Lost in the Troiad again...
Earlier today I found myself engaged in a discussion (transcending Latin)
of what might be called "illogical" tense-forms-- as for example the description of a past event in the historical present.
I thought I remembered Virgil using the present in some result clauses, though the result lay clearly in the past, and I found myself flipping through the Aeneid, looking for examples.
The first that struck my eye was the following (iii: 1-8):
Postquam res Asiae Priamique evertere gentem
immeritam visum superis, ceciditque superbum
Ilium et omnis humo fumat Neptunia Troia,
diversa exsilia et desertas quaerere terras
auguriis agimur divum, classemque sub ipsa
Antandro et Phrygiae molimur montibus Idae,
incerti, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur,
contrahimusque viros.
I was able to find others, which was a good thing, since I have to admit that although I fully understand the meaning here (I think), I am completely bewildered by some of the syntax.
After the destruction of Asia and of Priam's guiltless race by the gods above, and after proud Ilium fell, and all Neptunian Troy lay [literally lies; I will not trouble further with the tense peculiarities that led me here] smoking from the ground, we were driven by the auguries of the gods to seek distant places of exile, and empty lands, and we built a fleet just by that same Antandros, and the mountains of Phrygian Ida. Uncertain whither the fates were leading, or what place we should be given to settle, we gathered our men together.
But: I would expect some perfect form after the initial postquam. But the only verb-form I see in that first clause (before the cecidit) is an infinitive, evertere. What case is res? And where does the visum come in? I know we have some Vergilian scholars here, and I hope that some one will please explain the syntax of this first clause to me.
Thanks in advance.
Earlier today I found myself engaged in a discussion (transcending Latin)
of what might be called "illogical" tense-forms-- as for example the description of a past event in the historical present.
I thought I remembered Virgil using the present in some result clauses, though the result lay clearly in the past, and I found myself flipping through the Aeneid, looking for examples.
The first that struck my eye was the following (iii: 1-8):
Postquam res Asiae Priamique evertere gentem
immeritam visum superis, ceciditque superbum
Ilium et omnis humo fumat Neptunia Troia,
diversa exsilia et desertas quaerere terras
auguriis agimur divum, classemque sub ipsa
Antandro et Phrygiae molimur montibus Idae,
incerti, quo fata ferant, ubi sistere detur,
contrahimusque viros.
I was able to find others, which was a good thing, since I have to admit that although I fully understand the meaning here (I think), I am completely bewildered by some of the syntax.
After the destruction of Asia and of Priam's guiltless race by the gods above, and after proud Ilium fell, and all Neptunian Troy lay [literally lies; I will not trouble further with the tense peculiarities that led me here] smoking from the ground, we were driven by the auguries of the gods to seek distant places of exile, and empty lands, and we built a fleet just by that same Antandros, and the mountains of Phrygian Ida. Uncertain whither the fates were leading, or what place we should be given to settle, we gathered our men together.
But: I would expect some perfect form after the initial postquam. But the only verb-form I see in that first clause (before the cecidit) is an infinitive, evertere. What case is res? And where does the visum come in? I know we have some Vergilian scholars here, and I hope that some one will please explain the syntax of this first clause to me.
Thanks in advance.