# intactas levis ipse superfugit undas (Valerius Flaccus)



## Casquilho

Salvete!
Thanks for your kind and patient answers to all my latest threads. I hope you can answer this also.
I’m having a really exasperating time with some passages from Valerius Flaccus’ _Argonautica_. It wasn’t my plan to consult it in Latin, for I’m not so proficient on it to read long texts, but the only vernacular translation I found, that of J. H. Mozley, seems at times so harsh and misleading I was forced to search the original for understanding the true meaning.

Here is the context of my question:

_iamque ex oculis aufertur uterque,
cum puerum instantem quadripes fessaque minantem
tela manu procul ad nitidi spiracula fontis
ducit et intactas levis ipse superfugit undas._
(Book 3, vv. 551-554.)

I can’t understand what _spiracula _means here; _nitidi fontis _I take as a genitive (“of the bright fountain”) and _intactas undas _the accusative of “untouched waves”. I couldn’t find _superfugit _in the dictionary, though I assume it’s composed of the prep. _super _+ verb _fugio_. _ipse_, himself, is nominative pronoun, and must refer to Hylas (the passage is taken from his rape by the naiad), so the deal is to see the connection between _levis_, _ipse _and _superfugit_. Can you help me?


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## Quiviscumque

L&S is your friend: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=superfugio&fromdoc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059


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## wandle

A *spiraculum* is usually a breathing-hole or air vent. This makes little sense in the context. We cannot imagine 'an air vent [consisting] of a glistening spring'.

Now the related term *spiramentum*, which usually means the same as *spiraculum*, also has the meaning of a pause for breath. I believe Valerius intends *spiraculum* in this sense. 

We still have to explain what is meant by *nitidi spiracula fontis*. *Spiracula* may be seen as a poetical plural, equivalent to the singluar, or perhaps is meant to indicate a more general and less specific sense: 'opportunities for breathing'. 
The genitive here is presumably constitutive, so that the phrase means 'a breathing-space which consists of a glistening spring'. In other words, the idea is: 'a glistening spring which provides an opportunity [for any living thing] to draw breath'.

Thus the goddess-inspired stag brings Hylas to a spot where the spring gives an opportunity for respite and then itself (*ipse*) leaps clear across the water and away, leaving him (a) unable to follow and (b) tempted to take a rest.

How to translate *ad nitidi spiracula fontis*? For example: 'to where a glistening spring offers respite'.


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## Quiviscumque

Just thinking aloud: perhaps "spiraculum" is here just a diminutive form of "spira" (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:entry=spira)


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## wandle

I doubt it. L&S cite the present line for *spiraculum* meaning 'breathing-hole'. They do not recognise *spiraculum* as a diminutive of *spira*. 
Besides, what would 'a little coil of a spring' mean? Presumably, a small spring winding between rocks or tufts of grass. This would hardly be deep enough for Hylas to fall into, or wide enough to stop him following the stag.


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## Scholiast

salvete omnes

I too have puzzled over _spiracula _here, and toyed with the idea of an icily cold stream, which in the early morning can be seen "steaming" if the atmospheric air around is warmer. On reflection, however, this seemed not right for the context, and I am now not sure that any literal translation will capture it (it is poetry, after all) - nor indeed that _spiraculum_ as a word came sufficiently within the purview of L&S.

To me the nearest modern English equivalent would be something like "breathing-space" (or as wandle, # 3, put it, "respite") - or, more prosaically, "a place to draw breath". This would apply in context both to the stag and potentially to Hylas, but as the stag bounds effortlessly across without a ripple in the stream, the sense will more nearly (but proleptically) apply to Hylas.

But I am not sure any of us can completely rule out without further evidence Quiviscumque's suggestion (# 4), because a "winding" stream could also make sense.

I await with keen anticipation others' observations.

Σ


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## wandle

If we look at nouns ending in *-iculum* we find that in most cases they are formed from another noun and are diminutives.

On the other hand, nouns ending in *-aculum* are generally formed from a verb, not a noun; and are not diminutives, but have the sense 'something suitable, or used for, a purpose indicated by the sense of the verb'.

Thus an *obstaculum* is something standing in the way and an *objectaculum* is something that has been placed in the way: a barrier or dam.

From this we can conclude I think that a _*spiraculum*_ is something that serves the purpose of breathing.
Thus it can mean a breathing-hole or air vent, but equally well an opportunity for taking a breather or a rest.


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## CapnPrep

Quiviscumque said:


> Just thinking aloud: perhaps "spiraculum" is here just a diminutive form of "spira"


As wandle said, the theme vowel is usually replaced by _i _before _-cul-_, since this diminutive suffix has a special affinity with 3rd declension _i-_stems. Also, the original gender is normally preserved in diminutive derivations (cf. _spira_ → _spirula_). So we might expect _ad spiriculas_ instead of _ad spiracula_ if this were the poet's intent.


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## Scholiast

Salvete omnes!

To CapnPrep's (as always) philologically expert point (# 8) one might add that _ad spiriculas_ would not scan at this place in a hexameter.

(And, self-correction, in my previous post I meant "...cold stream, which in the early morning can be seen "steaming" if the atmospheric air around is *even colder*").

_ut floreatis_,

Σ


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