The ftseth Book of the EN EI D. 43 



night of the burning of Troy. A long converfation enfued 

 between the two friends, which was at laft interrupted by the 

 prieftefs, who told Eneas that he had no further time to lofe. 

 Be not angry, faid Deiphobus ; I Ihall go away, return to my 

 darknefs, and there complete my term of penance. 



Difcedam, explebo numerum, reddarque tenebris. 



The words explebo numerum are varioufly interpreted ; but the 

 fenfe is probably what is here given. RuEus is inclined to ex- 

 plain it thus, " Be not angry, great prieftefs, I (hall juft wind 

 " up the laft period of my difcourfe, and then return to my 

 " darknefs ;" as if the poor mangled ghoft of Deiphobus had 

 been ambitious to diftinguifh itfelf at this time as a rhetorician, 

 and well fkilled in the art of rounding a period. Dryden un- 

 derftands the paflage as I do. Serviijs hints at the fame in- 

 terpretation, but feems to prefer another. 



The two travellers having paffed through the melancholy 

 plains, were now come to a place, where one road went off to 

 the left, and another to the right ; the former leading to Tar- 

 tarus, the latter to Elyfium. They were going to Elyfium on a 

 vifit to Anchises : but before they ftruck off to the right, the 

 prieftefs took this opportunity to defcribe Tartarus, the gates of 

 which were in view, but which Eneas could not enter, as they 

 were never opened but for the reception of thofe wicked fouls, 

 whom the judge Rhadamanthus, after making them confefs the 

 crimes they had committed in the upper world, thought proper 

 to condemn to eternal punifliment. When this dreadful fen- 

 tence was paffed, they were feized on by Tifiphone and the other 

 furies, the adamantine gates opened with a tremendous found, 

 and the criminals were thrown into an immenfe dungeon, 

 ftretching downwards twice as far as from hell to heaven. 



F 2 The 



