Note 1 — BOOK THE FIRST.

Footnote 1: (return) Although, as Ernesti observes, the verb προίαψεν does not necessarily contain the idea of a premature death, yet the ancient interpreters are almost unanimous in understanding it so. Thus Eustathius, p. 13, ed. Bas.: μετὰ βλάζης είς Αιδην πρὁ το δέοντος ἔπεμφεν, ὡς τῆς προθέσεως (i.e. προ) καιρικόν τι δηλούσης, ἢ ἁπλὡς ἔπεμψεν, ώς πλεοναζούσης τἤς προθέσεως. Hesych. t. ii. p. 1029, s. ν.: προίαψεν—δηλοῖ δε διὰ τἤς λέξεως τὴν μετ' ỏδὑνης αὐτῶν ἀπώλειαν. Cf. Virg. Æn. xii. 952: “Vitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub umbras,” where Servius well observes, “quia discedebat a juvene: nam volunt philosophi, invitam animam discedere a corpore, cum quo adhuc habitare legibus naturæ poterat.” I have, however, followed Ernesti, with the later commentators.