[61] Some inferior MSS. and Donatus on Ter. And. prol. 16 have ‘linquere,’ which was the old reading. ‘Linqui’ however, which was restored by Heins. from Med., and is found in Pal., is to be preferred, as the more difficult, and as agreeable to Virg.'s love of variety. The same mixture of the passive with the active infinitive will meet us again 5. 773., 11. 84, as it has already met us E. 6. 85, though the harshness here is greater, as the active is resumed immediately. ‘Pollutum hospitium,’ like “polluto amore” 5. 6, “polluta pace” 7. 467, the notion in each case apparently being the breach of a sacred tie. So “polluere ferias,” “ieiunia,” are used by Gellius and Nigidius, of working on holidays, and breaking a fast: see Forc. ‘Dare classibus austros,’ the fleet being conceived of as waiting and hungering for the breeze which was to carry it over the sea. So “date volnera lymphis” 4. 683 note. Cerda well comp. Calpurnius 5. 29, “Campos ovibus, dumeta capellis Orto sole dabis.” There is nothing intrinsically absurd in Serv.'s notion of a hypallage, as we have repeatedly seen that Virg. uses one expression while thinking himself and intending his readers to think of another (see on 1. 381, G. 2. 364); but “dare classem austris” does not happen to be a Virgilian phrase, so that there is no reason to suppose that in this passage he thought of the winds as desiring the ships rather than vice versa.
