[172] Of the two interpretations which Heyne offers of this disputed verse, “illi quos tua dextera leto dedit magna tropaea tibi afferunt,” “Troes et Tyrrheni magna tropaea ferunt eorum quos dat &c.,” the first seems decidedly preferable, though it has not been generally adopted. The only thing in favour of the second is the use of “ferre,” v. 84; but there seems nothing intentional in the parallel, and the present line obviously suggests a kind of balance between the two clauses, which would be quite lost by giving ‘ferunt’ a different subject from ‘quos.’ ‘Great are the trophies they bring you whom your right hand gives to death.’ ‘Ferunt’ too, thus interpreted, helps to account for ‘dat,’ which stands in a sort of false correspondence to it, both being supposed to be parts of a general statement. The same accommodation of tenses to each other is found in English poetry, though there the rhyme may be an additional excuse. Thus Milman, Martyr of Antioch, “The Lord Almighty doth but take the mortal life He giveth,” and the hymn commencing “Eternal God, who hatest No work that Thou createst.” Rom., and originally Gud., and another of Ribbeck's cursives have ‘ferant,’ which Jahn at one time preferred, explaining the connexion, “Melius funus quam Aeneas, Troiani et Tyrrheni parare nequeo: ferant igitur Troiani tropaea.” For ‘dat leto’ see on G. 3. 480.
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John Conington. P. Vergili Maronis opera. P. Vergili Maronis Opera. The works of. Virgil. , with a Commentary by John Conington, M.A. and Henry Nettleship, M.A. London. Whittaker and Co., Ave Maria Lane;. George Bell and Sons, York Street, Covent Garden. 1876.
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