Aeneid 1:19-28 Course Notes

Latin IV:  Vergil, Aeneid

Instructor:  James Ransom

May 25, 2014

Aeneid 1:19-28

Course Notes
© 2014 James Ransom, M.A., J.D.

Progeniem sed enim Troiano a sanguine duci
audierat, Tyrias olim quae verteret arces;               20
hinc populum late regem belloque superbum
venturum excidio Libyae: sic volvere Parcas.
Id metuens, veterisque memor Saturnia belli,
prima quod ad Troiam pro caris gesserat Argis—
necdum etiam causae irarum saevique dolores               25
exciderant animo: manet alta mente repostum
iudicium Paridis spretaeque iniuria formae,
et genus invisum, et rapti Ganymedis honores.

Progeniem sed enim Troiano a sanguine duci
audierat

And yet--she’d heard that some new race, men drawn from Trojan blood…

“audierat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of audio, audire, audivi, auditum (4^th), “to hear, listen, pay attention.” “duci” is present passive infinitive of duco, ducere, duxi, ductum, “to lead, guide; draw, pull.” 

“progeniem” is accusative singular of progenies, progenei, f., “offspring, progeny, race.”  “sed enim”: see Ganiban note 19.  The adjective  “Troiano” is ablative singular of Troianus, Troiana, Troianum, “Trojan.” “sanguine” is ablative singular of sanguis, sanguinis, f. (3^rd), “blood.” 

Tyrias olim quae verteret arces;               20

Might some day soon shatter the walls of Tyre;

“verteret” is third person singular imperfect subjunctive active of verto, vertere, versi, versum, “overthrow, turn around, reverse.”

The adjective “Tyrias” is feminine accusative plural of Tyrius, Tyria, Tyrium, “Tyrian,” here=Carthaginian.  The adjective modifies “arces,” the plural accusative of arx, arcis, f. (3^rd), “citadel, defenses.” The adverb “olim”=”some day, one day.” 

hinc populum late regem belloque superbum
venturum excidio Libyae: sic volvere Parcas.

Engross the globe, and level Libya 
by ruthless war: so read the scroll of Fate. 

“venturum” is future active participle of venio, venire, veni, ventum.  “volvere” is present infinitive of volvo, volvere, volvi, volutum, “to roll.” 

The adverb “hinc”=“the race of Troy.”  “populum” is accusative singular of populum, populi, m. (2^nd).   in agreement with “regem.”  The adverb “late”= “broadly, widely”; qualifies “regem.”  “regem” is accusative singular of rex, regem, m. (3^rd).  “populum late regem”= “a people ruling widely.” cf. Ganiban note 21.  “bello”  is ablative singular of bellum, belli, n. (2^nd).  The adjective  “superbum” is accusative singular of superbus, superba, superbum, n., “proud, arrogant, haughty.”

“excidio” is dative singular of excidium, excidii, n. (2^nd), “destruction in war, demolition.” “Libyae” is dative of Libya, Libyae, f.  “Parcas”: accusative plural;  “the Fates.”

   Id metuens, veterisque memor Saturnia belli,
prima quod ad Troiam pro caris gesserat Argis—

Dreading all this, the thoughts of Saturn’s child 
drift back to the late war with hated Troy, 
the war which she had started and had waged 
to crush the Trojans and exalt the Greeks;

“metuens” is present participle of metuo, metuere, metui, metitum (3^rd), “to fear, to be afraid.”  “gesserat” is third person singular pluperfect indicative active of gero, gerere, gessi, gestum (3^rd), “to wage, carry on.” 

“veteris…belli”: “the old war”; i.e. the Trojan war.  The adjective “memor” is nominative singular of memor, memoris here=”mindful of.” “Saturnia”:  Juno is the daughter of Saturn; feminine nominative singular of Saturnius, Saturnia, Saturnium.  “belli” is genitive singular of bellum, belli, n. “prima”: feminine nominative singular of the superlative adjective primus, prima, primum.  See Ganiban note 24.  “quod”:  neuter accusative singular of the relative pronoun quis, quae, quod.. “ad Troiam”:  “at Troy.”  Argis, ablative masculine plural of Argi, Argorum, n. (2^nd),  here stands for “the Greeks” generally. “caris”:  ablative masculine plural of the adjective carus, cara, carum, “beloved.”

necdum etiam causae irarum saevique dolores               25
exciderant animo:

Her rage and grief for ancient grievances

Still festered in her soul even today:

“exciderant” is third person plural pluperfect indicative active of excido, excidere, excidi, “to slip out or escape from memory.” 

“necdum”=conjunction, “not yet, yot even yet.” etiam=conjunction, “also, and.”  “causae” is genitive plural of causa, causae, f., “cause.”  “irarum”:  genitive plural of ira, irae, f. (1^st).  The adjective “saevi” is masculine genitive singular of saevus, saeva, saevum, “furious, fierce, violent, savage.”  “dolores” is accusative plural of dolor, doloris, m. (3^rd). “animo” is ablative singular of animus, animi, m. (2^nd).