This is a line from Ørberg's Roma Aeterna. I am not sure I understand prae se agit. It seems odd to imagine Aeneas driving Dido before him as a ploughman drives an ox. I believe I have found the original verse in the Aeneid: Agit ipse furentem in somnis ferus Aeneas. I suppose this could mean that he drives her crazy. What are your thoughts?
atque in somnis ipse ferus Aeneas eam furentem prae se agit
- Thread starter Charlie Parker
- Start date
You're in the ballpark, sure. But the notion, I think, is rather one of 'chasing', like a hunter & his prey (ferus connotes hunting), or like Apollo and Daphne (Dido may not be a virgin, but didn't she swear to take no husband after the late Siculus or whatever his name was?)
Thank you very much.
Yes, it is from Aeneid IV:465
The commentaries I have suggest it is Aeneas pursuing Dido, goading her to frenzy like Argus drove Io. I presume that this is why Orberg put the prae se in.
I can't really figure why she would be dreaming of him chasing her, as the whole problem is that he has left her. The next part semperque relinqui sola sibi hardly fits with being pursued.
To my mind the original is saying that cruel Aeneas is goading her into a frenzy. Goads her would keep the general nature of agit, although not in the Roma Aeterna sentence obviously.
The commentaries I have suggest it is Aeneas pursuing Dido, goading her to frenzy like Argus drove Io. I presume that this is why Orberg put the prae se in.
I can't really figure why she would be dreaming of him chasing her, as the whole problem is that he has left her. The next part semperque relinqui sola sibi hardly fits with being pursued.
To my mind the original is saying that cruel Aeneas is goading her into a frenzy. Goads her would keep the general nature of agit, although not in the Roma Aeterna sentence obviously.
I would be very interested to know how others interpret this line.
My impression of the original Aeneid line was pretty much like yours. I didn't exactly think of the wording "goads her into a frenzy", but I guess it can work. Agit seems to mean that he's "agitating" her mentally, tormenting her or the like. But of course it can no longer mean that with the addition of prae se. Then it can only mean that he's driving her (away) before him, i.e. chasing her or so.
Maybe, "goads her on in her frenzied state"