Not fo the chiefs of Ilion, who debate 305 In folemn council on th' endanger'd state; Propp'd on their fpears, their bucklers in their hand, Amid the camp the hoary fathers ftand, 310 The prince commands them to inform the train; And firft bade Nifus fpeak, who thus began: Attend, nor judge, ye venerable peers! 315 Our bold adventure by our tender years. As yonder bands in fleep and wine are drown'd, We, by kind chance, a fecret path have found, The fires are thinn'd, and clouds of fmoke arife. 320 325 Peep o'er the vales, and dance before our eyes. Renown'd for wisdom, and rever'd for age: 330 Ev'n yet, ye guardian gods, your pow'rs divine Will fpare the relics of the Trojan line, Since you the bofoms of our youths inspire Then in his arms the boys by turns he took, 335 Oh! what rewards, brave youths, can be decreed, What honours, equal to fo great a deed? Praemia poffe rear folvi ? pulcherrima primum 255 260 265 270 354. When low in duft.] These words Devicta genitor quæ cepit Ariba, are understood wrongly by most of the interpreters. They fuppofe, that Arifba was taken and pillaged by the Trojans on the contrary, it was a Trojan town, and one of the new dynafties of Priam's kingdom. Virgil means, that thefe two bowls were faved by Æneas, out of the facking of Arisba, when it was taken by the Greeks. CAIROU. : Trapp tranflaces it,-Which my father took from fack'd Arifba. 359. And, when these vanquish'd kingdoms.] This prefumption of Afcanius, that Æneas would certainly fucceed in gaining is new kingdom, is quite confiftent with the warmth and levity of a young mind.. 363. What late thou faw'ft.] A beautiful horfe, and fine armour, The best and fairest, all th' applauding sky, 340 And young Afcanius' riper years fhall owe. Whatever boon fuch merit can receive, The friend, the monarch, and the man, will give. 345 350 355 And two large talents of the pureft gold: With these a goblet, which the queen of Tyre Beftow'd in Carthage on my royal fire. And, when these vanquish'd kingdoms are our own; When my great father mounts the Latian throne; 360 When our victorious hofts by lot shall share The rich rewards, and glorious spoils, of war; What late thou faw'ft when Turnus took the field, 365 370 armour, were objects which muft naturally make an impreffion on the mind of one fo young as Afcanius. He therefore promifes thefe, efteeming them a very valuable reward. 275 280 Te vero, mea quem fpatiis propioribus aetas Sponde digna tuis ingentibus omnia coeptis, 285 29Q 295 381. But one reward.] The filial piety which Euryalus fo paffionately expreffes, endears him to us, and prepoffeffes us greatly in his favour; and by that means, contributes to intereft us fo much the more in the fuccefs of his hazardous adventure. 399. Charm'd with.] What an affecting picture is here! The brevity and fimplicity of Percula mente dedere Dardanide lacrimas is in truth inimitable. And how artfully does the poet, from this inftance of Euryalus, take an opportunity of extolling the filial piety of Afcanius! Virgil, befide the other proofs of his humanity and goodnature, appears to have a strong idea of that fwell in a good man's breaft, which fills the eye with tears, on his hearing But thee, dear youth, not yet to manhood grown, My dangers, glories, counfels, thoughts, to share; 375 My friend in peace, my brother in the war! All, all my life, replies the youth, fhall aim, Like this one hour, at everlasting fame. go, 380 The greatest I can afk, or you bestow. My mother, tender, pious, fond, and good, Sprung, like thy own, from Priam's royal blood; 385 Such was her love, fhe left her native Troy, 390 395 Brave ev'ry danger, and defy the foe. Charm'd with his virtue, all the Trojan peers, But more than all, Afcanius melts in tears, 400 To fee the forrows of a duteous fon, I promise all, heroic youth! he said, That to fuch matchless valour can be paid; any great or good moral action or refolution: And this is the more remarkable, because it is fcarce ever mentioned or described by any other of the ancient writers. SPENCE. |