Language/vocab notes – Aeneid 845-868
‘dicuntur’ – not saying it directly
Pestes, Dirae – negative connotations, associated with the Furies however the Dirae lived
with Jupiter
‘Direa’ – strong – denotates something ill-omened / dangerous
‘intempesta’ – usually means ‘deepest’, here ‘timeless’ - permanence of the gods
Serpentum spiris ventosaque – sibilance = hissing – connotes poison, slyness, and danger –
similar to Medusa
ventosque addidit alas – simile – increases horror because of speed – seem unbeatable –
additionally, this is similar to Propertius’ description of Amor, Love
solium – regis - focuses on kingliness
limine – mortal and divine realms, transgression of both
regis – rex – constant reference to him as ‘king’ – authority over Juno’s rebellion
saevique – treatment of Turnus in 853-918
adparent – used of roman magistrates
metum mortalibus – alliterative ‘m’ sound – ominous purpose of the Dirae
line 850 -852 – repeated ‘m’ – gloomy and ominous – emphasises death’s presence within
this moment with the ‘m’ sounds
celerem - repeated reference to their swiftness – sense of urgency
summo – physical superiority as well as actual superiority
letum, bello, mortalibus - lexical field of death
Iussit – shows their inferiority / loyalty to him
celerique – repeats their swiftness – sense of urgency
ad terram – Gods involvement in action – this time it’s to stop the actions of other Gods
impulse sagittta – introduces a new simile – speed and unexpectedness
Parthus – renowned for their skills in archery
Veneni – shows evil intent
Parthus, Cydon – Parthians controlled a large territory – these were rival superpowers,
Cydon in Crete had most renowned archers
stridens – multi-sensory description – shows presence of the arrow, not just seen but heard
– hyperbolic
Nocte – the daughter of the night, connotes darkness and evil
celeris incognita – transferred epithet (something commonly used for one thing being
transferred to something different) – you would expect ‘swift’ to describe the arrow not the
shadows
the simile - multi-clausal – extensive – increased pace because of the short clauses created
postquam – time adverbial – progression of the scene
alitis – an owl (863-4) – association of the owl’s silent flight and a bird of ill omen
nocte…umbra – frames the line with darkness – ominous and foreboding tone
Canit Importuna – reminder of idea of fate – purpose of the Dira
Umbras – repeated idea – emphasis on the darkness, obscurity – foreboding
Hanc... alis – foreshadows physical impact she has, 913-914
Fertque refertque – polyptoton – frantic movement
Illi – metrical emphasis on his reaction
Torpor, Arrectaeque, vox – tricolon of his physical responses – like Aeneas when he saw the
ghost of Creusa in book 4
‘dicuntur’ – not saying it directly
Pestes, Dirae – negative connotations, associated with the Furies however the Dirae lived
with Jupiter
‘Direa’ – strong – denotates something ill-omened / dangerous
‘intempesta’ – usually means ‘deepest’, here ‘timeless’ - permanence of the gods
Serpentum spiris ventosaque – sibilance = hissing – connotes poison, slyness, and danger –
similar to Medusa
ventosque addidit alas – simile – increases horror because of speed – seem unbeatable –
additionally, this is similar to Propertius’ description of Amor, Love
solium – regis - focuses on kingliness
limine – mortal and divine realms, transgression of both
regis – rex – constant reference to him as ‘king’ – authority over Juno’s rebellion
saevique – treatment of Turnus in 853-918
adparent – used of roman magistrates
metum mortalibus – alliterative ‘m’ sound – ominous purpose of the Dirae
line 850 -852 – repeated ‘m’ – gloomy and ominous – emphasises death’s presence within
this moment with the ‘m’ sounds
celerem - repeated reference to their swiftness – sense of urgency
summo – physical superiority as well as actual superiority
letum, bello, mortalibus - lexical field of death
Iussit – shows their inferiority / loyalty to him
celerique – repeats their swiftness – sense of urgency
ad terram – Gods involvement in action – this time it’s to stop the actions of other Gods
impulse sagittta – introduces a new simile – speed and unexpectedness
Parthus – renowned for their skills in archery
Veneni – shows evil intent
Parthus, Cydon – Parthians controlled a large territory – these were rival superpowers,
Cydon in Crete had most renowned archers
stridens – multi-sensory description – shows presence of the arrow, not just seen but heard
– hyperbolic
Nocte – the daughter of the night, connotes darkness and evil
celeris incognita – transferred epithet (something commonly used for one thing being
transferred to something different) – you would expect ‘swift’ to describe the arrow not the
shadows
the simile - multi-clausal – extensive – increased pace because of the short clauses created
postquam – time adverbial – progression of the scene
alitis – an owl (863-4) – association of the owl’s silent flight and a bird of ill omen
nocte…umbra – frames the line with darkness – ominous and foreboding tone
Canit Importuna – reminder of idea of fate – purpose of the Dira
Umbras – repeated idea – emphasis on the darkness, obscurity – foreboding
Hanc... alis – foreshadows physical impact she has, 913-914
Fertque refertque – polyptoton – frantic movement
Illi – metrical emphasis on his reaction
Torpor, Arrectaeque, vox – tricolon of his physical responses – like Aeneas when he saw the
ghost of Creusa in book 4
