Re: Tractatus de deficatione sexdecim heroum, text and translation

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Phaeded wrote: 26 May 2020, 20:57
Ross G. R. Caldwell wrote: 26 May 2020, 18:34 Marro is just Publius Vergilius Maro. Of course we should have taken out an "r."
Thanks - but that's extremely odd way to refer to him, especially given the Dante emphasis between Marziano and Filippo. E.g., the first time Dante meets his Roman guide he identifies him as Virgilio (Inf. I.79) , the only other identifiers being that he is sub Julio (born in the time of Julius Caesar) and is from Mantua. No Maro.
Maybe, but that has been my assumption. Queriniana's copyist spells it with one /r/, "Maro equos iungat" (folio 237v).

There must be a reason, or precedent in this case. Maybe because he began Neptune with "Profunda maris"?
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Re: Tractatus de deficatione sexdecim heroum, text and translation

72
Ross G. R. Caldwell wrote: 26 May 2020, 21:34 Queriniana's copyist spells it with one /r/, "Maro equos iungat" (folio 237v).

There must be a reason, or precedent in this case. Maybe because he began Neptune with "Profunda maris"?
You're right - Aeneid, Book V line 817: Iungit equos auro Genitor - "Father [Neptune] yoked his wild horses with gold...."

Didn't mean to be pedantic - it just didn't look right to me, but indeed it is.

This little sidebar is ultimately fruitful, however, as the Juno/Neptune/Aeolus theory about those three working in concert in the Aeneid in regard to the Dido episode now has a concrete reference point in Marziano: he quotes from Book V of the Aeneid. Book V takes up with Aeneas' departure from Carthage/Dido (i.e., after the rejection of Dido) and onto his final destination in founding Rome - Mars, the fourth member of the suit of Riches, signifies that as the father of Romulus and Remus.

Added:

The full context of Book V might illuminate the meaning of this "constellation" of gods in the suit of Riches: The flames of Dido’s funeral pyre behind them, Aeneas’ fleet is beset by a storm again [Juno/Aeolus] and so they put in to Sicily - Marziano specifically links Aeolus to Sicily (p. 83, your tr.) -where they were blown off course on their original path to Carthage; there Aeneas holds proper funeral rites for his father Anchises who was dead upon their first arrival. Juno stirs up unrest among the Trojan women (their plans to burn the ships so they can stay put and form a home is thwarted with a rain sent by Jove). Venus steps in and asks Neptune to guarantee a safe journey for the Trojans the rest of the way to the mainland (she specifies the Tiber where Romulus and Remus are born), but Neptune tells her that one Trojan (Palinurus, the steersman) must be sacrificed in return for the safety of the rest. What follows in Book VI, while there are additional funeral rites for Palinurus, is Aeneas’ famous descent into the Underworld with the Sibyl of Cumae at Apollo’s sanctuary...after the doves of Venus point out the “golden bough” for Aeneas. So the Marziano description of Neptune's horses is from Aeneas' transition from Dido to Cumae (where a prophetic vision of Rome's destiny awaits), battling Juno/Aeolus all the while with Neptune sort of caught in the middle.

The supplicating speech of Venus to Neptune - which results in the involuntary sacrifice of one of Aeneas's men - is key to the interaction of these gods (dated 1910 translation below from Perseus/Tufts)
"Stern Juno's wrath and breast implacable
compel me, Neptune, to abase my pride
in lowly supplication. Lapse of days,
nor prayers, nor virtues her hard heart subdue,
nor Jove's command; nor will she rest or yield
at Fate's decree. Her execrable grudge
is still unfed, although she did consume
the Trojan city, Phrygia's midmost throne,
and though she has accomplished stroke on stroke
of retribution. But she now pursues
the remnant—aye! the ashes and bare bones
of perished Ilium; though the cause and spring
of wrath so great none but herself can tell.
Wert thou not witness on the Libyan wave
what storm she stirred, immingling sea and sky,
and with Aeolian whirlwinds made her war, —
in vain and insolent invasion, sire,
of thine own realm and power?
Behold, but now,
goading to evil deeds the Trojan dames,
she basely burned his ships; he in strange lands
must leave the crews of his Iost fleet behind.
O, I entreat thee, let the remnant sail
in safety o'er thy sea, and end their way
in Tiber's holy stream;—if this my prayer
be lawful, and that city's rampart proud
be still what Fate intends.”
5.781-798
Our "yoked horses" line found in Marziano appears in Neptune's response to Venus (AKA, the genetrix of the Visconti dynasty), in reference to speeding Aeneas along to Cumae:

"Though 't was my will to cast down utterly
the walls of perjured Troy, which my own hands
had built beside the sea. And even to-day
my favor changes not. Dispel thy fear!
Safe, even as thou prayest, he shall ride
to Cumae's haven, where Avernus lies.
One only sinks beneath th' engulfing seas, —
one life in lieu of many.” [Palinurus]
Having soothed
and cheered her heart divine, the worshipped sire
flung o'er his mated steeds a yoke of gold,
bridled the wild, white mouths, and with strong hand
shook out long, Ioosened reins. His azure car
skimmed light and free along the crested waves;
before his path the rolling billows all
were calm and still, and each o'er-swollen flood
sank 'neath his sounding wheel; while from the skies
the storm-clouds fled away.
An thus Juno's creature Aeolus is dispensed with.