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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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What should he do! Nor arts nor arms avail; And various cares in vain his mind assail. The great Messapus, thund'ring thro' the field, In his left hand two pointed jav'lins held: Encount'ring on the prince, one dart he drew, And with unerring aim and utmost vigor threw. Aeneas saw it come, and, stooping low Beneath his buckler, shunn'd the threat'ning blow. The weapon hiss'd above his head, and tore The waving plume which on his helm he wore. Forced by this hostile act, and fir'd with spite, That flying Turnus still declin'd the fight, The Prince, whose piety had long repell'd His inborn ardor, now invades the field; Invokes the pow'rs of violated peace, Their rites and injur'd altars to redress; Then, to his rage abandoning the rein, With blood and slaughter'd bodies fills the plain. What god can tell, what numbers can display, The various labors of that fatal day; What chiefs and champions fell on either side, In combat slain, or by what deaths they died; Whom Turnus, whom the Trojan hero kill'd; Who shar'd the fame and fortune of the field! Jove, could'st thou view, and not avert thy sight, Two jarring nations join'd in cruel fight, Whom leagues of lasting love so shortly shall unite! Aeneas first Rutulian Sucro found, Whose valor made the Trojans quit their ground; Betwixt his ribs the jav'lin drove so just, It reach'd his heart, nor needs a second thrust. Now Turnus, at two blows, two brethren slew; First from his horse fierce Amycus he threw: Then, leaping on the ground, on foot assail'd Diores, and in equal fight prevail'd. Their lifeless trunks he leaves upon the place; Their heads, distilling gore, his chariot grace. Three cold on earth the Trojan hero threw, Whom without respite at one charge he slew: Cethegus, Tanais, Tagus, fell oppress'd, And sad Onythes, added to the rest, Of Theban blood, whom Peridia bore. |
