....questions from LLPSI XL

[pmda]

1) Continuo Mercurius "Tu nunc" inquit "uxorius altae Karthaginis fundamenta locas pulchramque urbem exstruis, oblitus regni rerumque tuarum! Ipse rex deorum de claro Olympo me demisit, ipse haec mandata ad te ferre iussit: Quid struis? aut qua spe in terris Libycis moraris? Si te non movet tanta gloria futura, at respice Ascanium filium, cui regnum Italiae debetur!" Haec locutus deus ex oculis Aeneae in tenues auras evanuit.

Immedediately, Mercury [to Aeneas] said: You are now the husband of the highest of Karthage, you are laying foundations and building a beautiful city, you have forgotten your kingdom and your duties. The king of Olympus himself has sent me, commanding me to take this same command to you: What are you thinking? or for what gain are you delaying in Libya? If such a glorious future does not move you then remember your son Ascanius to whom the kingdom of Italy is promised.

2) Aeneas vero obmutuit amens, tanto imperio deorum attonitus. Heu, quid agat? quibus nunc verbis audeat reginam adire furentem? unde ordiatur? Ita animum dubium nunc huc nunc illuc in varias partes versat.

….what would he do? Would he now, disturbed by these words, dare to go to the Queen? Where would he begin? In this way his disturbed mind turned to various things, now to this now to that.

3. At regina - quis amantem fallere potest? - dolum praesensit

= Quis (Aeneas?) amantem (Didonem) fallere potest? ...

Is the point here that Aeneas is unable to deceive Dido about his flight from Karthage because she is in love? That is, you cannot deceive a lover? [an assumption that has not stood the test of time.]

[Qimmik]

"Tu nunc" inquit "uxorius altae Karthaginis fundamenta locas - you are now laying the foundations of lofty Carthage, under the sway of your wife [uxorius]

rerumque tuarum - your own affairs

Ipse rex deorum de claro Olympo me demisit, the king of the gods himself has sent me down from bright Olympus

Quid struis? aut qua spe in terris Libycis moraris? See previous thread.

Heu, quid agat? quibus nunc verbis audeat reginam adire furentem? unde ordiatur? Ita animum dubium nunc huc nunc illuc in varias partes versat. - what is he to do? or with what words should he now dare approach the furious queen? how should he begin? In this way he turns his vacillating [or maybe "uncertain" - dubium] mind now this way now that to various alternatives.

Is the point here that Aeneas is unable to deceive Dido about his flight from Karthage because she is in love?

Yes. She could sense that he was deceiving her because she was in love.