第85章

What will they say of their deserting chief The war was mine: I fly from their relief;I led to slaughter, and in slaughter leave;And ev'n from hence their dying groans receive.

Here, overmatch'd in fight, in heaps they lie;There, scatter'd o'er the fields, ignobly fly.

Gape wide, O earth, and draw me down alive!

Or, O ye pitying winds, a wretch relieve!

On sands or shelves the splitting vessel drive;Or set me shipwrack'd on some desart shore, Where no Rutulian eyes may see me more, Unknown to friends, or foes, or conscious Fame, Lest she should follow, and my flight proclaim."Thus Turnus rav'd, and various fates revolv'd:

The choice was doubtful, but the death resolv'd.

And now the sword, and now the sea took place, That to revenge, and this to purge disgrace.

Sometimes he thought to swim the stormy main, By stretch of arms the distant shore to gain.

Thrice he the sword assay'd, and thrice the flood;But Juno, mov'd with pity, both withstood.

And thrice repress'd his rage; strong gales supplied, And push'd the vessel o'er the swelling tide.

At length she lands him on his native shores, And to his father's longing arms restores.

Meantime, by Jove's impulse, Mezentius arm'd, Succeeding Turnus, with his ardor warm'd His fainting friends, reproach'd their shameful flight, Repell'd the victors, and renew'd the fight.

Against their king the Tuscan troops conspire;Such is their hate, and such their fierce desire Of wish'd revenge: on him, and him alone, All hands employ'd, and all their darts are thrown.

He, like a solid rock by seas inclos'd, To raging winds and roaring waves oppos'd, From his proud summit looking down, disdains Their empty menace, and unmov'd remains.

Beneath his feet fell haughty Hebrus dead, Then Latagus, and Palmus as he fled.

At Latagus a weighty stone he flung:

His face was flatted, and his helmet rung.

But Palmus from behind receives his wound;Hamstring'd he falls, and grovels on the ground:

His crest and armor, from his body torn, Thy shoulders, Lausus, and thy head adorn.

Evas and Mimas, both of Troy, he slew.

Mimas his birth from fair Theano drew, Born on that fatal night, when, big with fire, The queen produc'd young Paris to his sire:

But Paris in the Phrygian fields was slain, Unthinking Mimas on the Latian plain.

And, as a savage boar, on mountains bred, With forest mast and fatt'ning marshes fed, When once he sees himself in toils inclos'd, By huntsmen and their eager hounds oppos'd-He whets his tusks, and turns, and dares the war;Th' invaders dart their jav'lins from afar:

All keep aloof, and safely shout around;

But none presumes to give a nearer wound:

He frets and froths, erects his bristled hide, And shakes a grove of lances from his side:

Not otherwise the troops, with hate inspir'd, And just revenge against the tyrant fir'd, Their darts with clamor at a distance drive, And only keep the languish'd war alive.

From Coritus came Acron to the fight, Who left his spouse betroth'd, and unconsummate night.

Mezentius sees him thro' the squadrons ride, Proud of the purple favors of his bride.

Then, as a hungry lion, who beholds A gamesome goat, who frisks about the folds, Or beamy stag, that grazes on the plain-He runs, he roars, he shakes his rising mane, He grins, and opens wide his greedy jaws;The prey lies panting underneath his paws:

He fills his famish'd maw; his mouth runs o'er With unchew'd morsels, while he churns the gore:

So proud Mezentius rushes on his foes, And first unhappy Acron overthrows:

Stretch'd at his length, he spurns the swarthy ground;The lance, besmear'd with blood, lies broken in the wound.

Then with disdain the haughty victor view'd Orodes flying, nor the wretch pursued, Nor thought the dastard's back deserv'd a wound, But, running, gain'd th' advantage of the ground:

Then turning short, he met him face to face, To give his victor the better grace.

Orodes falls, equal fight oppress'd:

Mezentius fix'd his foot upon his breast, And rested lance; and thus aloud he cries:

"Lo! here the champion of my rebels lies!"The fields around with Io Paean! ring;

And peals of shouts applaud the conqu'ring king.

At this the vanquish'd, with his dying breath, Thus faintly spoke, and prophesied in death:

"Nor thou, proud man, unpunish'd shalt remain:

Like death attends thee on this fatal plain."Then, sourly smiling, thus the king replied:

"For what belongs to me, let Jove provide;But die thou first, whatever chance ensue."He said, and from the wound the weapon drew.

A hov'ring mist came swimming o'er his sight, And seal'd his eyes in everlasting night.

By Caedicus, Alcathous was slain;

Sacrator laid Hydaspes on the plain;

Orses the strong to greater strength must yield;He, with Parthenius, were by Rapo kill'd.

Then brave Messapus Ericetes slew, Who from Lycaon's blood his lineage drew.

But from his headstrong horse his fate he found, Who threw his master, as he made a bound:

The chief, alighting, stuck him to the ground;Then Clonius, hand to hand, on foot assails:

The Trojan sinks, and Neptune's son prevails.

Agis the Lycian, stepping forth with pride, To single fight the boldest foe defied;Whom Tuscan Valerus by force o'ercame, And not belied his mighty father's fame.

Salius to death the great Antronius sent:

But the same fate the victor underwent, Slain by Nealces' hand, well-skill'd to throw The flying dart, and draw the far-deceiving bow.

Thus equal deaths are dealt with equal chance;By turns they quit their ground, by turns advance:

Victors and vanquish'd, in the various field, Nor wholly overcome, nor wholly yield.

The gods from heav'n survey the fatal strife, And mourn the miseries of human life.

Above the rest, two goddesses appear Concern'd for each: here Venus, Juno there.

Amidst the crowd, infernal Ate shakes Her scourge aloft, and crest of hissing snakes.

Once more the proud Mezentius, with disdain, Brandish'd his spear, and rush'd into the plain, Where tow'ring in the midmost rank she stood, Like tall Orion stalking o'er the flood.