On topmost of Tarpeian burg the warden Manlius stood Before the house of God, and held the Capitol high-set; Whereon with straw of Romulus the roof was bristling yet. There fluttering mid the golden porch the silver goose was done, The seer that told of Gaulish feet unto the threshold won: Then through the brake the Gauls were come, and held the castle's height, Beneath the shielding of the mirk and gift of shadowy night. All golden are the locks of these, and golden is their gear, 659 And fair they shine in welted coats; their milk-white necks do bear The twisted gold; each one in hand two Alpine spears doth wield, And guarded are their bodies well with plenteous length of shield.

The Salii in their dancing game; the naked Luperci, With crests that bore the tuft of wool and shields from out the sky, There had he wrought: the mothers chaste in softly-gliding car Bore holy things the city through. Yea, he had wrought afar The very house of Tartarus, and doors of Dis the deep, And dooms of evil: there wert thou hung on the beetling steep, O Catiline, and quaking sore 'neath many a fiendly face; While Cato gave the good their laws in happy hidden place. 670

The image of the swelling sea amidst of these there lay All golden, with the blue o'erfoamed with flecks of hoary spray, And dolphins shining silver-white with tail-stroke swept the wave, And gathered in an orbed band the flowing waters clave. And in the midst were brazen fleets and show of Actium's wars And all Leucate set a-boil with ordered game of Mars There might ye see; and all the flood lit up with golden light. Augustus Caesar, leading on Italian men to fight With Father-folk, and Household Gods, and Gods of greater name, Stood high on deck: his joyful brow flashed forth a twofold flame, 680 His father's star above his head is shining glory-clear. With wind to aid and God to aid, Agrippa otherwhere Leads on the host from high; whose brows with glorious battle-sign Are decked; for with the crown of beaks, the ship-host's prize, they shine.

But Antony, with outland force and arms wrought diversely, Victorious from the morning-folks and ruddy-stranded sea, Bore Egypt and the Eastland might and Bactria's outer ends; And after him—O shame to tell!—a wife of Egypt wends.

They rush together; all the sea is beaten into foam, Torn by the great three-tyned beaks and oar-blades driven home: 690 They seek the deep: ye might have thought that uptorn Cyclades Swam o'er the main, that mountains met high mountains on the seas, With such a world of towered ships fall on those folks of war. The hempen flame they fling from hand; they cast the dart afar Of winged steel, and Neptune's lea reddens with death anew. The Queen amidst calls on her host with timbrel fashioned due In Egypt's guise, nor looks aback the adders twain to see; Barking Anubis, shapes of God wild-wrought and diversely 'Gainst Neptune and 'gainst Venus fair, and 'gainst Minerva's weal Put forth the spear; and Mavors' wrath was fashioned forth in steel 700 Amidst the fight: the Dreadful Ones stooped evil-wrought from heaven, And Discord stalked all glad at heart beneath her mantle riven; And after her, red scourge in hand, did dire Bellona go.

All this Apollo, Actian-housed, beheld, and bent his bow From high aloft, and with his fear all Egypt fell to wrack, And Ind and Araby; and all Sabaeans turned the back. Then once again the Queen was wrought, who on the winds doth cry, And spreadeth sail; and now, and now, the slackened sheet lets fly. The Lord of Fire had wrought her there wan with the death to be, Borne on, amid the death of men, by wind and following sea. 710 But Nile was wrought to meet them there, with body great to grieve, And in the folding of his cloak the vanquished to receive, To take them to his bosom grey, his flood of hidden home. There Caesar threefold triumphing, borne on amidst of Rome, Three hundred shrines was hallowing to Gods of Italy Through all the city; glorious gift that nevermore shall die; The while all ways with joy and game and plenteous praising rang. In all the temples altars were; in all the mothers sang Before the altars; on the earth the steers' due slaughter lay. But on the snow-white threshold there of Phoebus bright as day 720 He sat and took the nations' gifts, and on the glorious door He hung them up: in long array the tamed folks went before, As diverse in their tongues as in their arms and garments' guise. The Nomads had he fashioned there, that Mulciber the wise, And Afric's all ungirded folk; Carians and Leleges, Shafted Geloni: softlier there Euphrates rolled his seas; The Morini, the last of men, the horned Rhine, were there, Danae untamed, Araxes loth the chaining bridge to bear.

So on the shield, his mother's gift by Vulcan fashioned fair, He wondereth, blind of things to come but glad the tale to see, 730 And on his shoulder bears the fame and fate of sons to be.



BOOK IX.

ARGUMENT.

IN THE MEANTIME THAT AENEAS IS AWAY, TURNUS AND THE LATINS BESET THE TROJAN ENCAMPMENT, AND MISS BUT A LITTLE OF BRINGING ALL THINGS TO RUIN.

Now while a long way off therefrom do these and those such deed, Saturnian Juno Iris sends from heaven aloft to speed To Turnus of the hardy heart, abiding, as doth hap, Within his sire Pilumnus' grove in shady valley's lap; Whom Thaumas' child from rosy mouth in suchwise doth bespeak:

"Turnus, what no one of the Gods might promise, didst thou seek, The day of Fate undriven now hath borne about for thee: AEneas, he hath left his town, and ships, and company, And sought the lordship Palatine and King Evander's house; Nay more, hath reached the utmost steads, the towns of Corythus 10 And host of Lydians, where he arms the gathered carles for war. Why doubt'st thou? now is time to call for horse and battle-car. Break tarrying off, and make thy stoop upon their camp's dismay."

She spake, and on her poised wings went up the heavenly way, And in her flight with mighty bow cleft through the cloudy land. The warrior knew her, and to heaven he cast up either hand, And with such voice of spoken things he followed as she fled: "O Iris, glory of the skies, and who thy ways hath sped Amidst the clouds to earth and me? Whence this so sudden clear Of weather? Lo, the midmost heaven I see departed shear, 20 And through the zenith stray the stars: such signs I follow on, Whoso ye be that call to war." And therewithal he won Unto the stream, and from its face drew forth the water fair, Praying the Gods, and laid a load of vows upon the air.

And now the host drew out to war amid the open meads, With wealth of painted gear and gold, and wealth of noble steeds. Messapus leads the first array, and Tyrrheus' children ward The latter host, and in the midst is Turnus' self the lord. Such is the host as Ganges deep, arising mid the hush With sevenfold rivers' solemn flow, or Nile-flood's fruitful rush, 30 When he hath ebbed from off the fields and hid him in his bed.

But now the Teucrians see the cloud of black dust grow to head From far away, and dusty-dark across the plain arise: And first from off the mound in face aloud Caicus cries: "Ho! what is this that rolleth on, this misty, mirky ball? Swords, townsmen, swords! Bring point and edge; haste up to climb the wall. Ho, for the foeman is at hand!" Then, with a mighty shout, The Trojans swarm through all the gates and fill the walls about; For so AEneas, war-lord wise, had bidden them abide At his departing; if meantime some new hap should betide, 40 They should not dare nor trust themselves to pitch the fight afield, But hold the camp and save the town beneath the ramparts' shield. Therefore, though shame and anger bade go forth and join the play, They bolt and bar the gates no less and all his word obey; And armed upon the hollow towers abide the coming foe.

But Turnus, flying forward fast, outwent the main host slow, And with a score of chosen knights is presently at hand Before the town: borne on he was on horse of Thracian land, White-flecked, and helmeted was he with ruddy-crested gold. "Who will be first with me, O youths, play with the foe to hold? 50 Lo, here!" he cried; and on the air a whirling shaft he sent, The first of fight, and borne aloft about the meadows went. His fellows take it up with shouts, and dreadful cry on rolls As fast they follow, wondering sore at sluggard Teucrian souls,— That men should shun the battle pitched, nor dare the weapon-game, But hug their walls. So round the walls, high-horsed, with heart aflame, He rides about, and tries a way where never was a way: E'en as a wolf the sheep-fold full besetteth on a day, And howleth round about the garth, by wind and rain-drift beat, About the middle of the night, while safe the lamb-folk bleat 60 Beneath their mothers: wicked-fierce against them safe and near He rageth; hunger-madness long a-gathering him doth wear, With yearning for that blood beloved to wet his parched jaws. E'en so in that Rutulian duke to flame the anger draws, As he beholdeth walls and camp: sore burnt his hardy heart For shifts to come at them; to shake those Teucrians shut apart From out their walls and spread their host about the meadows wide.

So on the ships he falls, that lay the campment's fence beside, Hedged all about with garth and mound and by the river's flood, And to the burning crieth on his folk of joyous mood, 70 And eager fills his own right hand with branch of blazing fir: Then verily they fall to work whom Turnus' gaze doth stir, And all the host of them in haste hand to the black torch lays. They strip the hearths; the smoky brand sends forth pitch-laden blaze, And starward soot-bemingled flame drave Vulcan as he burned.

Say, Muse, what God from Teucrian folk such sore destruction turned? Who drave away from Trojan keels so mighty great a flame? Old is the troth in such a tale, but never dies its fame. What time AEneas first began on Phrygian Ida's steep To frame his ships, and dight him there to ride upon the deep, 80 The Berecynthian Mother-Queen spake, as the tale doth fare, Unto the Godhead of great Jove: "Son, grant unto my prayer That which thy loved mother asks from heaven all tamed to peace: A wood of pines I have, beloved through many years' increase. There is a thicket on my height wherein men worship me, Dim with the blackening of the firs and trunks of maple-tree: These to the Dardan youth in need of ship-host grudged I nought, But in my anxious soul as now is born a troubling thought. Do off my dread, and let, I pray, a mother's prayers avail, That these amid no shattering sea or whirling wind may fail; 90 Let it avail them that my heights first brought them unto birth."

Answered her son, that swayeth still the stars that rule the earth: "O mother, whither call'st thou Fate? what wouldst thou have them be? Shall keels of mortal fashioning gain immortality? And shall AEneas well assured stray every peril through? Shall this be right? hath any God the power such things to do? No less when they have done their work, and safe in Italy Lie in the haven, which soe'er have overpassed the sea, And borne the Duke of Dardan men to that Laurentine home, From such will I take mortal shape, and bid them to become 100 Queens of the sea-plain, such as are Doto the Nereus child, And Galatea, whose bosoms cleave the foaming waters wild."

He spake and swore it by the flood his Stygian Brother rules, And by its banks that reek with pitch o'er its black whirling pools, And with the bowing of his head did all Olympus shake.

And now the promised day was come, nor will the Parcae break The time fulfilled; when Turnus' threat now bade the Mother heed That she from those her holy ships should turn the fire at need. Strange light before the eyes of men shone forth; a mighty cloud Ran from the dawning down the sky, and there was clashing loud 110 Of Ida's hosts, and from the heavens there fell a voice of fear, That through Rutulia's host and Troy's fulfilled every ear: "Make no great haste, O Teucrian men, these ships of mine to save! Nor arm thereto! for Turnus here shall burn the salt sea wave Sooner than these, my holy pines. But ye—depart, go free! The Mother biddeth it: depart, Queens, Goddesses, of sea!"

Straightway the ships brake each the chain that tied them to the bank, And, as the dolphins dive adown, with plunging beaks they sank Down to the deeps, from whence, O strange! they come aback once more; As many brazen beaks as erst stood fast beside the shore, 120 So many shapes of maidens now seaward they wend their ways.

Appalled were those Rutulian hearts; yea, feared with all amaze, Messapus sat mid frighted steeds: the rough-voiced stream grew black; Yea, Tiberinus from the deep his footsteps drew aback. But Turnus of the hardy heart, his courage nothing died; Unmoved he stirs their souls with speech, unmoved he falls to chide:

"These portents seek the Teucrians home; the very Jupiter Snatches their wonted aid from them, that might not bide to bear Rutulian fire and sword: henceforth the sea-plain lacketh road For Teucrian men: their flight is dead, and half the world's abode 130 Is reft from them: and earth, forsooth, upon our hands it waits, With thousands of Italian swords. For me, I fear no Fates: For if the Phrygians boast them still of answering words of God, Enough for Venus and the Fates that Teucrian men have trod The fair Ausonia's fruitful field: and answering fates have I: A wicked folk with edge of sword to root up utterly, For stolen wife: this grief hath grieved others than Atreus' sons, And other folk may run to arms than those Mycenian ones. —Enough one downfall is, say ye?—Enough had been one sin. Yea, I had deemed all womankind your hatred well might win. 140 —Lo, these are they to whom a wall betwixt the sword and sword, The little tarrying of a ditch,—such toys the death to ward!— Give hearts of men! What, saw they not the war-walls of Troy-town, The fashioning of Neptune's hand, amid the flame sink down? But ye, my chosen, who is dight with me to break the wall, That we upon their quaking camp with point and edge may fall? No need I have of Vulcan's arms or thousand ships at sea Against these Teucrians; yea, though they should win them presently, The Tuscan friendship: deeds of dusk and deedless stolen gain Of that Palladium, and the guards of topmost castle slain, 150 Let them not fear: we shall not lurk in horse's dusky womb: In open day to gird your walls with wildfire is the doom. Let them not deem they have to put the Danaans to the proof, Pelasgian lads that Hector's hand for ten years held aloof. —But come, since all the best of day is well-nigh worn to end, Joy in our good beginning, friends, and well your bodies tend, And bide in hope and readiness the coming of the fight."

Therewith Messapus hath the charge with outguards of the night To keep the gates, and all the town with watch-fires round to ring: Twice seven are chosen out to hold the town inleaguering 160 Of Rutuli: an hundred youths, they follow each of these; A purple-crested folk that gleam with golden braveries: They pace the round, they shift the turn, or scattered o'er the grass Please heart and soul with wine, and turn the empty bowl of brass: The watch-fires shine around in ring; through sport and sleeplessness Their warding weareth night away.

The Trojans from their walls of war look down on all these things; They hold the heights in arms, and search the great gate's fastenings With hurrying fear; or, spear in hand, gangway to battlement 169 They yoke. There Mnestheus urged the work; there hot Serestus went; They whom AEneas, if perchance the time should call thereto, Had made first captains of the host, lords of all things to do. So all the host along the walls the peril shareth out, Falling to watch, and plays its part in turn and turn about.

Nisus was warder of the gate, the eager under shield, The son of Hyrtacus, whom erst did huntress Ida yield Unto AEneas' fellowship, keen with the shaft and spear. Euryalus, his friend, stood by, than whom none goodlier Went with AEneas or did on the battle-gear of Troy: Youth's bloom unshorn was on his cheek, scarce was he but a boy. 180 Like love the twain had each for each; in battle side by side They went; and now as gatewards twain together did abide.

Now Nisus saith: "Doth very God so set the heart on fire, Euryalus, or doth each man make God of his desire? My soul is driving me to dare the battle presently, Or some great deed; nor pleased with peace at quiet will it be. Thou seest how those Rutulian men trust in their warding keep; How wide apart the watch-fires shine; how slack with wine and sleep Men lie along; how far and wide the hush o'er all things lies. Note now what stirreth in my mind, what thoughts in me arise: 190 They bid call back AEneas now, fathers, and folk, and all, And send out men to bear to him sure word of what doth fall. Now if the thing I ask for thee they promise,—for to me The deed's fame is enough,—meseems beneath yon mound I see A way whereby to Palianteum in little space to come."

Euryalus, by mighty love of glory smitten home, Stood all amazed, then answered thus his fiery-hearted friend: "O Nisus, wilt thou yoke me not to such a noble end? And shall I send thee unto deeds so perilous alone? My sire Opheltes, wise in war, nourished no such an one, 200 Reared mid the terror of the Greeks and Troy-town's miseries; Nor yet with thee have I been wont to deedless deeds like these, Following AEneas' mighty heart through Fortune's furthest way. Here is a soul that scorns the light, and deems it good to pay With very life for such a fame as thou art brought anear."

Saith Nisus: "Nay, I feared of thee no such a thing, I swear, No such ill thought; so may he bring thy friend back with the prize, Great Jove, or whosoe'er beholds these things with equal eyes. But if some hap (thou seest herein how many such may fall), If any hap, if any God bear me the end of all, 210 Fain were I thou wert left: thine age is worthier life-day's gain; Let there be one to buy me back snatched from amidst the slain, And give me earth: or if e'en that our wonted fortune ban, Do thou the rites, and raise the tomb unto the missing man; Nor make me of thy mother's woe the fashioner accurst: She who, O friend, alone of all our many mothers durst To follow thee, nor heeded aught of great Acestes' town."

He said: "For weaving of delay vain is thy shuttle thrown; Nor is my heart so turned about that I will leave the play: Let us be doing!" Therewithal he stirs the guards, and they 220 Come up in turn, wherewith he leaves the warding-stead behind, And goes with Nisus, and the twain set forth the prince to find.

All other creatures, laid asleep o'er all the earthly soil, Let slip the cares from off their hearts, forgetful of their toil, But still the dukes of Trojan men and chosen folk of war Held counsel of that heavy tide that on the kingdom bore, What was to do, or who would go AEneas' messenger. There shield on arm, and leaned upon the length of shafted spear, They stand amid their stronghold's mead: in eager haste the twain, Nisus and young Euryalus, the presence crave to gain, 230 For matters great and worth the time: straight doth Iulus take Those hurried men to him, and bids that Nisus speech should wake.

Then saith the son of Hyrtacus: "Just-hearted, hearken now, Folk of AEneas, neither look upon the things we show As by our years. The Rutuli slackened by wine and sleep Lie hushed, and we have seen whereby upon our way to creep, E'en by the double-roaded gate that near the sea-strand lies: Their fires are slaked, and black the smoke goes upward to the skies. If ye will suffer us to use this fortune that doth fall We will go seek AEneas now and Pallanteum's wall: 240 Ye shall behold him and his spoils from mighty victory wrought Come hither presently: the way shall fail our feet in nought, For we have seen the city's skirts amid the valleys dim In daily hunt, whereby we learned the river's uplong brim."

Then spake Aletes weighty-wise, heart-ripe with plenteous eld: "Gods of our fathers, under whom the weal of Troy is held, Ye have not doomed all utterly the Teucrian folk undone, When ye for us such souls of youth, such hardy hearts have won."

So saying by shoulder and by hand he took the goodly twain, While all his countenance and cheeks were wet with plenteous rain, 250 "What gifts may I deem worthy, men, to pay such hearts athirst For utmost glory? certainly the fairest and the first The Gods and your own hearts shall grant: the rest your lord shall give, Godly AEneas; and this man with all his life to live, Ascanius here, no memory of such desert shall lack."

"But I," Ascanius breaketh in, "whose father brought aback Is all my heal—Nisus, I pray by those great Gods of mine, By him of old, Assaracus, by hoary Vesta's shrine, Bring back my father! whatsoe'er is left with me today Of Fate or Faith, into your breasts I give it all away. 260 O give me back the sight of him, and grief is all gone by. Two cups of utter silver wrought and rough with imagery I give you, which my father took from wracked Arisbe's hold; Two tripods eke, two talents' weight of fire-beproven gold; A beaker of the time agone, Sidonian Dido's gift. But if we hap to win the day and spoil of battle shift, If we lay hand on Italy and staff of kingship bear,— Ye saw the horse that bore today gold Turnus and his gear, That very same, the shield withal, and helm-crest ruddy dyed, Thy gifts, O Nisus, from the spoil henceforth I set aside. 270 Moreover of the mother-folk twice six most excellent My sire shall give, and captive men with all their armament, And therewithal the kingly field, Latinus' garden-place. But thou, O boy most worshipful, whom nigher in the race Mine own years follow, thee I take unto mine inmost heart, Embracing thee my very friend in all to have a part; Nor any glory of my days without thee shall I seek, Whether I fashion peace or war; all that I do or speak I trust to thee." In answer thus Euryalus 'gan say: "No day henceforth of all my life shall prove me fallen away 280 From this my deed: only may fate in kindly wise befall, Nor stand against me: now one gift I ask thee over all: I have a mother born on earth from Priam's ancient race, Who wretched in the land of Troy had no abiding-place, Nor in Acesta's steadfast wall; with me she still must wend: Her, who knows nought of this my risk, whatever may be the end Unto thy safeguard do I leave: Night and thy right hand there Be witness that my mother's tears I had no heart to bear. But solace thou her lack, I pray; comfort her desert need; Yea let me bear this hope with me, and boldlier shall I speed 290 Amid all haps." Touched to the heart the Dardans might not keep Their tears aback, and chief of all did fair Iulus weep, The image of his father's love so flashed upon his soul: And therewithal he spake the word:

"All things I duly answer for worthy thy deed of fame; Thy mother shall my mother be, nor lack but e'en the name To be Creusa: store of thanks no little hath she won That bore thee. Whatsoever hap thy valorous deed bear on, By this my head, whereon my sire is wont the troth to plight, Whatever I promised thee come back, with all things wrought aright, 300 Thy mother and thy kin shall bide that very same reward." So spake he, weeping, and did off his shoulder-girded sword All golden, that with wondrous craft Lycaon out of Crete Had fashioned, fitting it withal in ivory scabbard meet.

And Mnestheus unto Nisus gives a stripped-off lion's hide And shaggy coat; and helm for helm giveth Aletes tried. Then forth they wend in weed of war, and they of first estate, Young men and old, went forth with them, and leave them at the gate With following vows; and therewithal Iulus, goodly-wrought, Who far beyond his tender years had mind of manly thought, 310 Charged them with many messages unto his father's ear,— Vain words the night-winds bore away and gave the clouds to bear.

Forth now they wend and pass the ditch, and through the mirk night gain The baneful camp: yet ere their death they too shall be the bane Of many: bodies laid in sleep and wine they see strewed o'er The herbage, and the battle-cars upreared along the shore; And mid the reins and wheels thereof are men and weapons blent With wine-jars: so Hyrtacides such word from tooth-hedge sent:

"Euryalus, the hand must dare, the time cries on the deed; Here lies the way: do thou afar keep watch and have good heed, 320 Lest any hand aback of us arise 'gainst thee and me: Here will I make a waste forsooth, and wide thy way shall be."

He speaks, and hushes all his voice, and so with naked blade Falls on proud Rhamnes; who, as happed, on piled-up carpets laid, Amid his sleep was blowing forth great voice from inner breast. A king he was; king Turnus' seer, of all beloved best; Yet nought availed his wizardry to drive his bane away. Three thralls unware, as heeding nought amid the spears they lay, He endeth: Remus' shield-bearer withal and charioteer, 329 Caught 'neath the very steeds: his sword their drooping necks doth shear; Then from their lord he takes the head, and leaves the trunk to spout Gushes of blood: the earth is warm with black gore all about. The beds are wet. There Lamyrus and Lamus doth he slay, And young Serranus fair of face, who played the night away For many an hour, until his limbs 'neath God's abundance failed, And down he lay: ah! happier 'twere if he had still prevailed To make the live-long night one game until the morning cold. As famished lion Nisus fares amid the sheep-filled fold, When ravening hunger driveth on; the soft things, dumb with dread, He draggeth off, devouring them, and foams from mouth blood-red. 340

Nor less the death Euryalus hath wrought; for all aflame He wades in wrath, and on the way slays many lacking name: Fadus, Herbesus therewithal, Rhoetus and Abaris; Unwary they: but Rhoetus waked, and looking on all this, Fulfilled of fear was hiding him behind a wine-jar pressed: The foe was on him as he rose; the sword-blade pierced his breast Up to the hilts, and drew aback abundant stream of death. His purple life he poureth forth, and, dying, vomiteth Blent blood and wine. On death-stealth still onward the Trojan went, And toward Messapus' leaguer drew, where watch-fires well-nigh spent He saw, and horses all about, tethered in order due, 351 Cropping the grass: but Nisus spake in hasty words and few, Seeing him borne away by lust of slaughter overmuch:

"Hold we our hands, for dawn our foe hasteth the world to touch: Deep have we drunk of death, and cut a road amid the foe."

The gear of men full goodly-wrought of silver through and through They leave behind, and bowls therewith, and carpets fashioned fair. Natheless Euryalus caught up the prophet Rhamnes' gear And gold-bossed belt, which Caedicus, the wealthy man of old, Sent to Tiburtine Remulus, that he his name might hold, 360 Though far he were; who, dying, gave his grandson their delight; And he being dead, Rutulian men won them in war and fight These now he takes, and all for nought does on his valorous breast, And dons Messapus' handy helm with goodly-fashioned crest, Wherewith they leave the camp and gain the road that safer lay.

But horsemen from the Latin town meantime were on the way, Sent on before to carry word to Turnus, lord and king, While in array amid the fields the host was tarrying. Three hundred knights, all shielded folk, 'neath Volscens do they fare. And now they drew anigh the camp and 'neath its rampart were, 370 When from afar they saw the twain on left-hand footway lurk; Because Euryalus' fair helm mid glimmer of the mirk Betrayed the heedless youth, and flashed the moonbeams back again. Nor was the sight unheeded: straight cries Volscens midst his men: "Stand ho! why thus afoot, and why in weapons do ye wend, And whither go ye?" Nought had they an answer back to send, But speed their fleeing mid the brake, and trust them to the night; The horsemen cast themselves before each crossway known aright, And every outgoing there is with guard they girdle round. 379 Rough was the wood; a thicket-place where black holm-oaks abound, And with the tanglement of thorns choked up on every side, The road but glimmering faintly out from where the foot-tracks hide. The blackness of overhanging boughs and heavy battle-prey Hinder Euryalus, and fear beguiles him of the way. Nisus comes out, and now had won unwitting from the foe, And reached the place from Alba's name called Alban Meadows now; Where King Latinus had as then his high-built herd-houses. So there he stands, and, looking round, his fellow nowhere sees:

"Hapless Euryalus! ah me, where have I left thy face? Where shall I seek thee, gathering up that tangle of the ways 390 Through the blind wood?" So therewithal he turns upon his track, Noting his footsteps, and amid the hushed brake strays aback, Hearkening the horse-hoofs and halloos and calls of following folk. Nor had he long abided there, ere on his ears outbroke Great clamour, and Euryalus he sees, whom all the band Hath taken, overcome by night, and blindness of the land, And wildering tumult: there in vain he strives in battle-play. Ah, what to do? What force to dare, what stroke to snatch away The youth? Or shall he cast himself amid the swords to die, And hasten down the way of wounds to lovely death anigh? 400 Then swiftly, with his arm drawn back and brandishing his spear, He looks up at the moon aloft, and thuswise poureth prayer:

"To aid, thou Goddess! Stay my toil, and let the end be good! Latonian glory of the stars, fair watcher of the wood, If ever any gift for me upon thine altars gave My father Hyrtacus; if I for thee the hunting drave; If aught I hung upon thy dome, or set upon thy roof, Give me to break their gathered host, guide thou my steel aloof!"

He spake, and in the shafted steel set all his body's might, 409 And hurled it: flying forth the spear clave through the dusk of night, And, reaching Sulmo turned away, amidst his back it flew, And brake there; but the splintering shaft his very heart pierced through, And o'er he rolleth, vomiting the hot stream from his breast: Then heave his flanks with long-drawn sobs and cold he lies at rest. On all sides then they peer about: but, whetted on thereby, The quivering shaft from o'er his ear again he letteth fly. Amid their wilderment the spear whistleth through either side Of Tagus' temples, and wet-hot amidst his brain doth bide. Fierce Volscens rageth, seeing none who might the spear-shot send, Or any man on whom his wrath and heat of heart to spend. 420

"But thou, at least, with thine hot blood shalt pay the due award For both," he cries; and therewithal, swift drawing forth the sword, He falleth on Euryalus. Then, wild with all affright, Nisus shrieks out, and cares no more to cloak himself with night, And hath no heart to bear against so great a misery. "On me, me! Here—I did the deed! turn ye the sword on me, Rutulians!—all the guilt is mine: he might not do nor dare. May heaven and those all-knowing stars true witness of it bear! Only with too exceeding love he loved his hapless friend." 429

Such words he poured forth, but the sword no less its way doth wend, Piercing the flank and rending through the goodly breast of him; And rolls Euryalus in death: in plenteous blood they swim His lovely limbs, his drooping neck low on his shoulder lies: As when the purple field-flower faints before the plough and dies, Or poppies when they hang their heads on wearied stems outworn, When haply by the rainy load their might is overborne.

Then Nisus falls amidst of them, and Volscens seeks alone For aught that any man may do: save him he heedeth none. About him throng the foe: all round the strokes on him are laid To thrust him off: but on he bears, whirling his lightning blade, 440 Till full in Volscens' shouting mouth he burieth it at last, Tearing the life from out the foe, as forth his own life passed. Then, ploughed with wounds, he cast him down upon his lifeless friend, And so in quietness of death gat resting in the end.

O happy twain, if anywise my song-craft may avail, From out the memory of the world no day shall blot your tale, While on the rock-fast Capitol AEneas' house abides, And while the Roman Father still the might of empire guides.

The Rutuli, victorious now with spoils and prey of war, But sorrowing still, amid the camp the perished Volscens bore. 450 Nor in the camp was grief the less, when they on Rhamnes came Bloodless; and many a chief cut off by one death and the same; Serranus dead and Numa dead: a many then they swarm About the dead and dying men, and places wet and warm With new-wrought death, and runnels full with plenteous foaming blood. Then one by one the spoils they note; the glittering helm and good Messapus owned: the gear such toil had won back from the dead.

But timely now Aurora left Tithonus' saffron bed, And over earth went scattering wide the light of new-born day: The sun-flood flowed, and all the world unveiled by daylight lay. 460

Then Turnus, clad in arms himself, wakes up the host to arms, And every lord to war-array bids on his brazen swarms; And men with diverse tidings told their battle-anger whet. Moreover (miserable sight!) on upraised spears they set Those heads, and follow them about with most abundant noise, Euryalus and Nisus dead.

Meanwhile AEneas' hardy sons upon their leftward wall Stand in array; for on the right the river girdeth all. In woe they ward the ditches deep, and on the towers on high 469 Stand sorrowing; for those heads upreared touch all their hearts anigh, Known overwell to their sad eyes mid the black flow of gore. Therewith in winged fluttering haste, the trembling city o'er Goes tell-tale Fame, and swift amidst the mother's ears doth glide; And changed she was, nor in her bones the life-heat would abide: The shuttle falls from out her hand, unrolled the web doth fall, And with a woman's hapless shrieks she flieth to the wall: Rending her hair, beside herself, she faced the front of fight, Heedless of men, and haps of death, and all the weapons' flight, And there the very heavens she filled with wailing of her grief:

"O son, and do I see thee so? Thou rest and last relief 480 Of my old days! hadst thou the heart to leave me lone and spent? O cruel! might I see thee not on such a peril sent? Was there no time for one last word amid my misery? A prey for Latin fowl and dogs how doth thy body lie, On lands uncouth! Not e'en may I, thy mother, streak thee, son, Thy body dead; or close thine eyes, or wash thy wounds well won, Or shroud thee in the cloth I wrought for thee by night and day, When hastening on the weaving-task I kept eld's cares at bay? Where shall I seek thee? What earth hides thy body, mangled sore, And perished limbs? O son, to me bringest thou back no more 490 Than this? and have I followed this o'er every land and sea? O pierce me through, if ye be kind; turn all your points on me, Rutulians! Let me first of all with battle-steel be sped! Father of Gods, have mercy thou! Thrust down the hated head Beneath the House of Tartarus with thine own weapon's stress, Since otherwise I may not break my life-days' bitterness."

Their hearts were shaken with her wail, and Sorrow fain will weep, And in all men their battle-might unbroken lay asleep. But Actor and Idaeus take that flaming misery, As bade Ilioneus, and young Iulus, sore as he 500 Went weeping: back in arms therewith they bear her 'neath the roof.

But now the trump with brazen song cast fearful sound aloof, Chiding to war; and shouts rise up and belloweth back the heaven, And forth the Volscians fare to speed the shield-roof timely driven. Some men fall on to fill the ditch and pluck the ramparts down; Some seek approach and ladders lay where daylight rends the crown Of wall-wards, and would get them up where stands the hedge of war Thinner of men: against their way the Teucrian warders pour All weapon-shot: with hard-head pikes they thrust them down the steep. Long was the war wherein they learned the battle-wall to keep. 510 Stones, too, of deadly weight they roll, if haply they may break The shield-roof of the battle-rush; but sturdily those take All chances of the play beneath their close and well-knit hold. Yet fail they; for when hard at hand their world of war was rolled, A mighty mass by Teucrians moved rolls on and rushes o'er, And fells the host of Rutuli and breaks the tiles of war. Nor longer now the Rutuli, the daring hearts, may bear To play with Mars amid the dark, but strive the walls to clear With storm of shaft and weapon shot.

But now Mezentius otherwhere, a fearful sight to see, 520 Was tossing high the Tuscan pine with smoke-wreathed fiery heart: While Neptune's child, the horse-tamer Messapus, played his part, Rending the wall, and crying out for ladders to be laid.

Speak, Song-maids: thou, Calliope, give thou the singer aid To tell what wise by Turnus' sword the field of fight was strown; What death he wrought; what man each man to Orcus sent adown. Fall to with me to roll abroad the mighty skirts of war, Ye, Goddesses, remember all, and ye may tell it o'er.

There was a tower built high overhead, with gangways up in air, Set well for fight, 'gainst which the foe their utmost war-might bear, 530 And all Italians strive their most to work its overthrow: Gainst whom the Trojans ward it well, casting the stones below, And through the hollow windows speed the shot-storm thick and fast. There Turnus first of all his folk a flaming firebrand cast, And fixed it in the turret's flank: wind-nursed it caught great space Of planking, and amid the doors, consuming, kept its place. Then they within, bewildered sore, to flee their ills are fain, But all for nought; for while therein they huddle from the bane, And draw aback to place yet free from ruin, suddenly 539 O'erweighted toppleth down the tower, and thundereth through the sky.

Half-dead the warders fall to earth by world of wrack o'erborne, Pierced with their own shafts, and their breasts with hardened splinters torn. Yea, Lycus and Helenor came alone of all their peers Alive to earth: Helenor, now in spring-tide of his years: Bond-maid Licymnia privily to that Maeonian king Had borne the lad, and sent him forth to Troy's beleaguering With arms forbidden, sheathless sword and churl's unpainted shield. But when he saw himself amidst the thousand-sworded field Of Turnus, Latins on each side, behind, and full in face, E'en as a wild beast hedged about by girdle of the chase 550 Rages against the point and edge, and, knowing death anear, Leaps forth, and far is borne away down on the hunter's spear; Not otherwise the youth falls on where thickest spear-points lie, And in the middle of the foe he casts himself to die.

But Lycus, nimbler far of foot, betwixt the foemen slipped, Betwixt the swords, and gained the wall, and at the coping gripped, And strove to draw him up with hand, the friendly hands to feel; But Turnus both with foot and spear hath followed hard at heel, And mocks him thus in victory: "How was thy hope so grown Of 'scaping from my hand, O fool?" 560 Therewith he plucks him down From where he hung, and space of wall tears downward with the man. As when it chanceth that a hare or snowy-bodied swan Jove's shield-bearer hath borne aloft in snatching hooked feet; Or lamb, whose mother seeketh him with most abundant bleat, Some wolf of Mars from fold hath caught. Goes up great cry around: They set on, and the ditches filled with o'erturned garth and mound, While others cast the blazing brands on roof and battlement. Ilioneus with mighty stone, a shard from hillside rent, Lucetius felled, as fire in hand unto the gate he drew. Then Liger felled Emathion, for craft of spear he knew; 570 Asylas Corynaeus, by dint of skill in bowshaft's ways, Caeneus Ortygius fells, and him, victorious, Turnus slays, And Itys, Clonius, Promolus, Dioxippus withal, And Sagaris, and Idas set on topmost turret-wall. Then Capys slays Privernus; him Themilla's light-winged spear Had grazed, whereon he dropped his shield, and his left hand did bear Upon the hurt; when lo, thereto the winged shaft did win, And nailed the hand unto the side, and, buried deep within, Burst all the breathing-ways of life with deadly fatal sore. But lo, where standeth Arcens' child in goodly weed of war, 580 Fair with his needle-painted cloak, with Spanish scarlet bright, Noble of face: Arcens, his sire, had sent him to the fight From nursing of his mother's grove about Symaethia's flood, Whereby Palicus' altar stands, the wealthy and the good. Mezentius now laid by his spear, and took his whistling sling, And whirled it thrice about his head at length of tugging string, And with the flight of molten lead his midmost forehead clave, And to the deep abundant sand his outstretched body gave.

Then first they say Ascanius aimed his speedy shafts in war, Wherewith but fleeing beasts afield he used to fright before: 590 But now at last his own right hand the stark Numanus slays, Who had to surname Remulus, and in these latter days King Turnus' sister, young of years, had taken to his bed: He in the forefront of the fight kept crying out, and said Things worthy and unworthy tale: puffed up with pride of place New-won he went, still clamouring out his greatness and his grace.

"O twice-caught Phrygians, shames you nought thus twice amid the wars To lie in bonds, and stretch out walls before the march of Mars? Lo, these are they who woke the war the wives of us to wed! What God sent you to Italy? what madness hither sped? 600 Here are no Atreus' sons, and no Ulysses word-weaver. A people hard from earliest spring our new-born sons we bear Unto the stream, and harden us with bitter frost and flood. Our lads, they wake the dawning-chase and wear the tangled wood; Our sport is taming of the horse and drawing shafted bow; Our carles, who bear a world of toil, and hunger-pinching know, Tame earth with spade, or shake with war the cities of the folk. Yea, all our life with steel is worn; afield we drive the yoke With spear-shaft turned about: nor doth a halting eld of sloth Weaken our mightiness of soul, or change our glory's growth. 610 We do the helm on hoary hairs, and ever deem it good To drive the foray day by day, and make the spoil our food. But ye—the raiment saffron-stained, with purple glow tricked out— These are your heart-joys: ye are glad to lead the dance about. Sleeve-coated folk, O ribbon-coifed, not even Phrygian men, But Phrygian wives, to Dindymus the high go get ye then! To hear the flute's twi-mouthed song as ye are wont to do! The Berecynthian Mother's box and cymbals call to you From Ida: let men deal with war, and drop adown your swords."

That singer of such wicked speech, that caster forth of words, 620 Ascanius brooked not: breasting now his horse-hair full at strain, He aimed the shaft, and therewithal drew either arm atwain, And stood so; but to Jupiter first suppliant fell to pray:

"O Jove Almighty, to my deeds, thus new-begun, nod yea, And I myself unto thy fane the yearly gifts will bear, And bring before thine altar-stead a snow-white gilt-horned steer, Whose head unto his mother's head is evenly upborne, Of age to spurn the sand with hoof and battle with the horn."

The Father heard, and out of heaven, wherein no cloud-fleck hung, His leftward thunder fell, wherewith the fateful bow outrung, 630 The back-drawn shaft went whistling forth with dreadful sound, and sped To pierce the skull of Remulus and hollow of his head: "Go to, then, and thy mocking words upon men's valour call, The twice-caught Phrygians answer back Rutulians herewithal."

This only word Ascanius spake: the Teucrians raise their cry And shout for joy, and lift their heart aloft unto the sky. Long-haired Apollo then by hap high-set in airy place, Looked down upon Ausonian host and leaguered city's case, And thus the victor he bespeaks from lofty seat of cloud: "Speed on in new-born valour, child! this is the starward road, 640 O son of Gods and sire of Gods! Well have the Fates ordained That 'neath Assaracus one day all war shall be refrained. No Troy shall hold thee." With that word he stoops from heaven aloft And puts away on either side the wind that meets him soft, And seeks Ascanius: changed is he withal, and putteth on The shape of Butes old of days, shield-bearer time agone Unto Anchises, Dardan king, and door-ward true and tried; But with Ascanius now his sire had bidden him abide. Like this old man in every wise, voice, hue, and hoary hair, And arms that cried on cruel war, now did Apollo fare, 650 And to Iulus hot of heart in such wise went his speech:

"Enough, O child of AEneas, that thou with shaft didst reach Numanus' life unharmed thyself, great Phoebus grants thee this, Thy first-born praise, nor grudgeth thee like weapons unto his. But now refrain thy youth from war." So spake Apollo then, And in the midmost of his speech fled sight of mortal men, And faded from their eyes away afar amid the air. The Dardan dukes, they knew the God and holy shooting-gear, And as he fled away from them they heard his quiver shrill. Therefore Ascanius, fain of fight, by Phoebus' word and will 660 They hold aback: but they themselves fare to the fight again, And cast their souls amidst of all the perils bare and plain.

Then goes the shout adown the wall, along the battlement; The javelin-thongs are whirled about, the sharp-springed bows are bent, And all the earth is strewn with shot: the shield, the helmet's cup, Ring out again with weapon-dint, and fierce the fight springs up. As great as, when the watery kids are setting, beats the rain Upon the earth; as plentiful as when upon the main The hail-clouds fall, when Jupiter, fierce with the southern blasts, Breaks up the hollow clouds of heaven and watery whirl downcasts. 670

Now Pandarus and Bitias stark, Idan Alcanor's seed. They whom Iaera of the woods in Jove's brake nursed with heed, Youths tall as firs or mountain-cliffs that in their country are, The gate their lord hath bid them keep, these freely now unbar, And freely bid the foeman in, trusting to stroke of hand; But they themselves to right and left before the gate-towers stand, Steel-clad, and with their lofty heads crested with glittering gleams; E'en as amid the air of heaven, beside the flowing streams On rim of Padus, or anigh soft Athesis and sweet, Twin oak-trees spring, and tops unshorn uprear the skies to meet, 680 And with their heads high over earth nod ever in the wind.

So now the Rutuli fall on when clear the way they find, But Quercens, and AEquicolus the lovely war-clad one, And Tmarus of the headlong soul, and Haemon, Mavors' son, Must either turn their backs in flight, with all their men of war, Or lay adown their loved lives on threshold of the door. Then bitterer waxeth battle-rage in hate-fulfilled hearts, And there the Trojans draw to head and gather from all parts, Eager to deal in handy strokes, full fierce afield to fare.

But as duke Turnus through the fight was raging otherwhere, 690 Confounding folk, there came a man with tidings that the foe, Hot with new death, the door-leaves wide to all incomers throw. Therewith he leaves the work in hand, and, stirred by anger's goad, Against the Dardan gate goes forth, against the brethren proud: There first Antiphates he slew, who fought amid the first, The bastard of Sarpedon tall, by Theban mother nursed. With javelin-cast he laid him low: the Italian cornel flies Through the thin air, pierceth his maw, and 'neath his breast-bone lies Deep down; the hollow wound-cave pours a flood of gore and foam, And warm amid him lies the steel, amid his lung gone home. 700 Then Meropes', and Erymas', Aphidnus' lives he spilled; Then Bitias of the flaming eyes and heart with ire fulfilled;— Not with the dart, for to no dart his life-breath had he given;— But whirled and whizzing mightily came on the sling-spear, driven Like lightning-flash; against whose dint two bull-hides nought availed, Nor yet the golden faithful fence of war-coat double-scaled: His fainting limbs fell down afield, and earth gave out a groan, And rang the thunder of his shield huge on his body thrown: E'en as upon Euboean shore of Baiae falleth whiles A stony pillar, which built up of mighty bonded piles 710 They set amid the sea: suchwise it draggeth mighty wrack Headlong adown, and deep in sea it lieth dashed aback: The seas are blent, black whirl of sand goes up confusedly; And with the noise quakes Prochytas, and quakes Inarime, The unsoft bed by Jove's command upon Typhoeus laid.

Then Mars, the mighty in the war, brings force and strength to aid The Latin men, and in their hearts he stirs his bitter goads, The while with fleeing and black fear the Teucrian heart he loads: From everywhither run the folk, since here is battle rich, And in all hearts the war-god wakes. 720

But Pandarus, beholding now his brother laid to earth, And whitherward wends Fortune now, and what Time brings to birth, Back-swinging on the hinge again with might the door-leaf sends, By struggle of his shoulders huge; and many of his friends Shut outward of the walls he leaves, amid the fierce debate; While others, with himself shut in, poured backward through the gate. Madman! who saw not how the king Rutulian mid the band Came rushing, but amidst the town now shut him with his hand, E'en as a tiger pent amidst a helpless flock of sheep. Then dreadfully his armour rings, light from his eyes doth leap,— 730 A strange new light: the blood-red crest upon his helm-top quakes, And from the circle of his shield a glittering lightning breaks. Sudden AEneas' frighted folk behold his hated face And mighty limbs: but Pandarus breaks forth amid the place Huge, and his heart afire with rage for his lost brother's death.

"Nay, this is not Amata's home, the dowry house," he saith, "Nor yet doth Ardea's midmost wall hold kindred Turnus in: The foeman's camp thou seest, wherefrom thou hast no might to win."

But from his all untroubled breast laughed Turnus, as he said: "Begin, if thou hast heart thereto, let hand to hand be laid! 740 Thou shalt tell Priam how thou found'st a new Achilles here."

He spake: the other put all strength to hurling of his spear, A shaft all rough with knots, and still in its own tree-bark bound. Straightway the thin air caught it up, but that swift-speeding wound Saturnian Juno turned aside and set it in the door. —"But now thou 'scapest not this steel mine own hand maketh sure, Nought such as thine the weapon-smith, the wound-smith——" With the word He riseth up unto the high uprising of the sword, Wherewith betwixt the temples twain he clave his midmost head, And with a fearful wound apart the cheeks unbearded shred. 750 Then came a sound, and shook the earth 'neath the huge weight of him: With armour wet with blood and brain, with fainting, slackened limb, He strewed the ground in death; his head, sheared clean and evenly, From either shoulder hanging down, this side and that did lie.

Then turn and flee the Trojan folk, by quaking terror caught; And if the conquering man as then one moment had had thought To burst the bolts and let his folk in through the opened door, That day had been the last of days for Trojans and their war. But utter wrath of heart and soul, and wildering lust of death Drave him afire amidst the foe. 760 Then Phaleris he catcheth up, and ham-strung Gyges then, Whose spears, snatched up, he hurleth on against the backs of men; For Juno finds him might enough and heart wherewith to do, Halys he sendeth down with these, Phegeus with targe smit through; Then, as they roused the war on wall, nor wotted aught of this, Alcander stark, and Halius stout, Noemon, Prytanis. Then Lynceus, as he ran to aid and cheered his folk withal, He reacheth at with sweeping sword from right hand of the wall And smiteth; and his helm and head, struck off with that one blow, Lie far away: Amycus then, the wood-deer's wasting foe, 770 He slayeth: happier hand had none in smearing of the shaft And arming of the iron head the poison-wound to waft. Then Clytius, son of AEolus, and Cretheus Muse-beloved,— Cretheus the Muses' fellow-friend, whose heart was ever moved By song and harp, and measured sound along the strained string; Who still of steeds, and arms, and men, and battle-tide would sing.

At last the Trojan dukes of men, Mnestheus, Serestus fierce, Draw to a head when all this death is borne unto their ears, And see their folk all scattering wide, the foe amidst them see. 779 Then Mnestheus cries: "And whither now, and whither will ye flee? What other walls, what other town have ye a hope to find? Hath one man, O my town-fellows, whom your own ramparts bind, Wrought such a death and unavenged amid your very town, And sent so many lords of war by Orcus' road adown? O dastards, your unhappy land, your Gods of ancient days, Your great AEneas—what! no shame, no pity do they raise?"

Fired by such words, they gather heart and stand in close array, Till step by step 'gins Turnus now to yield him from the play, And seek the river and the side the wet wave girds about. Then fiercer fall the Teucrians on, and raise a mighty shout, 790 And lock their ranks: as when a crowd of men-folk and of spears Falls on a lion hard of heart, and he, beset by fears, But fierce and grim-eyed, yieldeth way, though anger and his worth Forbid him turn his back about: no less to fare right forth Through spears and men avails him not, though ne'er so fain he be. Not otherwise unhasty feet drew Turnus doubtfully Abackward, all his heart a-boil with anger's overflow. Yea, twice, indeed, he falls again amidmost of the foe, And twice more turns to huddled flight their folk along the walls; But, gathered from the camp about, the whole host on him falls, 800 Nor durst Saturnian Juno now his might against them stay; For Jupiter from heaven hath sent Iris of airy way, No soft commands of his high doom bearing his sister down, If Turnus get him not away from Troy's high-builded town. So now the warrior's shielded left the play endureth not, Nought skills his right hand; wrapped around in drift of weapon shot About his temples' hollow rings his helm with ceaseless clink; The starkly-fashioned brazen plates amid the stone-cast chink; The crest is battered from his head; nor may the shield-boss hold Against the strokes: the Trojans speed the spear-storm manifold, 810 And lightening Mnestheus thickeneth it: then over all his limbs The sweat bursts out, and all adown a pitchy river swims: Hard grows his breath, and panting sharp shaketh his body spent. Until at last, all clad in arms, he leapt adown, and sent His body to the river fair, who in his yellow flood Caught him, and bore him forth away on ripple soft and good, And gave him merry to his men, washed from the battle's blood.



BOOK X.

ARGUMENT.

THE GODS TAKE COUNSEL: AENEAS COMETH TO HIS FOLK AGAIN, AND DOETH MANY GREAT DEEDS IN BATTLE.

Meanwhile is opened wide the door of dread Olympus' walls, And there the Sire of Gods and Men unto the council calls, Amid the starry place, wherefrom, high-throned, he looks adown Upon the folk of Latin land and that beleaguered town. There in the open house they sit, and he himself begins:

"O Dwellers in the House of Heaven, why backward thuswise wins Your purpose? Why, with hearts unruled, raise ye the strife so sore? I clean forbade that Italy should clash with Troy in war. Now why the war that I forbade? who egged on these or those To fear or fight, or drave them on with edge of sword to close? 10 Be not o'ereager in your haste: the hour of fight shall come, When dreadful Carthage on a day against the walls of Rome, Betwixt the opened doors of Alps, a mighty wrack shall send; Then may ye battle, hate to hate, and reach and grasp and rend: But now forbear, and joyfully knit fast the plighted peace."

Few words spake Jove; but not a few in answer unto these Gave golden Venus back again: "O Father, O eternal might of men and deeds of earth— For what else may be left to me whereto to turn my prayers?— Thou seest the Rutuli in pride, and Turnus, how he fares? 20 Amidst them, borne aloft by steeds, and, swelling, war-way sweeps With Mars to aid: the fenced place no more the Teucrians keeps, For now within the very gates and mound-heaped battlement They blend in fight, and flood of gore adown the ditch is sent, Unware AEneas is away.—Must they be never free From bond of leaguer? lo, again the threatening enemy Hangs over Troy new-born! Behold new host arrayed again From Arpi, the AEtolian-built; against the Teucrian men Tydides riseth. So for me belike new wounds in store, And I, thy child, must feel the edge of arms of mortal war. 30 Now if without thy peace, without thy Godhead's will to speed, The Trojans sought for Italy, let ill-hap pay ill deed, Nor stay them with thine help: but if they followed many a word Given forth by Gods of Heaven and Hell, by whom canst thou be stirred To turn thy doom, or who to forge new fate may e'er avail? Of ship-host burnt on Eryx shore why should I tell the tale? Or of the king of wind and storm, or wild and windy crowd AEolia bred, or Iris sent adown the space of cloud? But now withal the Gods of Hell, a world untried before, She stirreth, and Alecto sent up to the earthly shore 40 In sudden hurry raves about towns of Italian men. No whit for lordship do I yearn: I hoped such glories then While Fortune was: let them be lords whom thou wilt doom for lords! But if no land thy hard-heart wife to Teucrian men awards, Yet, Father, by the smoking wrack of overwhelmed Troy I pray thee from the weapon-dint safe let me send a boy, Yea, e'en Ascanius: let me keep my grandson safe for me! Yea, let AEneas toss about on many an unknown sea, And let him follow wheresoe'er his fortune shall have led: But this one let me shield, and take safe from the battle's dread. 50 Paphus, Cythera, Amathus, are mine, and I abide Within Idalia's house: let him lay weed of war aside, And wear his life inglorious there: then shalt thou bid the hand Of Carthage weigh Ausonia down, and nothing shall withstand The towns of Tyre.—Ah, what availed to 'scape the bane of war? Ah, what availed that through the midst of Argive flames they bore To wear down perils of wide lands, and perils of the main, While Teucrian men sought Latin land and Troy new-born again? Ah, better had it been for them by Troy's cold ash to stay, To dwell on earth where Troy hath been. Father, give back, I pray, 60 Their Xanthus and their Simois unto that wretched folk, And let them toil and faint once more 'neath Ilium's woeful yoke!"

Then spake Queen Juno, heavy wroth: "Why driv'st thou me to part My deep-set silence, and lay bare with words my grief of heart? What one of all the Gods or men AEneas drave to go On warring ways, or bear himself as King Latinus' foe? Fate-bidden he sought Italy?—Yea, soothly, or maybe Spurned by Cassandra's wilderment—and how then counselled we To leave his camp and give his life to make the winds a toy? To trust his walls and utmost point of war unto a boy? 70 To trust the Tuscan faith, and stir the peaceful folk to fight? What God hath driven him to lie, what hardness of my might? Works Juno here, or Iris sent adown the cloudy way? 'Tis wrong for Italy, forsooth, the ring of fire to lay Round Troy new-born; for Turnus still to hold his fathers' earth!— Though him, Pilumnus' own son's son, Venilia brought to birth— But what if Trojans fall with flame upon the Latin folk, And drive the prey from off their fields oppressed by outland yoke? Or choose them sons-in-law, or brides from mothers' bosoms tear? Or, holding peace within their hands, lade ships with weapon-gear? 80 Thou erst hadst might from Greekish hands AEneas' self to draw, To thrust a cloud and empty wind in stead of man of war, And unto sea-nymphs ship by ship the ship-host mayst thou change. But we to help the Rutuli, 'tis horrible and strange! —Unware AEneas is away?—let him abide unware! Paphus thou hast, Idalium, and high Cythera fair, Then why with cities big with war and hearts of warriors deal? What! we it was who strove to wrack the fainting Trojan weal? We!—or the one who thwart the Greeks the wretched Trojans dashed? Yea, and what brought it all about that thus in arms they clashed, 90 Europe and Asia? that men brake the plighted peace by theft? Did I the Dardan lecher lead, who Sparta's jewel reft? Did I set weapons in his hand, breed lust to breed debate? Then had thy care for thine been meet, but now indeed o'erlate With wrongful plaint thou risest up, and bickerest emptily."

So pleaded Juno, and all they, the heavenly folk anigh, Murmured their doom in diverse wise; as when the first of wind Caught in the woods is murmuring on, and rolleth moanings blind, Betraying to the mariners the onset of the gale. Then spake the Almighty Sire, in whom is all the world's avail, 100 And as he spake the high-built house of God was quieted, And earth from her foundations shook, and heaven was hushed o'erhead, The winds fell down, the face of sea was laid in quiet fair:

"Take ye these matters to your hearts, and set my sayings there; Since nowise the Ausonian folk the plighted troth may blend With Teucrians, and your contest seems a strife without an end; What fortune each may have today, what hope each one shears out, Trojan or Rutulan, will I hold all in balanced doubt, Whether the camp be so beset by fate of Italy, Or hapless wanderings of Troy, and warnings dealt awry. 110 Nor loose I Rutulans the more; let each one's way-faring Bear its own hap and toil, for Jove to all alike is king; The Fates will find a way to wend." He nodded oath withal By his own Stygian brother's stream, the pitchy waters' fall, And blazing banks, and with his nod shook all Olympus' land. Then fell the talk; from golden throne did Jupiter upstand, The heaven-abiders girt him round and brought him to the door.

The Rutuli amid all this are pressing on in war, Round all the gates to slay the men, the walls with fire to ring, And all AEneas' host is pent with fenced beleaguering. 120 Nor is there any hope of flight; upon the towers tall They stand, the hapless men in vain, thin garland for the wall; Asius, the son of Imbrasus, Thymoetes, and the two Assaraci, and Thymbris old, with Castor, deeds they do In the forefront; Sarpedon's sons, twin brethren, with them bide, Clarus and Themon, born erewhile in lofty Lycia's side. And now Lyrnessian Acmon huge with strain of limbs strives hard, And raises up a mighty stone, no little mountain shard; As great as father Clytius he, or brother Mnestheus' might: 129 So some with stones, with spear-cast some, they ward the walls in fight, They deal with fire or notch the shaft upon the strained string. But lo amidst, most meetly wrought for Venus cherishing, His goodly head the Dardan boy unhooded there doth hold, As shineth out some stone of price, cleaving the yellow gold, Fair for the bosom or the head; or as the ivory shines, That with Orician terebinth the art of man entwines, Or mid the boxwood; down along his milk-white neck they lie The streams of hair, which golden wire doth catch about and tie. The mighty nations, Ismarus, there saw thee deft to speed The bane of men, envenoming the deadly flying reed; 140 Thou lord-born of Moeonian house, whereby the tiller tills Rich acres, where Pactolus' flood gold overflowing spills. There, too, was Mnestheus, whom his deed late done of thrusting forth King Turnus from the battlements hath raised to heavenly worth, And Capys, he whose name is set upon Campania's town.

But while the bitter play of war went bickering up and down, AEneas clave the seas with keel amidst the dead of night: For when Evander he had left and reached the Tuscan might, He met their king and told his name, and whence his race of old, And what he would and how he wrought: and of the host he told, 150 Mezentius now had gotten him, and Turnus' wrothful heart; He warned him in affairs of men to trust not Fortune's part; And therewithal he mingleth prayers: Tarchon no while doth wait, But joineth hosts and plighteth troth; and so, set free by Fate, A-shipboard go the Lydian folk by God's command and grace, Yet 'neath the hand of outland duke: AEneas' ship hath place In forefront: Phrygian lions hang above its armed tyne O'ertopped by Ida, unto those Troy's outcasts happy sign: There great AEneas sits, and sends his mind a-wandering wide Through all the shifting chance of war; and by his left-hand side 160 Is Pallas asking of the stars and night-tide's journey dim, Or whiles of haps by land or sea that fortuned unto him.

Ye Goddesses, ope Helicon, and raise the song to say What host from out the Tuscan land AEneas led away, And how they dight their ships, and how across the sea they drave.

In brazen Tiger Massicus first man the sea-plain clave; A thousand youths beneath him are that Clusium's walls have left And Cosae's city: these in war with arrow-shot are deft, And bear light quivers of the bark, and bear the deadly bow.

Then comes grim Abas, all his host with glorious arms aglow, 170 And on his stern Apollo gleams, well wrought in utter gold. But Populonia's mother-land had given him there to hold Six hundred of the battle-craft; three hundred Ilva sent, Rich isle, whose wealth of Chalyb ore wastes never nor is spent.

The third is he, who carrieth men the words God hath to say, Asylas, whom the hearts of beasts and stars of heaven obey, And tongues of birds, and thunder-fire that coming tidings bears. A thousand men he hurrieth on with bristling of the spears; Pisa, the town Alpheues built amid the Tuscan land, Bids them obey. Came Astur next, goodliest of all the band; 180 Astur, who trusteth in his horse and shifty-coloured weed; Three hundred hath he, of one heart to wend as he shall lead: And these are they in Caeres' home and Minios' lea that bide, The Pyrgi old, and they that feel Gravisca's heavy tide.

Nor thee, best war-duke, Cinyras, of that Ligurian crew, Leave I unsung: nor thee the more, Cupavo lord of few, Up from the cresting of whose helm the feathery swan-wings rise. Love was thy guilt; thy battle-sign was thine own father's guise. For Cycnus, say they, while for love of Phaethon he grieves. And sings beneath his sisters' shade, beneath the poplar-leaves; 190 While with the Muse some solace sweet for woeful love he won, A hoary eld of feathers soft about him doth he on, Leaving the earth and following the stars with tuneful wails; And now his son amid his peers with Tuscan ship-host sails, Driving with oars the Centaur huge, who o'er the waters' face Hangs, threatening ocean with a rock, huge from his lofty place, And ever with his length of keel the deep sea furrows o'er.

Then he, e'en Ocnus, stirreth up folk from his father's shore, Who from the love of Tuscan flood and fate-wise Manto came, And gave, O Mantua, walls to thee, and gave his mother's name: 200 Mantua, the rich in father-folk, though not one-stemmed her home. Three stems are there, from each whereof four peoples forth are come, While she herself, the head of all, from Tuscan blood hath might. Five hundred thence Mezentius arms against himself in fight, Whom Mincius' flood, Benacus' son, veiled in the sedges grey, Was leading in the fir of fight across the watery way.

Then heavy-huge Aulestes goes; the oar-wood hundred-fold Rises for beating of the flood, as foam the seas uprolled. Huge Triton ferries him, whose shell the deep blue sea doth fright: Up from the shaggy naked waist manlike is he to sight 210 As there he swims, but underneath whale-bellied is he grown; Beneath the half-beast breast of him the foaming waters moan.

So many chosen dukes of men in thrice ten keels they sail, And cut with brass the meads of brine for Troy and its avail.

And now had day-tide failed the sky, and Phoebe, sweet and fair, Amid her nightly-straying wain did mid Olympus wear. AEneas, who might give his limbs no whit of peacefulness, Was sitting with the helm in hand, heeding the sail-gear's stress, When lo a company of friends his midmost course do meet: The Nymphs to wit, who Cybele, the goddess holy-sweet, 220 Bade turn from ships to very nymphs, and ocean's godhead have. So evenly they swam the sea, and sundered wave and wave, As many as the brazen beaks once by the sea-side lay; Afar they know their king, and round in dancing-wise they play; But one of them, Cymodocea, who speech-lore knew the best, Drew nigh astern and laid thereon her right hand, with her breast Above the flood, the while her left through quiet waves rowed on, And thus bespoke him all unware: "Wak'st thou, O Godhead's son! AEneas, wake! and loose the sheets and let all canvas fill! We were the pine-trees on a time of Ida's holy hill, 230 Thy ship-host once, but sea-nymphs now: when that Rutulian lord Fell faithless, headlong, on our lives with firebrand and the sword, Unwillingly we brake our bonds and sought thee o'er the main. The Mother in her pity thus hath wrought our shape again, And given us gift of godhead's life in house of ocean's ground. Lo now, the boy Ascanius by dyke and wall is bound Amid the spears, the battle-wood that Latins forth have sent. And now the horse of Arcady, with stout Etruscans blent, Holdeth due tryst. Now is the mind of Turnus firmly set To thrust between them, lest thy camp they succour even yet. 240 Wherefore arise, and when the dawn first climbs the heavenly shore Call on thy folk, and take thy shield unconquered evermore, The Fire-lord's gift, who wrought its lips with circling gold about: Tomorrow's light, unless thou deem'st my words are all to doubt, Shall see Rutulian death in heaps a-lying on the land."

Therewith departing, forth she thrust the tall ship with her hand, As one who had good skill therein, and then across the seas Swifter than dart she fled, or shaft that matcheth well the breeze, And straight the others hastened on. All mazed was he of Troy, Anchises' seed, but yet the sign upraised his heart with joy, 250 And, looking to the hollow heaven, in few words prayed he thus

"Kind Ida-Mother of the Gods, whose heart loves Dindymus And towered towns, and lions yoked and tamed to bear the bit, Be thou my battle-leader now, and do thou further it, This omen, and with favouring foot the Trojan folk draw nigh."

But while he spake, Day, come again, had run adown the sky, With light all utter perfect wrought, and driven away the night. Then folk he biddeth follow on the banners of the fight, And make them ready for the play and shape their hearts for war. But he, aloft upon the poop, now sees them where they are, 260 His leaguered Teucrians, as his left uprears the blazing shield; And then, the sons of Dardanus up to the starry field Send forth the cry, and hope is come to whet their battle-wrath. Thick flies their spear-storm: 'tis as when the Strymon cranes give forth Their war-sign on the mirky rack, and down the heavens they run Sonorous, fleeing southern breeze with clamour following on. But wondrous to Rutulian king and dukes of Italy That seemed, until they look about, and lo, the keels they see Turned shoreward; yea, a sea of ships onsetting toward the shore. Yea, and the helm is all ablaze, beams from the crest outpour, 270 The golden shield-boss wide about a world of flame doth shed. E'en so, amid the clear of night, the comets bloody-red Blush woeful bright; nor otherwise is Sirius' burning wrought, When drought and plagues for weary men the birth of him hath wrought, And that unhappy light of his hath saddened all the heaven. But nought from Turnus' hardy heart was high hope ever driven To take the strand of them and thrust those comers from the shore: Eager he chid, hot-heart, with words men's courage he upbore:

"Lo, now your prayers have come about, that hand meet hand in strife, And Mars is in the brave man's hand: let each one's home and wife Be in his heart! Call ye to mind those mighty histories, 281 The praises of our father-folk! Come, meet them in the seas, Amid their tangle, while their feet yet totter on the earth: For Fortune helpeth them that dare."

So saying, he turneth in his mind with whom on these to fall, And unto whom to leave meanwhile the leaguering of the wall. Meanwhile AEneas from his ships high-built his folk doth speed Ashore by bridges: many men no less the back-draught heed Of the spent seas, and, trusting shoals, they make the downward leap; And others slide adown the oars. Tarchon the shore doth sweep, 290 Espying where the waves break not, nor back the sea doth roar, But where the sea-flood harmlessly with full tide swims ashore, And thither straight he lays his keels, and prays unto his folk:

"O chosen, on the stark oars lay! now up unto the stroke; Bear on the ships, and with your beaks cleave ye this foeman's earth; And let the very keels themselves there furrow them their berth. On such a haven nought I heed, though ship and all we break, If once we gain the land." Therewith, as such a word he spake, His fellows rise together hard on every shaven tree, In mind to bear their ships befoamed up on the Latin lea, 300 Until their tynes are high and dry, and fast is every keel Unhurt: save, Tarchon, thine alone, that winneth no such weal; For on the shallows driven aground, on evil ridge unmeet, She hangeth balanced a long while, and doth the waters beat; Then, breaking, droppeth down her men amidmost of the waves, Entangled in the wreck of oars, and floating thwarts and staves; And in the back-draught of the seas their feet are caught withal.

No dull delay holds Turnus back; but fiercely doth he fall, With all his host, on them of Troy, and meets them on the strand. 309 The war-horns sing. AEneas first breaks through the field-folk's band, —Fair omen of the fight—and lays the Latin folk alow. Thero he slays, most huge of men, whose own heart bade him go Against AEneas: through the links of brass the sword doth fare, And through the kirtle's scaly gold, and wastes the side laid bare. Then Lichas smites he, ripped erewhile from out his mother dead, And hallowed, Phoebus, unto thee, because his baby head Had 'scaped the steel: nor far from thence he casteth down to die Hard Cisseus, Gyas huge, who there beat down his company With might of clubs; nought then availed that Herculean gear, Nor their stark hands, nor yet their sire Melampus, though he were 320 Alcides' friend so long as he on earth wrought heavy toil. Lo Pharo! while a deedless word he flingeth mid the broil, The whirring of the javelin stays within his shouting mouth. Thou, Cydon, following lucklessly thy new delight, the youth Clytius, whose first of fallow down about his cheeks is spread Art well-nigh felled by Dardan hand, and there hadst thou lain dead, At peace from all the many loves wherein thy life would stray, Had not thy brethren's serried band now thrust across the way E'en Phorcus' seed: sevenfold of tale and sevenfold spears they wield: But some thereof fly harmless back from helm-side and from shield, 330 The rest kind Venus turned aside, that grazing past they flew; But therewithal AEneas spake unto Achates true:

"Reach me my shafts: not one in vain my right hand now shall speed Against Rutulians, of all those that erst in Ilian mead Stood in the bodies of the Greeks." Then caught he a great spear And cast it, and it flew its ways the brazen shield to shear Of Maeon, breaking through his mail, breaking his breast withal: Alcanor is at hand therewith, to catch his brother's fall With his right hand; but through his arm the spear without a stay Flew hurrying on, and held no less its straight and bloody way, 340 And by the shoulder-nerves the hand hung down all dead and vain. Then Numitor, his brother's spear caught from his brother slain, Falls on AEneas; yet to smite the mighty one in face No hap he had, but did the thigh of great Achates graze. Clausus of Cures, trusting well in his young body's might, Now cometh, and with stiff-wrought spear from far doth Dryops smite Beneath the chin; home went its weight, and midst his shouting's birth From rent throat snatched both voice and life, and prone he smote the ear And from his mouth abundantly shed forth the flood of gore. Three Thracians also, men whose stem from Boreas came of yore, 350 Three whom their father Idas sent, and Ismara their land, In various wise he fells. And now Halesus comes to hand, And his Aruncans: Neptune's seed now cometh thrusting in, Messapus, excellent of horse. Hard strife the field to win! On this side and on that they play about Ausonia's door. As whiles within the mighty heaven the winds are making war, And equal heart they have thereto, and equal might they wield: Yields none to none, nor yields the rack, nor aught the waters yield; Long hangs the battle; locked they stand, all things are striving then: Not otherwise the Trojan host and host of Latin men 360 Meet foot to foot, and man to man, close pressing in the fray.

But in another place, where erst the torrent in its way Had driven the rolling rocks along and torn trees of the banks, Did Pallas see the Arcadian folk, unused to fight in ranks Of footmen, turn their backs before the Latins in the chase, Since they forsooth had left their steeds for roughness of the place: Wherefore he did the only deed that failing Fortune would, Striving with prayers and bitter words to make their valour good:

"Where flee ye, fellows? Ah, I pray, by deeds that once were bold, By name of King Evander dear, by glorious wars of old, 370 By my own hope of praise that springs to mate my father's praise, Trust not your feet! with point and edge ye needs must cleave your ways Amidst the foe. Where yon array of men doth thickest wend, Thither our holy fatherland doth you and Pallas send: No Gods weigh on us; mortal foes meet mortal men today; As many hands we have to use, as many lives to pay. Lo, how the ocean shuts us in with yonder watery wall! Earth fails for flight—what! seaward then, or Troyward shall we fall?"

Thus said, forthwith he breaketh in amid the foeman's press, Whom Lagus met the first of all, by Fate's unrighteousness 380 Drawn thitherward: him, while a stone huge weighted he upheaves, He pierceth with a whirling shaft just where the backbone cleaves The ribs atwain, and back again he wrencheth forth the spear Set mid the bones: nor him the more did Hisbo take unware, Though that he hoped; for Pallas next withstood him, rushing on All heedless-wild at that ill death his fellow fair had won, And buried all his sword deep down amid his wind-swelled lung. Then Sthenelus he meets, and one from ancient Rhoetus sprung, Anchemolus, who dared defile his own stepmother's bed. Ye also on Rutulian lea twin Daucus' sons lay dead, 390 Larides, Thymber; so alike, O children, that by nought Your parents knew you each from each, and sweet the error thought.

But now to each did Pallas give a cruel marking-sign; For, Thymber, the Evandrian sword smote off that head of thine: And thy lopped right, Larides, seeks for that which was its lord, The half-dead fingers quiver still and grip unto the sword.

But now the Arcadians cheered by words, beholding his great deed, The mingled shame and sorrow arm and 'gainst the foeman lead. Then Pallas thrusteth Rhoeteus through a-flitting by in wain; And so much space, so much delay, thereby did Ilus gain, 400 For 'twas at Ilus from afar that he his spear had cast But Rhoeteus met it on the road fleeing from you full fast, Best brethren, Teuthras, Tyres there: down from the car rolled he, And with the half-dead heel of him beat the Rutulian lea.

As when amidst the summer-tide he gains the wished-for breeze, The shepherd sets the sparkled flame amid the thicket trees, The wood's heart catches suddenly, the flames spread into one, And fearful o'er the meadows wide doth Vulcan's army run, While o'er the flames the victor sits and on their joy looks down. No less the valour of thy folk unto a head was grown 410 To help thee, Pallas: but behold, Halesus, fierce in field, Turns on the foe, and gathers him 'neath cover of his shield. Ladon, Pheres, Demodocus, all these he slaughtered there; With gleaming sword he lopped the hand Strymonius did uprear Against his throat: in Thoas' face withal a stone he sent, And drave apart the riven bones with blood and brains all blent Halesus' sire, the wise of Fate, in woods had hidden him; But when that elder's whitening eyes at last in death did swim, Fate took Halesus, hallowing him to King Evander's blade: For Pallas aimeth at him now, when such wise he had prayed: 420

"O Father Tiber, grant this spear, that herewithal I shake, Through hard Halesus' breast forthwith a happy way may take; So shall thine oak-tree have the arms, the warrior's battle-spoil."

The God heard: while Halesus shields Imaon in the broil, To that Arcadian shaft he gives his luckless body bared. But nought would Lausus, lord of war, let all his host be scared, E'en at the death of such a man: first Abas doth he slay, Who faces him, the very knot and holdfast of the play. Then fall Arcadia's sons to field; felled is Etruria's host, And ye, O Teucrian bodies, erst by Grecian death unlost. 430 Then meet the hosts with lords well-matched and equal battle-might; The outskirts of the battle close, nor 'mid the press of fight May hand or spear move: busy now is Pallas on this side, Lausus on that; nor is the space between their ages wide, Those noble bodies: and both they were clean forbid of Fate Return unto their lands: but he who rules Olympus great Would nowise suffer them to meet themselves to end the play, The doom of each from mightier foe abideth each today.

But Turnus' sister warneth him to succour Lausus' war, The gracious Goddess: straight he cleaves the battle in his car, 440 And when he sees his folk, cries out: "'Tis time to leave the fight! Lone against Pallas do I fare, Pallas is mine of right; I would his sire himself were here to look upon the field."

He spake, and from the space forbid his fellow-folk did yield, But when the Rutuli were gone, at such a word of pride Amazed, the youth on Turnus stares, and lets his gaze go wide O'er the huge frame, and from afar with stern eyes meets it all, And 'gainst the words the tyrant spake such words from him there fall:

"Now shall I win me praise of men for spoiling of a King, Or for a glorious death: my sire may outface either thing: 450 Forbear thy threats." He spake, and straight amid the war-field drew; But cold in that Arcadian folk therewith the heart-blood grew; While Turnus from his war-wain leapt to go afoot to fight: And as a lion sees afar from off his watch burg's height A bull at gaze amid the mead with battle in his thought, And flies thereto, so was the shape of coming Turnus wrought.

But now, when Pallas deemed him come within the cast of spear, He would be first, if Fate perchance should help him swift to dare, And his less might, and thus he speaks unto the boundless sky: "Now by my father's guesting-tide and board thou drew'st anigh, 460 A stranger, O Alcides, help this great deed I begin! His bloody gear from limbs half-dead let Turnus see me win; And on the dying eyes of him be victor's image pressed."

Alcides heard the youth, and 'neath the inmost of his breast He thrust aback a heavy groan, and empty tears he shed: But to his son in kindly wise such words the Father said: "His own day bideth every man; short space that none may mend Is each man's life: but yet by deeds wide-spreading fame to send, Man's valour hath this work to do: 'neath Troy's high-builded wall How many sons of God there died: yea there he died withal, 470 Sarpedon my own progeny. Yea too and Turnus' Fates Are calling him: he draweth nigh his life's departing-gates."

He spake and turned his eyes away from fields of Rutuli: But Pallas with great gathered strength the spear from him let fly, And drew therewith from hollow sheath his sword all eager-bright. The spear flew gleaming where the arms rise o'er the shoulder's height, Smote home, and won its way at last through the shield's outer rim, And Turnus' mighty body reached and grazed the flesh of him. Long Turnus shook the oak that bore the bitter iron head, Then cast at Pallas, and withal a word he cast and said: 480 "Let see now if this shaft of mine may better win a pass!" He spake; for all its iron skin and all its plates of brass, For all the swathing of bull-hides that round about it went, The quivering spear smote through the shield and through its midmost rent And through the mailcoat's staying fence the mighty breast did gain. Then at the spear his heart-blood warmed did Pallas clutch in vain; By one way and the same his blood and life, away they fare; But down upon the wound he rolled, and o'er him clashed his gear, And dying there his bloody mouth sought out the foeman's sod: Whom Turnus overstrides and says: 490

"Hearken Arcadians, bear ye back Evander words well learned: Pallas I send him back again, dealt with as he hath earned, If there be honour in a tomb, or solace in the earth, I grudge it not—AEnean guests shall cost him things of worth."

So spake he, and his left foot then he set upon the dead, And tore the girdle thence away full heavy fashioned, And wrought with picture of a guilt; that youthful company Slain foully on one wedding-night: bloody the bride-beds lie. This Clonus son of Eurytus had wrought in plenteous gold, Now Turnus wears it triumphing, merry such spoil to hold.— 500 —O heart of man, unlearned in Fate and what the days may hide, Unlearned to be of measure still when swelled with happy tide! The time shall come when Turnus wealth abundantly would pay For Pallas whole, when he shall loathe that spoil, that conquering day.

But Pallas' folk with plenteous groans and tears about him throng, And laid upon his battle-shield they bear the dead along. O thou, returning to thy sire, great grief and glory great, Whom one same day gave unto war and swept away to fate, Huge heaps of death Rutulian thou leav'st the meadow still.

And now no rumour, but sure word of such a mighty ill 510 Flies to AEneas, how his folk within the deathgrip lie, And how time pressed that he should aid the Teucrians turned to fly. So all things near with sword he reaps, and wide he drives the road Amid the foe with fiery steel, seeking thee, Turnus proud, Through death new wrought; and Pallas now, Evander, all things there Live in his eyes: the boards whereto that day he first drew near, A stranger, and those plighted hands. Four youths of Sulmo wrought, And the like tale that Ufens erst into the world's life brought, He takes alive to slay them—gifts for that great ghost's avail, And with a shower of captive blood to slake the dead men's bale. 520 Then next at Magus from afar the shaft of bane he sent; Deftly he cowered, and on above the quivering weapon went, And clasping both AEneas' knees thus spake the suppliant one:

"O by thy father's ghost, by hope Iulus hath begun, I pray thee for my sire and son my life yet let me win: I have a high house, silver wrought is dug adown therein, A talent's weight, and store therewith of wrought and unwrought gold: This will not snatch the victory from out the Teucrian's hold, Nor can the life of one alone such mighty matter make."

So he, but answering thereunto this word AEneas spake: 530 "Thy gold and silver talent's weight, whereof thou tell'st such store, Spare for thy sons! thy Turnus slew such chaffering of war When Pallas' death he brought about a little while ago; So deems my sire Anchises' ghost, Iulus deemeth so." Then with his left he caught the helm and hilt-deep thrust the blade Into the back-bent throat of him e'en as the prayer he prayed.

Not far hence was Haemonides, Phoebus' and Trivia's priest, The holy fillets on his brow, his glory well increased With glorious arms, and glittering gear shining on every limb. Him the King chaseth o'er the field, and, standing over him, 540 Hides him in mighty dusk of death; whose gleaned battle-gear, A gift to thee, O battle-god, back doth Serestus bear. Then Caeculus of Vulcan's stem the hedge of battle fills, And Umbro cometh unto fight down from the Marsian hills. On them his rage the Dardan child let slip. But next his blade Anxur's left hand and orbed shield upon the meadow laid. Proud things had Anxur said, and deemed his word was matched by might, And so perchance he raised his soul up to the heavenly height, And hoary eld he looked to see, and many a peaceful year. Tarquitius, proud of heart and soul, in glittering battle-gear, 550 Whom the nymph Dryope of yore to woodland Faunus gave, Came thrusting thwart his fiery way; his back-drawn spear he drave, Pinning his mail-coat unto him, and mighty mass of shield: His vainly-praying head, that strove with words, upon the field He swept therewith, and rolling o'er his carcase warm with death, Above him from the heart of hate such words as this he saith:

"Lie there, fear-giver! no more now thy mother most of worth Shall load thee with thy father's tomb, or lay thee in the earth: Thou shalt be left to birds of prey, or deep adown the flood The waves shall bear thee, and thy wounds be hungry fishes' food." 560

Next Lucas and Antaeus stout, foremost of Turnus' men, He chaseth: Numa staunch of heart and yellow Camers then; A man from high-souled Volscens sprung, field-wealthiest one of all Ausonian men, and lord within the hushed Amyclae's wall.

E'en as AEgaeon, who they say had arms an hundred-fold, And hundred hands, from fifty mouths and maws the wildfire rolled, What time in arms against the bolts from Jove of Heaven that flew He clashed upon the fifty shields and fifty sword-points drew: So conquering, over all the mead AEneas' fury burns 569 When once his sword is warm with death: and now, behold, he turns Upon Niphaeus' four-yoked steeds, and breasts their very breath. But when they see him striding far, and threatening doom and death, In utter dread they turn about, and rushing back again, They shed their master on the earth and shoreward drag the wain.

Meanwhile with twi-yoked horses white fares Lucagus midst men, His brother Liger by his side, who holdeth rein as then, And turneth steed, while Lucagus the drawn sword whirleth wide. Them and their war-rage in no wise AEneas might abide, But on he rushes, showing huge with upheaved threatening shaft. Then Liger cast a word at him: 580 "No steeds of Diomede thou seest, and no Achilles' car Or Phrygian fields: this hour shall end thy life-days and the war Here on this earth." Such words as these from witless Liger stray, But nought in bandying of words the man of Troy would play; Rather his mighty battle-shaft he hurled against the foe, While Lucagus his horses drives with spear-butt, bending low Over the lash, and setteth forth his left foot for the fight. Beneath the bright shield's nether rim the spear-shaft takes its flight, Piercing his groin upon the left: then shaken from his wain, He tumbleth down and rolleth o'er in death upon the plain. 590 To whom a fierce and bitter word godly AEneas said:

"Ho, Lucagus! no dastard flight of steeds thy car betrayed, No empty shadow turned them back from facing of the foe, But thou thyself hast leapt from wheel and let the yoke-beasts go."

He spake, and caught the reins withal; slipped down that wretched one His brother, and stretched forth the hands that little deed had done: "By thee, by those that brought thee forth so glorious unto day, O Trojan hero, spare my life, and pity me that pray!"

AEneas cut athwart his speech: "Not so erewhile ye spake. Die! ill it were for brother thus a brother to forsake." 600 And in his breast the sword he drave home to the house of breath.

Thus through the meads the Dardan Duke set forth the tale of death, With rage as of the rushing flood, or whirl-storm of the wind. At last they break forth into field and leave their camp behind, Ascanius and the lads of war in vain beleaguered.

Meanwhile to Juno Jupiter set forth the speech and said: "O thou who art my sister dear and sweetest wife in one, 'Tis Venus as thou deemedst, (nought thy counsel is undone), Who upholds Trojan might forsooth: they lack fight-eager hand, They lack fierce heart and steady soul the peril to withstand!" 610

To whom spake Juno, meek of mood: "And why, O fairest lord, Dost thou so vex me sad at heart, fearing thy heavy word? But in my soul were love as strong as once it used to be, And should be, thou though all of might wouldst ne'er deny it me, That Turnus I should draw away from out the midst of fight, That I might keep him safe to bless his father Daunus' sight. Now let him die, let hallowed blood the Teucrian hate atone: And yet indeed his name and race from blood of ours hath grown; He from Pilumnus is put forth: yea, good gifts furthermore His open hand full oft hath piled within thine holy door." 620

To whom air-high Olympus' king short-worded answer made: "If for the youth who soon must fall respite of death is prayed, And tarrying-time, nor aught thou deem'st but that my doom must stand, Then carry Turnus off by flight, snatch him from fate at hand. So far thy longing may I please: but if a greater grace Lurk 'neath thy prayers, and thou hast hope to change the battle's face, And turmoil everything once more, thou feedest hope in vain."

Then Juno weeping: "Ah, but if thy heart should give the gain Thy voice begrudgeth! if 'twere doomed that he in life abide— But ill-end dogs the sackless man, unless I wander wide 630 Away from sooth—Ah, yet may I be mocked of fear-wrought lies, And may thy rede as thou hast might be turned to better wise."

She spake the word and cast herself adown from heaven the high, Girt round with rain-cloud, driving on a storm amid the sky, And that Laurentian leaguer sought and Ilium's hedge of fight. And there she fashioned of the cloud a shadow lacking might: With image of AEneas' shape the wondrous show is drest, She decks it with the Dardan spear and shield, and mocks the crest Of that all-godlike head, and gives a speech that empty flows, Sound without soul, and counterfeits the gait wherewith he goes,— 640 As dead men's images they say about the air will sweep, Or as the senses weary-drenched are mocked with dreams of sleep. But in the forefront of the fight war-merry goes the thing, And cries the warrior on with words and weapons brandishing: On whom falls Turnus, and afar hurleth his whizzing spear: Then turns the phantom back about and fleeth as in fear. Then verily when Turnus deemed he saw AEneas fled. With all the emptiness of hope his headlong heart he fed: "Where fleest thou, AEneas, then? why leave thy plighted bride? 649 This hand shall give thee earth thou sought'st so far across the tide." So cries he following, brandishing his naked sword on high, Nor sees what wise adown the wind his battle-bliss goes by.

By hap a ship was moored anear unto a ledgy stone, With ladders out and landing-bridge all ready to let down, That late the King Orsinius bore from Clusium o'er the sea; And thereinto the hurrying lie, AEneas' shape, did flee, And down its lurking-places dived: but Turnus none the more Hangs back, but beating down delay swift runs the high bridge o'er. Scarce on the prow, ere Juno brake the mooring-rope atwain, And rapt the sundered ship away o'er back-draught of the main. 660 And there afar from fight is he on whom AEneas cries, Still sending down to death's abode an host of enemies; Nor any more the image then will seek his shape to shroud, But flying upward blendeth him amid the mirky cloud.

Meanwhile, as midmost of the sea the flood bore Turnus on, Blind to the deed that was in hand, thankless for safety won, He looketh round, and hands and voice starward he reacheth forth: "Almighty Father, deemedst thou my guilt so much of worth? And wouldst thou have me welter through such woeful tide of pain? Whence? whither? why this flight? what man shall I come back again? Ah, shall I see Laurentum's walls, or see my camp once more? 671 What shall betide the fellowship that followed me to war, Whom I have left? O misery to die the death alone! I see them scattered even now, I hear the dying groan. What do I? what abyss of earth is deep enough to hide The wretched man? But ye, O winds, be merciful this tide, On rocks, on stones—I, Turnus, thus adore you with good will— Drive ye the ship, or cast it up on Syrtes' shoals of ill, Where Rutuli and tell-tale Fame shall never find me out!"

Hither and thither as he spake his spirit swam in doubt, 680 Shall he now fall upon the point, whom shame hath witless made, Amid most of his very ribs driving the bitter blade; Or casting him amid the waves swim for the hollow strand, And give his body back again to sworded Teucrian band? Thrice either deed he fell to do, and thrice for very ruth The mightiest Juno stayed his hand and held aback his youth. So 'neath a fair and following wind he glideth o'er the sea, And to his father's ancient walls is ferried presently.