Ronsard and the rest whom Segrais names, who are of opinion that the
action of this poem takes up almost a year and half, ground their
calculation thus:- Anchises died in Sicily at the end of winter or
beginning of the spring. AEneas, immediately after the interment of
his father, puts to sea for Italy; he is surprised by the tempest
described in the beginning of the first book; and there it is that
the scene of the poem opens, and where the action must commence. He
is driven by this storm on the coasts of Africa; he stays at
Carthage all that summer, and almost all the winter following; sets
sail again for Italy just before the beginning of the spring; meets
with contrary winds, and makes Sicily the second time. This part of
the action completes the year. Then he celebrates the anniversary
of his father's funerals, and shortly after arrives at Cumes. And
from thence his time is taken up in his first treaty with Latinus;
the overture of the war; the siege of his camp by Turnus; his going
for succours to relieve it; his return; the raising of the siege by
the first battle; the twelve days' truce; the second battle; the
assault of Laurentum, and the single fight with Turnus--all which,
they say, cannot take up less than four or five months more, by
which account we cannot suppose the entire action to be contained in
a much less compass than a year and half.
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