Meanwhile th' unpitying messenger had flown to Turnus in the wood; the warrior heard from Acca of the wide confusion spread, the Volscian troop destroyed, Camilla slain, the furious foe increasing, and, with Mars to help him, grasping all, till in that hour far as the city-gates the panic reigned. Then he in desperate rage (Jove's cruel power decreed it) from the ambushed hills withdrew and pathless wild. He scarce had passed beyond to the bare plain, when forth Aeneas marched along the wide ravine, climbed up the ridge, and from the dark, deceiving grove stood clear. Then swiftly each with following ranks of war moved to the city-wall, nor wide the space that measured 'twixt the twain. Aeneas saw the plain with dust o'erclouded, and the lines of the Laurentian host extending far; Turnus, as clearly, saw the war array of dread Aeneas, and his ear perceived loud tramp of mail-clad men and snorting steeds. Soon had they sped to dreadful shock of arms, hazard of war to try; but Phoebus now, glowing rose-red, had dipped his wearied wheel deep in Iberian seas, and brought back night above the fading day. So near the town both pitch their camps and make their ramparts strong. When Turnus marks how much the Latins quail in adverse war, how on himself they call to keep his pledge, and with indignant eyes gaze all his way, fierce rage implacable swells his high heart. As when on Libyan plain a lion, gashed along his tawny breast by the huntsman's grievous thrust, awakens him unto his last grim fight, and gloriously shaking the great thews of his maned neck, shrinks not, but crushes the despoiler's spear with blood-sprent, roaring mouth,—not less than so burns the wild soul of Turnus and his ire. Thus to the King he spoke with stormful brow: “The war lags not for Turnus' sake. No cause constrains the Teucrian cowards and their King to eat their words and what they pledged refuse. On his own terms I come. Bring forward, sire, the sacrifice, and seal the pact I swear: either to deepest hell this hand shall fling yon Trojan runaway—the Latins all may sit at ease and see!—and my sole sword efface the general shame; or let him claim the conquest, and Lavinia be his bride.” To him Latinus with unruffled mind thus made reply: “O youth surpassing brave! The more thy sanguinary valor burns beyond its wont, the more with toilsome care I ponder with just fear what chance may fall, weighing it well. Thy father Daunus' throne, and many a city by thy sword subdued, are still thy own. Latinus also boasts much golden treasure and a liberal hand. Other unwedded maids of noble stem in Latium and Laurentine land are found. Permit me, then, to tell thee without guile things hard to utter; let them deeply fill thy listening soul. My sacred duty 'twas to plight my daughter's hand to nonesoe'er of all her earlier wooers—so declared the gods and oracles; but overcome by love of thee, by thy dear, kindred blood, and by the sad eyes of my mournful Queen, I shattered every bond; I snatched away the plighted maiden from her destined lord, and took up impious arms. What evil case upon that deed ensued, what hapless wars, thou knowest, since thyself dost chiefly bear the cruel burden. In wide-ranging fight twice-conquered, our own city scarce upholds the hope of Italy . Yon Tiber 's wave still runs warm with my people's blood; the plains far round us glisten with their bleaching bones. Why tell it o'er and o'er? What maddening dream perverts my mind? If after Turnus slain I must for friendship of the Trojan sue, were it not better to suspend the fray while Turnus lives? For what will be the word of thy Rutulian kindred—yea, of all Italia , if to death I give thee o'er— (Which Heaven avert!) because thou fain wouldst win my daughter and be sworn my friend and son? Bethink thee what a dubious work is war; have pity on thy father's reverend years, who even now thy absence daily mourns in Ardea , his native land and thine.” But to this pleading Turnus' frenzied soul yields not at all, but rather blazes forth more wildly, and his fever fiercer burns beneath the healer's hand. In answer he, soon as his passion gathered voice, began: “This keen solicitude for love of me, I pray, good sire, for love of me put by! And let me traffic in the just exchange of death for glory. This right hand, O King, can scatter shafts not few, nor do I wield untempered steel. Whene'er I make a wound blood follows. For my foeman when we meet will find no goddess-mother near, with hand to hide him in her woman's skirt of cloud, herself in dim, deluding shade concealed.” But now the Queen, whose whole heart shrank in fear from these new terms of duel, wept aloud, and like one dying clasped her fiery son: “O Turnus, by these tears-if in thy heart thou honorest Amata still—O thou who art of our distressful, dark old age the only hope and peace, the kingly name and glory of Latinus rests in thee; thou art the mighty prop whereon is stayed our falling house. One favor I implore: give o'er this fight with Trojans. In such strife thy destined doom is destined to be mine by the same fatal stroke. For in that hour this hated life shall cease, nor will I look with slave's eyes on Aeneas as my son.” Lavinia heard her mother's voice, and tears o'erflowed her scarlet cheek, where blushes spread like flame along her warm, young face and brow: as when the Indian ivory must wear ensanguined crimson stain, or lilies pale mingled with roses seem to blush, such hues her virgin features bore; and love's desire disturbed his breast, as, gazing on the maid, his martial passion fiercer flamed; whereon in brief speech he addressed the Queen: “No tears! No evil omen, mother, I implore! Make me no sad farewells, as I depart to the grim war-god's game! Can Turnus' hand delay death's necessary coming? Go, Idmon, my herald, to the Phrygian King, and tell him this—a word not framed to please: soon as Aurora from her crimson car flushes to-morrow's sky, let him no more against the Rutule lead the Teucrian line; let Teucrian swords and Rutule take repose, while with our own spilt blood we twain will make an end of war; on yonder mortal field let each man woo Lavinia for his bride.” So saying, he hied him to his lordly halls, summoned his steeds, and with pleased eye surveyed their action proud: them Orithyia, bride of Boreas, to Sire Pilumnus gave, which in their whiteness did surpass the snow in speed the wind. The nimble charioteers stood by and smote with hollowed hand and palm the sounding chests, or combed the necks and manes. But he upon his kingly shoulders clasped his corselet, thick o'erlaid with blazoned gold and silvery orichalch; he fitted him with falchion, shield, and helm of purple plume, that falchion which the Lord of Fire had made for Daunus, tempering in the Stygian wave when white it glowed; next grasped he the good spear which leaned its weight against a column tall in the mid-court, Auruncan Actor's spoil, and waved it wide in air with mighty cry: “O spear, that ne'er did fail me when I called, the hour is come! Once mighty Actor's hand, but now the hand of Turnus is thy lord. Grant me to strike that carcase to the ground, and with strong hand the corselet rip and rend from off that Phrygian eunuch: let the dust befoul those tresses, tricked to curl so fine with singeing steel and sleeked with odorous oil.” Such frenzy goads him: his impassioned brow is all on flame, the wild eyes flash with fire. Thus, bellowing loud before the fearful fray, some huge bull proves the fury of his horns, pushing against a tree-trunk; his swift thrusts would tear the winds in pieces; while his hoofs toss up the turf and sand, rehearsing war.