Of heaven’s imperious king.
No meeter guerdon can he find
For maiden purity resigned?
Why gave he life to last for aye?
Why took the laws of death away?
Else might I end at once my woe,
And with my brother pass below.
Immortal! can the thought be true?
O brother! have I joy save you?
O would the earth but yawn so wide
A Goddess in its depth to hide,
And send her to the dead!’
Thus groaning, in her robes of blue
Her head she wrapped, and plunged from view
Down to the river’s bed.
Poising his tree-like dart,
And utters ere he deals the blow
The gall within his heart:
‘What now is Turnus’ next retreat?
What new escape is planned?
No contest this of feet with feet,
But deadly hand with hand.
Take all disguises man can wear;
Call to your succour whatsoe’er
Or art or courage may:
Find wings to climb the Olympian steep,
Or plunge in subterranean deep,
Hid from the torch of day.’
He shook his head: ‘Your swelling phrase
Appals not Turnus: no:
The Gods, the Gods this terror raise,
And Jupiter my foe.’
He said no more, but, looking round,
A mighty stone espied,
A mighty stone, time-worn and grey,
Which haply on the champaign lay,
Set there erewhile the land to bound
And strifes of law decide:
Scarce twelve strong men of later mould
That weight could on their necks uphold,
To-day’s degenerate sons:
He caught it up, and at his foe
Discharged it, rising to the throw
And straining as he runs.
But wildering fears his mind unman;
Running, he knew not that he ran,
Nor throwing that he threw;
Heavily move his sinking knees;
The streams of life wax dull and freeze:
The stone, as through the void it past,
Failed of the measure of its cast,
Nor held its purpose true.
E’en as in dreams, when on the eyes
The drowsy weight of slumber lies,
In vain to ply our limbs we think,
And in the helpless effort sink;
Tongue, sinews, all, their powers bely,
And voice and speech our call defy:
So, labour Turnus as he will,
The Fury mocks the endeavour still.
Dim shapes before his senses reel:
On host and town he turns his sight:
He quails, he trembles at the steel,
Nor knows to fly, nor knows to flight:
Nor to his pleading eyes appear
The car the sister charioteer.
His aim with stern precision takes,
Then hurls with all his frame:
Less loud from battering engine cast
Roars the fierce stone; less loud the blast
Follows the lightning’s flame.
On rushes as with whirlwind wings
The spear that dire destruction brings,
Makes passage through the corslet’s marge,
And enters the seven-plated targe
Where the last ring runs round.
The keen point pierces through the thigh:
Down on his bent knee heavily
Comes Turnus to the ground.
With pitying groans the Rutules rise;
The mountain to their grief replies:
The lofty woods resound.
Now fallen, an upward look he sends,
And pleadingly his hand extends;
‘Yes, I have earned,’ he cries, ‘the fate
No weakling prayers may deprecate:
Let those enjoy that win.
If thought of hapless sire can touch
Your heart—Anchises once was such—
Show grace to Daunus, old and grey,
And me, or, if you will, my clay,
Send back to home and kin.
Yours is the victory: Latian bands
Have seen me stretch imploring hands:
The bride Lavinia is your own:
Thus far let foeman’s hate be shown.’
And checked his sword, athirst for blood.
Now faltering more and more he felt
The human heart within him melt,
When round the shoulder wreathed in pride
The belt of Pallas he espied,
And sudden flashed upon his view
Those golden studs so well he knew,
Which Turnus in his hour of joy
Stripped from the newly-slaughtered boy,
And on his bosom bore to show
The triumph of a satiate foe.
Soon as his eyes at one fell draught
Remembrance and revenge had quaffed,
Live fury kindling every vein,
He cries with terrible disdain:
‘What! in my friend’s dear spoils arrayed
To me for mercy sue?
’Tis Pallas, Pallas guides the blade:
From your cursed blood his injured shade
Thus takes the atonement due.’
Thus as he spoke, his sword he drave
With fierce and fiery blow
Through the broad chest before him spread:
The stalwart limbs grow cold and dead:
One groan the indignant spirit gave,
Then sought the shades below.
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