Aenēās (neque enim patrius cōnsistere mentem

passus amor) rapidum ad nāvīs praemittit Achātēn,

Ascaniō ferat haec ipsumque ad moenia dūcat;645

omnis in Ascaniō cārī stat cūra parentis.

Mūnera praetereā Īliacīs ērepta ruīnīs

ferre iubet, pallam signīs aurōque rigentem

et circumtextum croceō vēlāmen acanthō,

ōrnātūs Argīvae Helenae, quōs illa Mycēnīs,650

Pergama cum peteret inconcessōsque hymenaeōs,

extulerat, mātris Lēdae mīrābile dōnum;

praetereā scēptrum, Īlionē quod gesserat ōlim,

maxima nātārum Priamī, collōque monīle

bācātum, et duplicem gemmīs aurōque corōnam.655

Haec celerāns iter ad nāvīs tendēbat Achātēs.

    Achates is sent to the ships to fetch Ascanius and gifts for the queen (Carter). 

    644  rapidum: poetic adjective used as an adverb (Sidgwick).

    645  ferat, dūcat: commands in direct discourse, “bidding him to” (Comstock). These words express the purpose of praemittit, and would require ut in prose (F-D). 

    645  haec: refers to all the incidents just narrated in regard to Aeneas and his friends (F-D). 

    645  ipsum:  Ascanius.

    646  cārīcarus is both subjective and objective; “that loves,” or “that is loved.” Here it is used in the former sense, “fond.” 

    646  in Ascaniō stat: “is fixed on Ascanius” (F-D).

    648  signīs aurōque: signis aureis, hendiadys; lit “with figures of gold” i.e. gold thread (Comstock, P-H). 

    648  pallam: an ample robe covering the entire person, and worn over the stola (F-D).

    649  bircumtextum … acanthō: a description of the veil’s border; the acanthus was a plant popular with artists (Comstock).

    650  ōrnātūs: namely, the palla and velamen (F-D). 

    650  Argīvae … Mycēnīs: both of these Greek cities are connected to Agamemnon and Menelaus, husband of Helen, by different poets (Sidgwick).

    651  peteret: has the last syllable long under the ictus (F-D). 

    652  dōnum: also refers to the palla and velamen (F-D).

    653  scēptrum: supply ferre iubet. The scepter was borne not only by sovereigns, but by other persons of rank (F-D). 

    654  maxima: = “maxima natu,” “eldest” (Bennett). 

    654  Monīle bācātum: necklace with jewels shaped like berries on it, probably pearls (Page).

    655  duplicem … corōnam: i.e. a coronet made of two bands of gold studded with jewels (Bennett).

    656  haec celerāns: “swiftly executing these commands” (Bennett).

    CORE VOCABULARY

    Aenēās, ae, m.: 1. A Trojan chief, son of Venus and Anchises, and hero of the Aeneid, 1.92. 2. Aenēās Silvius, one of the Alban kings, 6.769.

    patrius, a, um: adj. (pater), pertaining to one's father or ancestors; a father's, 2.658; paternal, natural to a father, 1.643; exacted by a father, 7.766; due to, felt for a father or parent, 9.294; ancestral, hereditary, 3.249; of one's country, native, 3.281; belonging to the nation, of the country, 11.374.

    rapidus, a, um: adj. (rapiō), that tears away; violent, fierce; swiftly moving, rapid, 1.42; speedy, quick, prompt, 5.513.

    praemittō, mīsī, missus, 3, a.: to send before, in advance, or forward; dispatch, 6.34.

    Achātēs, ae, m.: Achates, a companion of Aeneas, 1.174, et al.

    Ascanius, iī, m.: Ascanius, son of Aeneas, and traditional founder of Alba Longa, 1.267.

    Īliacus, a, um: (adj.), belonging to Ilium; Ilian, Trojan, 1.97, et al.

    ruīna, ae, f.: a falling down; fall, overthrow; convulsion, commotion, destructive force, 1.129; onset, shock, 11.613; pl., ruin, overthrow, destruction, 1.238; dare, trahere ruīnam, to fall in ruins, 2.310; bring destruction, 12.454. (ruō)

    palla, ae, f.: a long and ample robe; mantle, 1.648.

    rigeō, riguī, 2, n.: to be stiff, 4.251; p., rigēns, entis, stiff, 1.648.

    circumtextus, a, um: woven round, 1.649. (circum and texō)

    croceus, a, um: adj. (crocus), of saffron; saffron-colored, yellow, 4.585.

    vēlāmen, inis, n.: a veil, 1.649; a covering, garment, vestment, 6.221. (vēlō)

    acanthus, ī, m.: the plant bear's-foot; the acanthus, 1.649.

    ōrnātus, ūs, m.: an equipping, fitting out; adornment, attire, 1.650. (ōrnō)

    Argīvus, a, um: adj. (Argos), belonging to Argos; Argive; Greek, 2.254; subst., Argīvī, ōrum, Argives, Greeks, 1.40.

    Helena, ae, f.: Helen, daughter of Jupiter and Leda, sister of Clytemnestra and of Castor, and wife of Menelaus; on account of her flight with Paris to Troy, the immediate cause of the ten years' siege and destruction of that city; whence she was carried back by Menelaus to Sparta, 1.650, et al.

    Mycēnae, ārum, and Mycēna, ae, f.: Mycenae, an ancient city of Argolis; the abode of Danaus, Pelops, and Agamemnon, 1.284, et al.

    Pergama, ōrum, n., Pergamum, ī, n., and Pergamus (-os), ī, f.: 1. The citadel or walls of Troy, 3.87; Troy, 4.344, et al. 2. The Trojan citadel of Helenus in Epirus, 3.336.

    inconcessus, a, um: (adj.), not allowed; unlawful, 1.651.

    Hymenaeus, ī, m.: Hymen, the god of marriage, 4.127; pl., Hymenaeī, ōrum, (meton.), marriage, 1.651.

    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)

    Lēda, ae, f.: wife of Tyndarus, and mother of Castor and Pollux, and of Helen and Clytemnestra, 1.652.

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

    scēptrum, ī, n.: a royal staff; scepter, 1.653; freq.; (meton.), rule, sway, power, royal court, realm, 9.9; 1.253; authority, 11.238.

    Īlionē, ēs, f.: eldest daughter of Priam and Hecuba, 1.653.

    nāta, ae: a daughter, 1.256. (nascor)

    Priamus, ī, m.: 1. Priam, son of Laomedon, king of Troy, 1.458, et al. 2. A Trojan youth, son of Polites and grandson of King Priam, 5.564.

    collum, ī, n.: the neck of men and animals, 1.654, et al.; of a plant, 9.436; pl., the neck, 11.692.

    monīle, is, n.: a necklace, collar, 1.654; a poitrel, 7.278.

    bācātus, a, um: adj. (bāca), set or studded with pearls; or made of beads, pearls, etc., 1.655.

    duplex, icis: adj. (duo and plicō), twofold, double, 1.655; lying over each other, lapping, 9.707; both, 1.93; twin, 12.198.

    gemma, ae, f.: a bud, precious stone, gem, 1.655, et al.

    corōna, ae, f.: a crown, 1.655; wreath, garland, 3.525; a crowd or throng; a circle of defenders on a rampart; a garrison, 9.508; a circle or crowd of assailants, 9.551.

    celerō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to speed, hasten, 1.357, et al. (celer)

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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/vergil-aeneid/vergil-aeneid-i-643-656