Part 30 (1/2)

[1] That is, through the signs of the zodiac: ast?? differs from ast???, the former signifying a single star, the latter many.

[2] The preposition s?? is omitted, as in Homer,

??t?? ?e? ?a??? e??sa??.

The same omission occurs in the Bacchae, a?t??s?? e?ata??, and again in the Hippolytus. It is an Atticism.

[3] See note on Hecuba, 478.

[4] The word t????a must be supplied after t??t?, which is implied in the verb ?a???s??.

[5] The ?a??? is a bird of prey of the vulture species. The sphinx was represented as having the face of a woman, the breast and feet of a lion, and the wings of a bird.

[5a] Dindorf would omit this verse.

[6] a?a? and a?as?a? are often used by the poets in a good sense for prayers, e??a? and e??es?a? for curses and imprecations.

[7] d???e? ??pe????, ? ???a?. HESYCHIUS.

[8] Milton, Par. Regained, b. iii. l. 326.

The field, all iron, cast a gleaming brown.

[9] Lerna, a country of Argolis celebrated for a grove and a lake where the Danaides threw the heads of their murdered husbands. It was there also that Hercules killed the famous Hydra.

[10] This alludes to the figure of Argus engraved on his s.h.i.+eld. See verse 1130.

[11] Tydeus married Deipyle, Polynices Argia, both daughters of Adrastus, king of Argos.

[12] Some suppose ??ste??? p?d? to mean with their last steps, that is, with steps which are doomed never to return again to their own country.

[13] Triaena was a place in Argolis, where Neptune stuck his trident in the ground, and immediately water sprung up. SCHOL.

[14] Amymone was daughter of Danaus and Europa; she was employed, by order of her father, in supplying the city of Argos with water, in a great drought. Neptune saw her in this employment, and was enamored of her. He carried her away, and in the place where she stood he raised a fountain, which has been called Amymone. See Propert. ii. El. 20. v. 47.

[15] a????a? ?e???s?? is, _they say one of another_; a????a?? ?e???s??, _they say among themselves_.

[16] By ped??? a?a?p?st?? is to be understood the sea. The construction ped??? pe?????t?? S??e??a?, that is, ?a S??e??a? pe????e?. The same construction is found in Sophocles, d. Tyr. l. 885. d??a? af??t??. L.

969. afa?st?? e?????. See also Horace, Lib. iv. Od. 4. 43.

Ceu flamma per taedas, vel Eurus Per Siculas equitavit undas.

[17] The fire was on that head of Parna.s.sus which was sacred to Apollo and Diana; to those below it appeared double, being divided to the eye by a pointed rock which rose before it. SCHOL.

[18] The Python which Apollo slew.

[19] Libya the daughter of Epaphus bore to Neptune Agenor and Belus. Cadmus was the son of Agenor, and Antiope the daughter of Belus.

[19a] But Dind. e?f??s'. See his note.

[20] The construction is, af?a??e ?? t? t?? pa???d?? s?? ??e?a: that is, _genarum ad oscula porrectionem_. It can not be translated literally.

The verb af?a??e is to be supplied before ??e?a, and before p???a??.