[653] It may be doubted whether these thousand men are the same as the “agmina” in v. 648, or whether the words there refer to other musters raised by Mezentius (comp. 8. 7). There seems nothing to determine the precise sense of ‘patriis— inperiis.’ Serv. supposes it to be that Lausus was worthy to have had as father a monarch, not an exile, in other words, worthy to have had a throne in prospect. Heyne understands it simply “dignus qui meliore patre gauderet,” adding “ad patrem declarandum inperia non minus valent quam in filio obsequium.” It might also mean that Lausus was worthy to have fought under a commander more acceptable to the gods: comp. 11. 347 (of Turnus), “Cuius ob auspicium infaustum . . . Lumina tot cecidisse ducum.”
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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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