FRAGMENT. 247 



As to EnenSy her Ton by Anchifes, though he be 

 here the grand objedl of her enterprize, flie fpeaks 

 only of the tears which fhe has fhed over his calami- 

 ties, and even thefe (he difpatches in a Tingle line. 

 She names him only once, and in the verfe fol- 

 lowing, defcribes him with fo much ambiguity, 

 that what flie fays of Enms might be referred to 

 Priam^ fo fearful is (he of repeating the name of 

 the fon of Anchifes in pre fen ce of her hu(band 1 

 As to Vulcan, (he flatters him, fupplicates, im- 

 plores, wheedles him. She calls his (kill, " her 

 " facred protedion :" fan^um numen. But when 

 flie comes to her great point, the armour for 

 Eneas, (he expre(res herfelf literally in four words; 

 " Arms I beg ; a mother for a fon ;" Arma rogo'y 

 *' genetrix nato. She does not fay, *' For her fon ;" 

 but conveys her meaning in general terms, to avoid 

 explanations of a nature too particular. As the 

 ground was flippery, (he fupports herfelf by the 

 example of two faithful wives, that of Thetis, and 

 oi Aurora, who had obtained, from Vulcan, armour 

 for their fons ; the firft, for Achilles, the fécond, 

 for Memnon. The children of thefe Godde(res 

 were, indeed, legitimate, but they were mortal, 

 hke Eneas, which was fufEcient for the moment. 

 She next attempts to alarm her hufband for her 

 own perfonal fafety. She fuggefts, that (he flood 

 expofed to incredible danger. *' Combined Na- 

 ** tions," fays (he, *' and formidable cities whet 



R 4 *' Uie 



