Aeneid 1: 8-11 Course Notes

Latin IV:  Vergil, Aeneid

Instructor:  James Ransom

May 21, 2014

Aeneid 1:8-11
Course Notes
© 2014 James Ransom, M.A., J.D.

Musa, mihi causas memora, quo numine laeso,
quidve dolens, regina deum tot volvere casus
insignem pietate virum, tot adire labores               10
impulerit. Tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

Musa, mihi causas memora

O Muse, recall to me the causes…

“memora” is second person singular present active imperative of memoro, memorare, memoravi, memoratum (1^st), “to remind, tell, recount.” 

“Musa” is vocative singular of musa, musae, f. (1^st). “mihi” is dative singular of the pronoun ego, mei (irregular).  “causas” is accusative plural of causa, causae, f. (1^st), “cause, reason, motive.” 

… quo numine laeso,
quidve dolens,…

...for what sacrilege to her divinity, or what bitter grievance

“laeso” is perfect passive participle (in ablative absolute construction) of laedo, laedere, laesi, laesus, “to injure, displease, offend.” “dolens” is present participle of doleo, dolere, dolui, dolitum (2^nd), “to grieve, to suffer.”

“quo” is ablative singular of qui, quae, quod.  “numine” is ablative singular of numen, numinis, n.(3^rd), “divine presence.”  “quid” is the neuter singular form of the interrogative pronoun quis, quae, quid.  “-ve”:  post-positive particle= “or.”

…regina deum tot volvere casus
insignem pietate virum, tot adire labores               10
impulerit… 

            …does Juno, queen of the gods, drive Aeneas, most loyal of men,

through such an endless round of disasters and such extremes of unremitting toil…

“volvere,” controlled by “impulerit,” is present infinitive of volvo, volere, volui, volutus, “to roll, turn around, undergo.”  “adire,” also controlled by “impulerit,” is present infinitive of adeo, adire, adivi, aditum (irregular), “go to, approach.” “impulerit” is third person singular perfect subjunctive active of impello, impellere, impuli, impulsum (3^rd), “drive on, push”; subjunctive of indirect question.

“regina,” the subject of “impulerit,” is nominative singular of regina, reginae (1^st), “queen.”  “deum” is the alternative contracted form of the genitive plural of deus, dei, m. (2^nd), “god.”  “tot” is an indeclinable adjective = “so many.”  “casus” is accusative plural of casus, casus, m., “misfortune.”  “insignem” is masculine singular accusative of the adjective insignis, insigne (3^rd), “marked, notable, standing out.” “pietate” is ablative singular of pietas, pietatis, f. (3^rd), “pious, dutiful, loyal.”  “virum”is accusative singular of vir, viri, m. (2^nd).   “labores” is accusative plural of labor, laboris, m. (3^rd).   

                        Tantaene animis caelestibus irae?

                        Can such hellish anger lurk in the heavenly will?

“Tantae” is feminine nominative plural of the adjective tantus, tanta, tantum, “so great.”  “-ne” is a postpositive interrogative particle.  “animis” is dative plural of animus, animi, m. (2^nd). “caelestibus” is dative plural of the adjective caelestis, caeleste, “heavenly.”  “irae” is nominative plural of ira, irae, f. (1^st)., “wrath, anger.”