Tālia vōciferāns gemitū tēctum omne replēbat,

cum subitum dictūque oritur mīrābile mōnstrum.680

namque manūs inter maestōrumque ōra parentum

ecce levis summō dē vertice vīsus Iǖlī

fundere lūmen apex, tāctūque innoxia mollēs

lambere flamma comās et circum tempora pāscī.

Nōs pavidī trepidāre metū crīnemque flagrantem685

excutere et sānctōs restinguere fontibus ignēs.

At pater Anchīsēs oculōs ad sīdera laetus

extulit et caelō palmās cum vōce tetendit:

'Iuppiter omnipotēns, precibus sī flecteris ūllīs,

aspice nōs, hoc tantum, et sī pietāte merēmur,690

dā deinde auxilium, pater, atque haec ōmina firmā.'

    A small flame appears on Iulus' head. Anchises accepts this as a sign from Jupiter and prays to him for aid. 

    The knot is cut by a veritable deus ex machina (F-B). 

    680  mōnstrum:  the omen which is described in the following verses, the appearance of a point of flame on the top of Ascanius's head, was taken to indicate future sovereignty. A similar prodigy is recounted of Servius Tullius (Carter). 

    680  dictū: supine, ablative of respect with mīrābile (Pharr), "amazing to say."

    681  manūs ... parentum: order: inter manūs et ōra maestōrum parentum. 

    681  manūs inter: anastrophe (Horsfall). 

    682  vertice:capite (Knapp). 

    682  levis apex: “a cone of flickering flame” (Storr);  apex is properly the point of the cap of a flame, something like the spike of a modern helmet (H-H). 

    682  vīsus: supply est, "seemed" (F-B); "was seen" (Fairclough).

    683  tāctū: ablative of respect, "(doing no harm) by touching," (Pharr). 

    683-84  mollēs ... comās: “his soft locks” (Fairclough).

    684  tempora: temples of the head.

    684  pāscī: i.e. eat, as if it were an animal grazing (G-K). 

    685  Nōs ... metū: “we in startled fear make trembling haste” (Page). 

    685-86  trepidāre ... excutere ... restinguere: historical infinitives, with a conative meaning for the last two, "we tried to..." (Pharr). 

    686  sānctōs: sent by the gods (Bennet). 

    686  fontibus: = aquīs, poetic, see LS fons I.B.2.

    687  laetus: i.e. because he knew this was a sign of good, through his relationship with Venus, Anchises received the gift of divination (Knapp). 

    687  pater Anchīsēs: as paterfamilias Anchises is the priest of the house, and therefore interprets the omens (F-B). 

    688  caelō: = ad caelum, dative of direction (Pharr). 

    690-91 a(d)spice ... dā ... firmā: imperatives. The Romans often asked for a second omen to confirm the first (Pharr). 

    690  hoc tantum (quaerō): only so much (do I ask)” (Pharr). 

    CORE VOCABULARY

    vōciferor, ātus sum, 1, dep. n. and a.: to raise the voice; cry out, exclaim; utter with loud cries, 2.679. (vōx and ferō)

    gemitus, ūs, m.: a groaning; a groan, 3.39, et al.; sigh, 1.485; lamentation, 2.486; cry, 2.413; noise, roaring, 3.555. (gemō)

    repleō, plēvī, plētus, 2, a.: to fill again; fill up, fill, 2.679, et al.

    subitus, a, um: having come up suddenly; unexpected, sudden, 2.692; suddenly, 3.225. (subeō)

    mīrābilis, e: adj. (mīror), wonderful, extraordinary, wondrous, admirable, 1.652, et al.; strange, 2.680.

    mōnstrum, ī, n.: the thing which warns; an omen, a portent, 3.26; supernatural token, sign, 12.246; a prodigy, marvel, wonder, terror, 3.583; monster, 2.245. (moneō)

    vertex, icis, m.: a whirl; whirlpool, 7.567; vortex, 1.117; whirling column of flame, 12.673; the top, crown of the head, the head, 1.403; summit, top, 1.163; mountain summit, height, 3.679; ā vertice, from on high, from above, 1.114. (vertō)

    Iūlus, ī, m.: Iulus or Ascanius, son of Aeneas, 1.267, et freq.

    apex, icis, m.: the point of anything; peak, top, summit, 4.246; pointed flame, 2.683; cone of a helmet, 10.270; a peaked cap, 8.664.

    tāctus, ūs, m.: a touching; touch, 2.683. (tangō)

    innoxius, a, um: (adj.), harmless, 2.683.

    lambō, ī, itus, 3, a.: to lick, 2.211; of flame, touch, lick, 3.574.

    circum: (adv.), about, around; (prep. with acc.), around, about.

    pāscō, pāvī, pāstus, 3, a. and n.: to furnish with food; to feed; rear, breed, 6.655; nourish, 1.608; (fig.), 1.464; let grow, 7.391; cherish, indulge, nourish, 10.627; pass. as dep., pāscor, pāstus sum, 3, a. and n., to graze, 1.186; feed upon, eat, 2.471; use for pasture, to pasture, 11.319.

    pavidus, a, um: adj. (paveō, fear), trembling, alarmed, terror-stricken, 2.489; solicitous, trembling with expectation, eager, 5.575.

    trepidō, āvī, ātus, 1, n. and a.: to be in trepidation, alarm or panic, 10.788; to hurry, hasten to and fro or about, 2.685; to hasten (with inf.), 9.114; to strive nervously, make trembling effort, 12.403. (trepidus)

    crīnis, is, m.: the hair, 1.480; train of meteors, 5.528; (often in the pl.), the hairs of the head, the hair.

    flāgrō, āvī, ātus, 1, n.: to be on fire or in flames; burn, blaze, 2.685; glow, 1.710; flash, 12.167; blush, 12.65; rage, 11.225.

    excutiō, cussī, cussus, 3, a.: to shake out or off, 2.224; throw or cast down, 1.115; cast out, 10.590; drive away, 3.200; expel, 7.299; shake out, uncoil, 3.267; uncoil and arrange (set the sails), 3.683; deprive of, 6.353; throw aside, break, 12.158; hurry forth, call forth, 9.68. (ex and quatiō)

    restinguō, stīnxī, stīnctus, 3, a.: to put out, quench, 2.686.

    Anchīsēs, ae, m.: son of Capys and Themis, and father of Aeneas by Venus, 2.687, et al.

    efferō, extulī, ēlātus, ferre, irreg. a.: to bear, or bring out or forth, 2.297; bear away, rescue, 3.150; raise, elevate, lift up or high, 1.127; elate, puff up, 11.715; efferre gressum or pedem, walk, go, come forth, 2.753; efferre sē, arise, 3.215. (ex and ferō)

    palma, ae, f.: the palm of the hand, 8.69; the hand, 1.93; palm branch, 5.111; a palm branch or wreath as the symbol of victory; reward, prize, 5.349; victory; a victor, 5.339.

    Iuppiter, Iovis, m.: Jupiter, son of Saturn and Rhea, and king of the gods, 1.223; Iuppiter Stygius, Pluto, 4.638.

    omnipotēns, entis: adj. (omnis and potēns), all-powerful, almighty, 1.60; supreme, sovereign, 10.1; subst., The Almighty, 4.220.

    flectō, flexī, flexus, 3, a. and n.: to bend; make by twisting, weave, 7.632; turn, guide, 1.156; rein, manage, 9.606; influence, sway, bend, move; retain, check, 12.46.

    ōmen, inis, n.: a prognostic, token, sign, omen, 2.182; (meton.), evil, 2.190; auspicious beginning, 7.174; pl., auspices; rites, 1.346; in ōmen, as or for a warning, 12.854.

    fīrmō, āvī, ātus, 3, a.: to make firm or strong; make steady, assure, 3.659; to establish, mature; confirm, 2.691; ratify, 12.212; encourage, 3.611, secure, guard, 11.466. (fīrmus)

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    Suggested Citation

    Christopher Francese and Meghan Reedy, Vergil: Aeneid Selections. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-947822-08-5. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/pt/vergil-aeneid/vergil-aeneid-ii-679-691