non iam coniugium antiquum, quod prodidit, oro,

[AVGVSTA]

Is the coniugium antiquum referring to Dido and Aeneas's marriage, or Dido and Sychaeus? I know prodidit means he surrendered/betrayed, pointing to the fact that Aeneas is leaving the shores of Carthage, and thus Dido. However, why did Dido use the adjective antiquum? How ancient/old is... literally a few months ago?

 

[Iáson]

This appears to be a source of confusion for commentators; Servius' comment is rather noncommittal: 'antīquum aut prīmum, aut cārum, ut 'nihil antīquius habuit' dīcimus: aut antīquātum et inritum.'

Quinn, in p50n1 here, suggests an ambiguity between 'former' and 'honourable'.

I suspect that (along Quinn's line) whilst 'former' is the primary meaning here, it is emotionally loaded with the other undertones of 'dear', 'honourable' and 'well-established'.

 

[AoM]

That Quinn cites Austin. Here's his note:

"Some editors think antiquum inappropriate; but it is all long past to Dido now; Mackail observes that the epithet means 'honourable' as well as 'old'."

 

[AVGVSTA]

Interesting... so Antiquum primarily means former(in the sense that Aeneas now abandoned it) but at the same time hints at "dear" "ancient" and "honorable". With the "ancient" part illustrating that to Dido all the joys of her union with Aeneas were now long past.

 

[AoM]

Yep. And earlier Aeneas said: et Troia antiqua maneret (312).

They've both lost things antiqua.