,
For e'en so soon as far away AEneas saw the plain
Through dusty reek, and saw withal Laurentum's host afar,
Turnus the fierce AEneas knew in all array of war, 910
And heard the marching footmen tramp, and coming horses neigh.
Then had they fallen to fight forthwith and tried the battle-play,
But rosy Phoebus sank adown amidst Iberian flood
His weary steeds, and brought back Night upon the failing day.
So there they pitch before the town and make their ramparts good.

BOOK XII.

ARGUMENT.

HEREIN ARE AENEAS AND TURNUS PLEDGED TO FIGHT THE MATTER OUT IN SINGLE
COMBAT; BUT THE LATINS BREAK THE PEACE AND AENEAS IS WOUNDED: IN THE END
AENEAS MEETETH TURNUS INDEED, AND SLAYETH HIM.

When Turnus sees the Latin men all failing from the sword,
Broken by Mars, and that all folk bethink them of his word.
And fall to mark him with their eyes, then fell he burns indeed,
And raises up his heart aloft; e'en as in Punic mead
The smitten lion, hurt in breast by steel from hunters' ring,
Setteth the battle in array, and joyfully doth fling
The mane from off his brawny neck, and fearless of his mood
Breaks off the clinging robber-spear, and roars from mouth of blood;
E'en so o'er Turnus' fiery heart the tide of fury wins,
And thus he speaketh to the King, and hasty speech begins: 10

"No hanging back in Turnus is, and no AEnean thrall
Hath aught to do to break his word or plighted troth recall:
I will go meet him: Father, bring the Gods, the peace-troth plight;
Then either I this Dardan thing will send adown to night,--
This rag of Asia,--Latin men a-looking on the play,
And all alone the people's guilt my sword shall wipe away;
Or let him take us beaten folk, and wed Lavinia then!"

But unto him from quiet soul Latinus spake again:
"Great-hearted youth, by e'en so much as thou in valorous might
Dost more excel, by so much I must counsel me aright, 20
And hang all haps that may betide in those sad scales of mine.
Thine are thy father Daunus' realms, a many towns are thine,
Won by thine hand: Latinus too his gold and goodwill yields;
But other high-born maids unwed dwell in Laurentine fields
Or Latin land,--nay, suffer me to set all guile apart,
And say a hard thing--do thou take this also to thine heart:
To none of all her wooers of old