and tires his fleet courser with the iron spur. Fond Ligurian, says she, flushed with unavailing pride of soul, in vain hast thou perfidious tried thy country's slippery arts; nor shall all thy artifice bring thee off safe to Aunus, thy fallacious sire. Thus the virgin said, and with nimble foot, all on fire, outruns his courser's speed, and, grasping the reins, engages him face to face, and takes vengeance on his hostile blood; with the same ease as from a lofty rock the falcon, sacred bird of Mars, with winged speed overtakes a dove soaring aloft among the clouds, and seizing gripes her fast, and scoops out the bowels with his hooked talons: then from the sky her blood and torn plumes drop down. But not with regardless aspect the sire of gods and men, these scenes surveying, on high Olympus exalted sits. The almighty parent rouses Tuscan Tarchon to bloody battles, and with no gentle incentives inflames his rage. Therefore, amidst the scenes of slaughter and flying squadrons, Tarchon is hurried by his steed, and with various remonstrances animates the wings, calling each by his name; and rallies the broken troops to battle. Oh never to be moved with just indignation, Oh still dastardly faint-hearted Tuscans, what fear, what cowardice so base has seized your souls? Does a woman drive you thus straggling, and put all these squadrons to flight! What avails the sword? or why wield we in our hands these useless weapons? But not so slothful are ye in the service of Venus and her nocturnal wars, or when the winding pipe of Bacchus hath summoned the choirs to wait for the banquets and bowls at the sumptuous board. This is your delight, this your ambition, while the auspicious augur declares the sacred rites begun, and the fat victim invites you to the deep groves. This said, he spurs on his steed into the midst, he too bent on death, and in furious perturbation advances directly up against Venulus; and with his right-hand grasps the foe torn off his steed, and precipitant with huge violence bears him off before him. A shout is raised to heaven; 750 Convertere oculos. Volat igneus æquore Tarchon, 755 760 Arduus insurgens; illa haud minus urget obunco 765 Cassida: tum croceam chlamydemque sinusque crepantes Pictus acu tunicas, et barbara tegmina crurum. 776 759. Fatis debitus. Aruns is called devoted to death, because he is to kill Camilla; and whoever put her to death, forfeited his life to Diana, by decree of the goddess, verse 591. 761. Fortuna is here put for the means or opportunity of effecting his purpose. 777. Barbara tegmina. i. e. embroidered, of foreign or Phrygian fashion. and all the Latins turned their eyes that way. Fiery Tarchon flies over the plain, bearing both the warrior and his arms: then from the top of his lance he breaks off the steel, and explores the open chinks, where he may inflict the mortal wound. He, on the other hand, struggling against him, wards off his hand from his throat, and force by force evades. And as when the tawny eagle soaring high bears off a serpent whom she hath seized, hath fixed in him her feet, and with her talons griped him fast; the wounded serpent writhes his curling volumes, and with erected scales looks horrid, and hisses with his mouth, rising high against his foe; she not the less with hooked beak squeezes him struggling, at the same time flaps the air with her wings: just so, from the army of the Tiburtines Tarchon in triumph bears off his prey. The Tuscans, following the example and fortune of their leader, rush on. Then Aruns, to death devoted, with his javelin and much artifice first courses round the swift Camilla, and watches what most favourable opportunity may occur. Wherever amidst the troops the furious maid drove on, there Aruns follows, and silently surveys her steps. Wherever she victorious returns, and from the foe withdraws her steps, that way the youth secretly winds about the reins with speed. And now he tries these, now those approaches, and the whole circuit he traverses, and with mischievous purpose shakes his unerring lance. Chloreus, sacred to Cybele, and long her priest, at distance shone conspicuous in bright Phrygian arms, and spurred on his foaming steed; which a hide compact with gilt scaly plates of brass, in form of plumes, in a great measure covered. The rider himself, gaudy in barbaric attire of blue and purple dye, shot Cretan arrows from his Lycian bow. Of gold the bow hung rattling from his shoulders, and of gold was the helmet of the priest then in a knot of yellow gold he had collected his saffron symar, and its rustling plaits of lawn, having his tunic and Phrygian cuisses embroidered with needle-work. Him the virgin, whether with a view to Troïa, captivo sive ut se ferret in auro, 780 785 790 795 Ergo, ut missa manu sonitum dedit hasta per auras, 800 Cuncti ad reginam Volsci. Nihil ipsa nec auræ, 805 810 787. Et medium, etc. This is illustrated by a passage in Pliny, lib. vii. cap. 2. Haud procul urbe Roma, in Faliscorum agro, familiae sunt paucae, quae vocantur Hirpiae; quae sacrificio annuo, quod fit ad montem Soractem Apollini, super ambustam ligni struem ambuJantes non aduruntur. 793. Inglorius. It was dishonourable in Aruns to wound Camilla like a traitor, without daring to enter the lists with her in fair combat. 795. Mente dedit. Purposed in her heart. fix Trojan arms in the front of the temple, or to shew herself at the chase in captive gold, of all the warring chiefs alone blindly pursued; and through the whole host, from a woman's longing for the prey and spoils, with heedless ardour roamed: when at length Aruns, snatching the occasion, from his covert throws a dart, and thus to the powers above addresses his prayer: Apollo, greatest of gods, guardian of the holy hill Soracte, whom we chiefly adore: for whom the fire of pine by us with heaps of fuel is fed; and in whose honour, through the midst of the flames, we thy votaries, relying on our piety, walk over a length of burning coals; grant, almighty sire, that by our arms this infamy may be blotted .out. Not pillage or trophy, or any spoils of a vanquished maid, I seek to me my other exploits will procure renown. If, smitten by a wound from me, this rueful pest shall fall, I to my native city shall willingly return inglorious. Phoebus heard, and with himself ordained that part of the vow should be fulfilled: part in fleet air he dispersed. By sudden death to overthrow Camilla in this hour of perturbation he granted to his suppliant; that his illustrious country should see him safely return he denied, and that petition the tempests turned adrift among the winds. Therefore, soon as sent from his hand the spear gave a whizzing sound through the air, the armies turned their attention, and all the Volscians on the queen their eyes directed. Neither air nor whizzing sound did she regard, or the weapon flying from the sky, till plunged beneath her naked breast the spear stuck fast, and driven home drank deep her virgin blood. Her attendants in fearful haste pour in together, and lift up their falling queen. Above all Aruns, stunned with joy and mingled fear, flies; and now no longer dares trust to his spear, or make head against the weapons of the virgin warrior. And as some fierce wolf, after he has slain a shepherd or lusty bullock, conscious of his audacious act, forthwith by some unbeaten path hath to the lofty mountains made his re |