[270] Their terror is heightened by the preternatural blaze from the helmet of Aeneas. Ribbeck suggests, unfortunately enough, that Virg. may have meant to insert vv. 270—275 somewhere after v. 161. ‘Apex,’ properly the tuft on the flamen's cap (2. 683 note), is here used for the top of the helmet in which the crest was inserted: comp. 12. 492, “apicem tamen incita summum Hasta tulit, summasque excussit vertice cristas.” ‘Capitis’ Rom., which Jahn prefers: but ‘capiti’ is the less obvious reading, and quite defensible, whether we explain it with Gossrau as local, with Forb. on the analogy of “decus capite” above v. 135, or, as is perhaps better, as connected with ‘ardet,’ an ordinary dat. of relation, as we have Il. 5. 4. foll., δαῖέ οἱ ἐκ κόρυθός τε καὶ ἀσπίδος ἀκάματον πῦρ . . . τοῖόν οἱ πῦρ δαῖεν ἀπὸ κρατός τε καὶ ὤμων. ‘Ac vertice’ Pal., Rom., Gud., an easier but less poetical reading than ‘a vertice.’ ‘A vertice’ may be a translation of ἀπὸ κρατός: but there is no need to distinguish between the helmet and the head, the words being constantly used for ‘from above.’ ‘Cristis’ probably a local rather than instrumental abl. An ingenious emendation of Faernus, ‘tristis’ for ‘cristis,’ is given by Ursinus: comp. 7. 787. “Terribilem cristis galeam flammasque vomentem” 8. 620.
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John Conington. P. Vergili Maronis opera. P. Vergili Maronis Opera. The works of. Virgil. , with a Commentary by John Conington, M.A. and Henry Nettleship, M.A. London. Whittaker and Co., Ave Maria Lane;. George Bell and Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. 1876.
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