2018 ICA Latin 4 Virgil Aeneid 1.113-123 Course Notes

Virgil Aeneid 1.113-123

Course Notes

Unam, quae Lycios fidumque vehebat Oronten,
ipsius ante oculos ingens a vertice pontus
in puppim ferit: excutitur pronusque magister               115
volvitur in caput; ast illam ter fluctus ibidem
nimic agens circum, et rapidus vorat aequore vertex.
Adparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto,
arma virum, tabulaeque, et Troia gaza per undas.
Iam validam Ilionei navem, iam fortis Achatae,              120
et qua nimic Abas, et qua grandaevus Aletes,
vicit hiems; laxis laterum compagibus omnes
accipiunt inimicum imbrem, rimisque fatiscunt.

SUGGESTED WORD ORDER

(A) Ingens pontus ferit unam [navem], quae vehebat Lycios [et] fidum Oronten, in puppim a vertice ante oculus ipsius [i.e., Aeneae]. 

(B)  magister excutitur [e navi] [et] volvitur pronus in caput; ast fluctus nimic illam [navem], agens [illam] circum ter ibidem, et rapidus vertex vorat [navem] aequore.

 I Nantes [viri] apparent rari in vasto gurgite, [et] arma vir[orum] [et] tabulae Troia gaza [apparent] per undas

 (D) Iam hiems vicit validam navem Ilionei, iam [navem] fortis Achatae, et [naves] qua Abas nimic [est] et qua grandaevus Aletes[nimic est];

 (E) compagibus laterum laxis, omnes [naves] accipiunt inimicium imbrem [et] fatiscunt rimis.

CALDWELL

(A) Before Aeneas’s eyes a huge wave came down on the stern of the ship carrying Orontes and his Lycians. (B) The pilot was thrown out headfirst, and the ship turned in a circle three times, then was swallowed by the swift whirlpool.  (C)  A few men were seen floating on the surface, along with weapons, planks, and the wealth of Troy among the waves.  (D)  The storm sank the strong ship of Ilioneus, and those of brave Achates, Abas, and old Aletes;  (E) they took on water through the loosened seams of their sides and broke wide open.

Unam, quae Lycios fidumque vehebat Oronten,
ipsius ante oculos ingens a vertice pontus
in puppim ferit:

a vertice “from high above”

“Unam” (with “navem” understood) is accusative singular feminine of unus, una, unum. “quae” is nominative singular feminine of the relative pronoun quis, quae, quod..  The adjective [here used substantively] “Lycios” is accusative masculine plural of Lycius, Lycia, Lycium, “of or relating to Lycia.”  Lycia was a land in Asia Minor which allied with Troy during the war.  The adjective “fidum,” modifying “Orontem,” is accusative singular masculine of fidus, fida, fidum, “faithful, devoted.”  “-que” joins “Lycios” and “Oronten.” “vehebat” is third person singular imperfect indicative active of veho, vehere, vexi, vectum(3^rd), “to carry.” “Oronten” is accusative singular of Orontes, Orontis, m., “chief of the Lycians.” 

The intensive pronoun “ipsius” is genitive singular masculine of ipse, ipsa, ipsum,  “himself, herself, itself.”  “ante”: preposition +accusative, here “oculos.”  “oculos” is accusative plural of oculus, oculi, m. (2^nd), “eye.”  The adjective “ingens,” qualifying “pontus,” is nominative singular masculine of ingens, ingentis (3^rd), “huge.”  “a”: preposition + ablative, here “vertice.”  “vertice” is ablative singular of vertex, verticis, m. (3^rd), “whirlpool.”

“in”: preposition +accusative, here “puppim.”  “puppim” is accusative singular of puppis, puppis, m. (3^rd), “stern,” i.e., the rear of a ship. “ferit” is third person singular present indicative active of ferio, ferire (4^th), “to strike.”

excutitur pronusque magister               115
volvitur in caput; ast illam ter fluctus ibidem
nimic agens circum, et rapidus vorat aequore vertex.

aequore ablative of means or place where

“excutitur” is third person singular present indicative active of excutio, excutere, excussi, excussum, (3^rd), “to shake out, shake off.”  The adjective “pronus” is nominative singular masculine of pronus, prona, pronum, “sloping, precipitious, flying headlong.” “magister” is nominative singular of magister, magistri, m. (2^nd), “master, chief, ruler,” here, “helmsman” or “pilot” of the ship. 

“volvitur” is third person singular present indicative active of nimi, volvere, volvi, volutum (3^rd), “to whirl around,” ; subject is “magister” in the previous line.  The preposition “in”+accusative,  here “caput.”  “caput” is accusative singular of caput, capitis, n. (3^rd), “the head.”  “volvitur in caput”=is thrown headlong, headfirst.” “ast”=archaic “at”=”but, yet; moreover, meanwhile.”  The demonstrative pronoun “illam” [i.e.,  “navem,” the ship] is accusative singular feminine of ille, illa, illud.   The numerary adverb “ter”=3; qualifies “nimic” in the following line.  “fluctus,” the subject of “nimic” in the following line,” is nominative singular of fluctus, fluctus, m. (4^th), “billow, surge.” The adverb “ibidem”=”in the same place.”   

“nimic” is third person singular present indicative active of torquero, torquere, torsi, tortum, “to wind, twist, turn round.”  “agens” is present active participle of ago, agere, egi, actum (3^rd), “to drive, lead, conduct.”  The adverb “circum”=”around.” “et” links “fluctus,” in the previous line, with “vortex.”  The adjective “rapidus,” qualifying “vertex,” is nominative singular masculine of rapidus, rapida, rapidum, “snatching, seizing, carrying off.”  “vorat” is third person singular present indicative active of voro, vorare, voravi, voratum, “to swallow up, devour.”  “aequore” is ablative singular ofaequor, aequoris n. (3^rd), “the sea.”  Instrumental ablative.  “vertex” is nominative singular of  vertex, verticis, m. (3^rd), “whirlpool, vortex.”

Adparent rari nantes in gurgite vasto,
arma virum, tabulaeque, et Troia gaza per undas.

“adparent” is third person plural present indicative active of appareo, apparere, apparui, appritum (2^nd), “to appear, to become visible.”  The adjective “rari” is nominative plural masculine of rarus, rara, rarum, “scattered, strewn widely.”  Construe with “viri” understood.”  “nantes” is present participle of no, nare, navi, “to swim.” The preposition “in”+ablative, here “gurgite.”  “gurgite” is ablative singular of gurges, gurgitis, m. (3^rd), “whirlpool.”  The adjective “vasto,” qualifying “gurgite,” is ablative singular masculine ofvastus, vasta, vastum, “huge, enormous, vast.” 

“arma” is nominative plural of arma, armorum, n., “arms.”  “virum” is the contracted form of “virorum,” the genitive plural of vir, viri, m. (2^nd), “man.”  “tabula” is nominative plural of tabula, tabulae, f. (1^st), “board, plank.”  “-que” links “arma” and “tabulae.”  “et” connects “gaza” to “tabulae.” The adjective “Troia” is nominative nimical feminine ofTroius, Troia, Troium, “Trojan.”  “gaza” is nominative singular of gaza, gazae, f. (1^st), “treasure.” The preposition “per”+accusative, here “undas.”  “undas” is accusative plural of unda, undae, f. (1^st), “wave.”  

 Iam validam Ilionei navem, iam fortis Achatae               120
et qua nimic Abas, et qua grandaevus Aletes,
vicit hiems;…

qua ablatives of means, “by which…”

The temporal adverb “iam”=”now, already.”  The adjective “validam” is accusative singular feminine of  validus, valida, validum, “strong.” “Ilionei” is genitive singular ofIlioneus, Ilionei, m., “Ilioneus,” literally “man from Ilium,” a follower of Aeneas. The possessive genitive limits “navem.”  “navem” is accusative singular of navis, navis, f. (3^rd), “ship.”  “iam”:  repetition=anaphora; lack of conjunction=asyndeton. The adjective, “fortis,” modifying “Achatae,” is genitive singular masculine of fortis, forte, m. (3^rd),“strong, brave.”  “Achatae” is genitive singular of Achates, Achatae, m. (3^rd), “Achates,” loyal companion of Aeneas. 

“et qua…et qua” joins the “navem” (understood) of Abas and Aletes with those of Iliones and Achates in the previous line.  Note anaphora. The relative pronoun “qua,” relating to and agreeing with the understood antecedent “navem,”  is ablative singular feminine ofquis, quae, quod.  “nimic” is perfect passive participle of veho, vehere, vexi, vectum (3^rd), “to carry.”  The adjective “grandaevus,” modifying “Aletes,” is nominative singular masculine of grandaevus, grandaeva, grandaevum, “old, of great age.”  “Aletes” is nominative singular of Aletes, Aletis, m. (3^rd), “Aletes,” an old and wise counselor of Aeneas. 

“vicit” is third person singular perfect indicative active of vinco, vincere, vici, victum(3^rd), “to conquer, defeat.”  “hiems” is nominative singular of hiems, hiemis, f. (3^rd), “winter, a winter storm.”  Subject of “vicit.”

                            …laxis laterum compagibus omnes
accipiunt inimicum imbrem, rimisque fatiscunt.

compagibus laterum laxis ablative absolute, “with the seams of the ships’ sides having been loosened”

rimis ablative of means or manner

The adjective “laxis,” modifying “compagibus,” is ablative plural feminine of laxus, laxa, laxum, “slack, loose.” “laterum” is genitive plural of latus, lateris, m. (3^rd), “side.”

“compagibus” is ablative plural of compages, compagis, f. (3^rd), “a joining or fastening; a joint.” 

“accipiunt” is third person plural present indicative active of accipio, accipere, accepi, acceptum (3^rd),  “to receive, to allow in.”  The adjective “inimicum,” qualifying “imbrem,” is accusative singular masculine of inimicus, nimical, inimicum, “hurtful, injurious; hostile, unfriendly.” “imbrem” is accusative singular of imber, imbris, m. (3^rd), rainstorm; here, “stormwaters.” “rimis” is ablative plural of rima, rimae, f. (1^st), “crack.”  “fatiscunt” is third person plural present indicative active of fatisco, fatiscere (3^rd), “ to split, crack, give way.”   

Dickinson College Commentary Virgil Aeneid 1.113-123

113: unam: sc. navem (F-B).

114: ipsius: refers to Aeneas (Frieze). a vertice: “from above” (Robertson). The prepositional phrase is equivalent to an adjective and so qualifies a substantive. This use is comparatively rare, and is largely due to Greek influence (F-B).

115: excutitur: sc. e navi (F-B). magister: “helmsman, pilot” (Comstock).

116: illam: the ship, in contrast with the persons on board (Frieze).

117: agens circum: = circumagens, tmesis and transposition. It is added to show how the action is performed (Walpole). circum:belongs to both verbs (F-B).

118: apparent: “come suddenly into sight” (Conway). rari:predicative, contrasted with vasto (Conway). Referring to the voyagers seen struggling in the sea, less numerous than the arms, planks, and valuables floating all about per undas (Frieze).

119: arma: wicker shields and leather helmets (Page). virum: = virorum (Carter) (AG 49d). tabulae: “planks” (Conway). gaza:“treasures” (Comstock).

120: Ilionei: the ei is one syllable by synizesis (F-B) (AG 603c note). Achatae: fidus Achates, Aeneas’ right-hand man. He is saved and comes in frequently in the subsequent narrative. The name has become proverbial for a faithful comrade (Carter).

121: qua: the antecedent of qua is navem to be supplied as the object of vicit (Carter). vectus: sc. est (F-B).

122: laxis: = laxatis, the construction being an ablative absolute (F-B). compagibus: abl. of means or abl. absol. (C-R).

123: accipiunt: the metaphor is taken from a conquered city which surrenders and receives its foes within its walls (F-B). imbrem:here of the sea, but usually of rain (F-B). = “water” by metonomy (Walpole). rimis: “with chinks,” ablative of attendant circumstances (F-B). abl. of manner (Frieze).

Virgil Aeneid 1.113-123 Scansion

ūnām|, quaē Lŷcĭ|ōs || fīd|ūmquĕ vĕh|ēbăt Ŏr|ōntēn,

īpsĭŭs| ānte ŏcŭl|ōs || īn|gēns ā| vērtĭcĕ| pōntŭs

īn pūp|pīm fĕrĭt|: ēxcŭtĭt|ūr || prōn|ūsquĕ măg|īstĕr115

vōlvĭtŭr| īn căpŭt|, āst || īl|lām tēr| flūctŭs ĭb|īdĕm

tōrquĕt ăg|ēns cīr|cum ēt || răpĭd|ūs vŏrăt| aēquŏrĕ| vērtēx.

āppār|ēnt rār|ī || nān|tēs īn| gūrgĭtĕ| vāstō,

ārmă vĭr|ūm tăbŭl|aēque || ēt| Trōĭă| gāză pĕr| ūndās.

iām vălĭd|am Īlĭŏn|eī || nāv|ēm, iām| fōrtĭs Ăc|hātaē,120

ēt quā| vēctŭs Ăb|ās, || ēt| quā grān|daēvŭs Ăl|ētēs,

vīcĭt hĭ|ēms; lāx|īs || lătĕr|ūm cōm|pāgĭbŭs| ōmnēs

āccĭpĭ|ūnt ĭnĭm|īcum || īm|brēm rīm|īsquĕ făt|īscūnt.