioned merely as part of his wife or widow's antecedents. ‘Genus,’ exactly as we say family, meaning ancestors of name: comp. Hor. 1. Ep. 6. 37, “Et genus et formam regina Pecunia donat.” We have had ‘genus’ and ‘nomen’ combined G. 2. 240, where, though the language is metaphorical, the expressions are parallel. ‘Fuissent:’ the subj. is explained by Jahn and Forb. as giving the reason why Iris chose the form of Beroe. In other words, it makes us think of Beroe as Iris thought of her.
[622] “‘Sic’ aut mutato habitu, aut ista dictura.” Serv. There is much to be said for either: but the former seems more probable. Comp. 7. 668, “Indutus capiti, sic regia tecta subibat.” ‘Dardanidum matribus,’ not those who had given birth to Trojans, but the matrons of the Trojan nation. So “Troianis matribus” below v. 793.
