Commentary Cons. Phil. Book 3 Metrum 12
We lose sight of what is above us when we pay too much heed to things that are below us. Meter: Glyconic.
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1: Echoes Vergil, Georgics 2.490ff (itself probably in praise of Lucretius), quoted above in note on 1M4.2.
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2: Cf. 3M9.23.
uisere: not merely "to see" (uidere) but "to look at fixedly."
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uates Threicius: i.e., Orpheus, the legendary poet and husband of Eurydice; invoked through antiquity for a variety of religious and philosophical doctrines. His song had magical power over nature and the animal kingdom. This poem is strongly indebted to Seneca, Hercules Furens, 569-589.
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flebilibus modis: cf. 1M1.1-2.
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latus: neuter accusative singular: iungere latus, "to stand side by side."
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uisum: modifies canem.
lepus: "hare."
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iam cantu placidum: "already calm by virtue of [Orpheus's] song."
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intima: intima . . . pectoris: "inmost [depths] of [his] heart."
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pectoris: intima . . . pectoris: "inmost [depths] of [his] heart."
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qui: sc. modi (line 17).
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immites superos: (sc. immites esse superos) indirect statement governed by querens (< queror, "complain").
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infernas: infernas . . . domos: i.e., the underworld.
domos: infernas . . . domos: i.e., the underworld.
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quicquid: lines 22-25: quicquid . . . quod . . . quod: objects of deflet (line 26).
deae: lines 22-23: deae . . . matris: the muse Calliope.
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matris: lines 22-23: deae . . . matris: the muse Calliope.
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quod: lines 22-25: quicquid . . . quod . . . quod: objects of deflet (line 26).
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quod: lines 22-25: quicquid . . . quod . . . quod: objects of deflet (line 26).
luctum: object of geminans.
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Taenara: object of commouens. Taenarum (in the southern Peloponnesus of Greece) was one of the legendary entrances to Hades. In the plural it stood for the underworld in general (as early as Seneca).
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rogat: takes two objects (ueniam and dominos).
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29: lines 29-39: Hell takes a holiday, music by Orpheus.
Stupet: scan first syllable short, second long.
tergeminus: lines 29-30: tergeminus . . . ianitor: Cerberus, the three-headed hound of hell.
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ianitor: lines 29-30: tergeminus . . . ianitor: Cerberus, the three-headed hound of hell.
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quae: antecedent is deae: the Furies.
sontes: "the guilty ones," accusative plural.
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34: lines 34-35: Ixion was tortured endlessly on the wheel, for assaulting Juno.
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36: lines 36-37: Tantalus was punished by being placed in water which fell away whenever he tried to stoop and drink.
longa: ablative with site (< sitis, "thirst").
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38: lines 38-39: Tityus was chained down while vultures gnawed his liver.
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40: lines 40-41: arbiter umbrarum: probably Minos, legendary king of Crete and judge in the underworld.
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comitem uiro: "as companion to the husband."
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coherceat: jussive subjunctive, placing a condition on the gift.
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dum: "until."
liquerit: perfect subjunctive.
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lumina flectere: i.e., look backward toward hell.
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det: potential subjunctive: "Who could give . . .?"
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Eurydicen: Greek accusative.
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occidit: middle syllable short, "died"; to read the middle syllable long (i.e., "he killed [her]") would be unmetrical and redundant after perdidit.
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lumina flexerit: cf. line 46.
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trahit: "carries, bears."
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dum uidet: "when he sees."