Book 10
16
He also says that Virgil erred in these lines: Aen. vi. 838. The rendering is by Rhoades, except for spotless in the last line. He Argos and Mycenae shall uproot, City of Agamemnon, and the heir Of Aeacus himself, from war-renowned Achilles sprung, Neoptolemus, also called Pyrrus (or Pyrrhus), the son of Achilles and Deidameia. his ancestors of Troy Avenging and Minerva's spotless shrine. Probably either Gellius or Hyginus misquotes Virgil. With their version we have a transfer of the epithet intemerata from Minerva to her shrine. He has confounded, says Hyginus, different persons and times. For the wars with the Achaeans and with Pyrrus were not waged at the same time nor by the same men. For Pyrrus, whom he calls a descendant of Aeacus, having crossed over from Epirus into Italy, waged war with the Romans against Manius Curius, who was their leader in that war. 280—275 B.C. But the Argive, that is, the Achaean war, was carried on many years after under the lead of Lucius Mummius. 146 B.C. The middle verse, therefore, about Pyrrus, says he, may be omitted, since it was inserted inopportunely; and Virgil, he said, undoubtedly would have struck it out.
17
Why and how the philosopher Democritus deprived himself of his eye-sight; and the very fine and elegant verses of Laberius on that subject.
