Aeneid 1:494-504 Course Notes: Aeneas dreams of vanished Troy while Dido busily builds Carthage

Latin IV:  Virgil, Aeneid

Instructor:  James Ransom

July 10, 2014

Aeneid 1:494-504

Course Notes

Aeneas is lost in dreams of vanished Troy while (in a telling contrast) energetic Dido, compared to the goddess Diana in a memorable epic simile, directs the work of constructing Carthage.

Haec dum Dardaniō Aenēae mīranda videntur,
dum stupet obtūtūque haeret dēfixus in ūnō,               495
rēgīna ad templum, formā pulcherrima Dīdō,
incessit magnā iuvenum stīpante catervā.
Quālis in Eurōtae rīpīs aut per iuga Cynthī
exercet Dīāna chorōs, quam mille secūtae
hinc atque hinc glomerantur Orēades; illa pharetram     500
fert umerō gradiēnsque deās superēminet omnēs
(Lātōnae tacitum pertemptant gaudia pectus):
tālis erat Dīdō, tālem sē laeta ferēbat
per mediōs, īnstans operī rēgnīsque futūrīs.

Verbs in this Passage in Order of Appearance

494	miror, mirari, miratus sum	“to wonder at, to behold with awe”
494	video, videre, vidi, visus	“to see”
495	stupeo, stupere, stupui	“to be amazed”
495	haero, haerere, haersi, haersum	“to cling”
495	defigo, defigere, defixi, defixum	“to fix on, to focus”
497	incedo, incedere, incessi, incessum	“to go in, proceed in (formally)”
497	stipo, stipare, stipavi, stipatum	“to crowd around, surround”
499	exerceo, exercere, exercui, exercitum	“to exercise, to lead in formation”
499	sequor, sequi, secutus sum	“to follow”
500	glomero, glomerare, glomeravi, glomeratum	“to gather together, form a circle”
501	fero, ferre, tuli, latum	“to bring, bear or carry.”
501	gradior, gradii, gressus sum	“to step forward, advance.”
501	superemineo, supereminere, supereminui	“to stand out above.”
502	pertempto, pertemptare, pertemptavi, pertemptatum	“to test, try; to explore in depth”
503	sum, esse, fui, futurus	“to be”
503	fero, ferre, tuli, latum	“to bring, bear or carry.”
504	insto, instare, institi	“to press on, to apply oneself.”

Haec dum Dardanio Aeneae miranda videntur,
dum stupet, obtutuque haeret defixus in uno,               495

494            The demonstrative pronoun “haec,” subject of “videntur,” is nominative plural neuter of hic, haec, hoc.  The temporal particle “dum” = “while.”  The adjective “Dardanio,” qualifying “Aeneae,” is dative singular masculine of Dardanius, Dardania, Dardanium, “Trojan (i.e., ‘Son of Dardanus,’ founder of the Trojan dynasty).” “Aeneae”:  dative singular.  “miranda,” agreeing with “haec,” is nominative plural of the gerundive (= verbal adjective) of the deponent miror, mirari, miratus sum, “to wonder at, to behold with awe.”)  “videntur” is third person plural present indicative passive of video, videre, vidi, visum. The subject is “haec.” 

495            “dum”:  repetition = anaphora.  “stupet” is third person singular present indicative of the intransitive stupeo, stupere, stupui, “to be amazed”; subject is “Aeneae” from the previous line.  “obtutu,” governed by the preposition “in”+ablative later in this line,  is ablative singular of obtutus, obtutus, m. (4^th), “gaze.”  “-que” links “obtutu” and “haeret.”  “haeret” is third person singular present indicative active of the intransitive haero, haerere, haersi, haersum, “to cling.”  “defixus” is nominative masculine of the perfect passive participle of defigo, defigere, defixi, defixum, “to fix on, to focus.”  The preposition “in”+ablative governs “obtutu.”  “uno,” agreeing with “obtutu,” is ablative singular masculine of unus, una, unum.   

regina ad templum, forma pulcherrima Dido,
incessit magna iuvenum stipante caterva.

496            “regina,” subject of  “incessit” in the following line, is nominative singular of regina, reginae, f., “queen.”  The preposition “ad”+accusative governs “templum.”  “templum” is accusative singular of templum, templi, n. (2^nd), “temple.” “forma” is ablative singular of forma,  formae, f. (1^st), “form, shape.”  Ablative of specification. The superlative adjective “pulcherrima,” agreeing with “Dido,” is nominative singular of pulcherrimus, pulcherrima, pulcherrimum, “most fair, most beautiful.”  “Dido” is nominative singular of Dido, Didonis, f. (3^rd). 

497            “incessit,” agreeing with the subject “Dido,” is third person singular perfect indicative active of incedo, incedere, incessi, incessum, “to go in, proceed in (formally); to march in.”  The adjective “magna,” qualifying “caterva,” is ablative singular feminine of magnus, magna, magnum, “large, great.”  “iuvenum,” also modifying “caterva,” is genitive plural of iuvenis, iuvenis, m., “young man.”   “stipante,”  agreeing with “caterva,” is present active participle (in ablative absolute construction) of stipo, stipare, stipavi, stipatum, “to crowd around, surround.”  “caterva” is ablative singular of caterva, catervae, f. (1^st), “crowd.”  
 

Qualis in Eurotae ripis aut per iuga Cynthi
exercet Diana choros, quam mille secutae
hinc atque hinc glomerantur Oreades;          …                    500

498            “Qualis,” introducing the epic simile, and agreeing with “Diana” in the next line, is nominative singular feminine of qualis, quale, “just as…”; “as when….”   The preposition “in”+ablative governs “ripis.”  “Eurotae,” modifying  “ripis,” is genitive singular of Eurotas, Eurotae, m. (1^st), “river in Lacedamonia, near Sparta.”  “ripis” is ablative plural of ripa, ripae, f. (1^st), “river bank.”  The conjunction “aut” = “or.”   The preposition “per”+accusative governs “iuga.”  “iuga” is accusative plural of iugum, iugi, n. (2^nd), “mountain ridge.”  “Cynthi,” a possessive genitive limiting “iuga,” is genitive singular of Cynthus, Cynthi, m. (2^nd), “high mountain in Delos sacred to Apollo and Diana.” 

499            “exercet,” agreeing with its subject “Diana,”  is third person singular present indicative active of  exerceo, exercere, exercui, exercitum, “to exercise, to train, to lead in formation.”  “Diana” is nominative singular of Diana, Dianae, f. (1^st), “the goddess of hunting and sister of Apollo.”  “choros,” direct object of “exercet,” is accusative plural of chorus, chori, m. (2^nd), “chorus of singers and dancers; band of nymphs.” The relative pronoun “quam,” agreeing with its antecedent “Diana,”  is accusative singular feminine of qui, quae, quod.  The indeclinable numerary adjective “mille” = “one thousand; a large number.”   “secutae,” agreeing with “Oreades” in the following line,  is perfect participle of the deponent sequor, sequi, secutus sum, “to follow.”

500            The expression “hinc atque hinc” = “on this side and that; on the one side, and on the other.”  “hinc” is an adverb of place.   “atque”: copulative conjunction.  “glomerantur,” agreeing with its subject “Oreades,” is third person plural present indicative passive of glomero, glomerare, glomeravi, glomeratum, “to gather together, form a circle.”  “Oreades” is nominative plural of Oreas, Oreadis, f. (3^rd), “mountain nymphs.” 

                                       …illa pharetam                                500
fert umero, gradiensque deas supereminet omnis:

500            The demonstrative pronoun “illa,” referring to “Diana,” is nominative singular feminine of ille, illa, illud. “illa” is the subject of  “fert” in the following line.  “pharetam,” direct object of “fert” in the following line, is accusative singular of pharetra, pharetrae, f. (1^st), “quiver (of arrows).” 

501            “fert,” agreeing with its subject “illa,” is third person singular present indicative active of  fero, ferre, tuli, latum, “to bring, bear or carry.”  “umero” is ablative singular of umerus, umeri, m. (2^nd), “shoulder.”  Instrumental ablative.  “gradiens,” agreeing with its subject “supereeminent,” is present active participle of the deponent intransitive gradior, gradii, gressus sum, “to step forward, advance.” “-que” links “gradiens” and “supereminet.”  “deas,” direct object of “supereminet,” is accusative plural of dea, deae, f. (1^st,), “goddess.”  “supereminet” is third person singular present indicative active of superemineo, supereminere, supereminui, “to stand out above.”  The adjective “omnis,” agreeing with “deas,” is accusative plural feminine of omnis, omne.    

(Latonae tacitum pertemptant gaudia pectus):

502            “Latonae,” possessive genitive modifying “pectus,” is genitive singular of Latona, Latonae, f. (1^st).  The adjective “tacitum,” qualifying “pectus,” is accusative singular neuter of tacitus, tacita, tacitum, “silent.”  “pertemptant,” agreeing with its subject “gaudia,” is third person singular present indicative active of pertempto, pertemptare, pertemptavi, pertemptatum, “to test, try; to explore thoroughly.”  “gaudia,” subject of “pertentant,” is nominative plural of gaudium, gaudii, n. (2^nd), “joy.”  “pectus,” direct object of “pertemptant,” is accusative singular of pectus, pectoris, n. (3^rd), “breast.”

talis erat Dido, talem se laeta ferebat
per medios, instans operi regnisque futuris.

503            The demonstrative adjective “talis,” agreeing with “Dido,” and introducing the clause which completes the epic simile, is nominative singular feminine of talis, tale, “of such kind, such as.”  “erat,” agreeing with its subject “Dido,” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of sum, esse, fui, futurus.  “talem,” accusative of the reiterated adjective talis, tale, agrees with the reflexive “se.”  “se,” referring to “Dido,” is accusative singular of the reflexive pronoun and the direct object of “ferebat.”  The adjective “laeta,” agreeing with “Dido,” is nominative singular feminine of laetus, laeta, laetum, “joyful, happy.”  “ferebat,” agreeing with its subject “Dido,” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of the irregular fero, ferre, tuli, latum.

504            The preposition “per”+accusative governs “medios.” The adjective “medios,” here used substantively, is accusative plural masculine of medius, media, medium, “midst, middle.”  The participle “instans,” agreeing with “Dido” understood, is nominative singular feminine present participle of the intransitive insto, instare, institi, instatum, “to press on, to apply oneself.” “operi,” part of a compound indirect object along with “regnis,” is dative singular of opus, operis, n. (3^rd), “work, task, project.”  “regnis,” joined with “operi” by “-que,” is dative plural of regnum, regni, n. (2^nd), “kingdom.” “futuris,” formed from the future participle of sum, qualifying “regnis,” is dative plural neuter of futurus, futura, futurum.