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This passage begins the description of the fall of Troy; it is certainly significant, and appropriate, of course, that the first word is vertitur, which is followed soon after by involvens. Nor should we pass over the other verb of line 250, ruit. None of these words refers to Troy or its situation; rather, they are all simply part of the description of the change from day into night. It is clear, though, that Vergil has carefully chosen them because they foreshadow Troy's fate so well - verto and volvo are verbs that denote change, and this is the night that completely changes Troy's fortunes. Ruo is a verb that very frequently has connections with destruction (it is, of course, related to ruina and the English noun 'ruin'). Are there other significant words or phrases throughout the rest of this passage? For example, what do we make of line 255, a Tenedo tacitae per amica silentia lunae, with its repetition of the idea of silence?
Monday, February 23, 2009
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