While Turnus stirred Rutulia's valiant souls, Alecto on her Stygian pinions sped to where the Teucrians lay. She scanned the ground with eager guile, where by the river's marge fair-browed Iulus with his nets and snares rode fiercely to the chase. Then o'er his hounds that hell-born virgin breathed a sudden rage, and filled each cunning nostril with the scent of stags, till forth in wild pursuit they flew. Here all the woe began, and here awoke in rustic souls the swift-enkindling war. For a fair stag, tall-antlered, stolen away even from its mother's milk, had long been kept by Tyrrhus and his sons—the shepherd he of all the royal flocks, and forester of a wide region round. With fondest care their sister Silvia entwined its horns with soft, fresh garlands, tamed it to run close, and combed the creature, or would bring to bathe at a clear, crystal spring. It knew the hands of all its gentle masters, and would feed from their own dish; or wandering through the wood, come back unguided to their friendly door, though deep the evening shade. Iulus' dogs now roused this wanderer in their ravening chase, as, drifted down-stream far from home it lay, on a green bank a-cooling. From bent bow Ascanius, eager for a hunter's praise, let go his shaft; nor did Alecto fail his aim to guide: but, whistling through the air, the light-winged reed pierced deep in flank and side. Swift to its cover fled the wounded thing, and crept loud-moaning to its wonted stall, where, like a blood-stained suppliant, it seemed to fill that shepherd's house with plaintive prayer. Then Silvia the sister, smiting oft on breast and arm, made cry for help, and called the sturdy rustics forth in gathering throng. These now (for in the silent forest couched the cruel Fury) swift to battle flew. One brandished a charred stake, another swung a knotted cudgel, as rude anger shapes its weapon of whate'er the searching eye first haps to fall on. Tyrrhus roused his clans, just when by chance he split with blows of wedge an oak in four; and, panting giant breath, shouldered his woodman's axe. Alecto then, prompt to the stroke of mischief, soared aloft from where she spying sate, to the steep roof of a tall byre, and from its peak of straw blew a wild signal on a shepherd's horn, outflinging her infernal note so far that all the forest shuddered, and the grove throbbed to its deepest glen. Cold Trivia's lake from end to end gave ear, and every wave of the white stream of Nar, the lonely pools of still Velinus heard: while at the sound pale mothers to their breasts their children drew. Swift to the signal of the dreadful horn, snatching their weapons rude, the freeborn swains assembled for the fray; the Trojan bands poured from their bivouac with instant aid for young Ascanius. In array of war both stand confronting. Not mere rustic brawl with charred oak-staff and cudgel is the fight, but with the two-edged steel; the naked swords wave like dark-bladed harvest-field, while far the brazen arms flash in the smiting sun, and skyward fling their beam: so some wide sea, at first but whitened in the rising wind, swells its slow-rolling mass and ever higher its billows rears, until the utmost deep lifts in one surge to heaven. The first to fall was Almo, eldest-born of Tyrrhus' sons, whom, striding in the van, a loud-winged shaft laid low in death; deep in his throat it clung, and silenced with his blood the dying cry of his frail life. Around him fell the forms of many a brave and strong; among them died gray-haired Galaesus pleading for a truce: righteous he was, and of Ausonian fields a prosperous master; five full flocks had he of bleating sheep, and from his pastures came five herds of cattle home; his busy churls turned with a hundred ploughs his fruitful glebe. While o'er the battle-field thus doubtful swung the scales of war, the Fury (to her task now equal proven) having dyed the day a deep-ensanguined hue, and opened fight with death and slaughter, made no tarrying within Hesperia, but skyward soared, and, Ioud in triumph, insolently thus to Juno called: “See, at thy will, their strife full-blown to war and woe! Could even thyself command them now to truce and amity? But I, that with Ausonia's blood befoul their Trojan hands, yet more can do, if thou shift not thy purpose. For with dire alarms I will awake the bordering states to war enkindling in their souls the frenzied lust the war-god breathes; till from th' horizon round the reinforcement pours—I scattering seeds of carnage through the land.” In answer spoke juno: “Enough of artifice and fear! Thy provocation works. Now have they joined in close and deadly combat, and warm blood those sudden-leaping swords incarnadines, which chance put in their hands. Such nuptial joys, such feast of wedlock, let the famous son of Venus with the King Latinus share! But yon Olympian Sire and King no more permits thee freely in our skies to roam. Go, quit the field! Myself will take control of hazards and of labors yet to be.” Thus Saturn's daughter spoke. Alecto then, unfolding far her hissing, viperous wings, turned toward her Stygian home, and took farewell of upper air. Deep in Italia lies a region mountain-girded, widely famed, and known in olden songs from land to land: the valley of Amsanctus; deep, dark shades enclose it between forest-walls, whereby through thunderous stony channel serpentines a roaring fall. Here in a monstrous cave are breathing-holes of hell, a vast abyss where Acheron opes wide its noisome jaws: in this Alecto plunged, concealing so her execrable godhead, while the air of earth and heaven felt the curse removed. Forthwith the sovereign hands of Juno haste to consummate the war. The shepherds bear back from the field of battle to the town the bodies of the slain: young Almo's corse and gray Galaesus' bleeding head. They call just gods in heaven to Iook upon their wrong, and bid Latinus see it. Turnus comes, and, while the angry mob surveys the slain, adds fury to the hour. “Shall the land have Trojan lords? Shall Phrygian marriages debase our ancient, royal blood—and I be spurned upon the threshold?” Then drew near the men whose frenzied women-folk had held bacchantic orgies in the pathless grove, awed by Amata's name: these, gathering, sued loud for war. Yea, all defied the signs and venerable omens; all withstood divine decrees, and clamored for revenge, prompted by evil powers. They besieged the house of King Latinus, shouting-loud with emulous rage. But like a sea-girt rock unmoved he stood; like sea-girt rock when surge of waters o'er it sweeps, or howling waves surround; it keeps a ponderous front of power, though foaming cliffs around it vainly roar; from its firm base the broken sea-weeds fall. But when authority no whit could change their counsels blind, and each event fulfilled dread Juno's will, then with complaining prayer the aged sire cried loud upon his gods and on th' unheeding air: “Alas,” said he, “My doom is shipwreck, and the tempest bears my bark away! O wretches, your own blood shall pay the forfeit for your impious crime. O Turnus! O abominable deed! Avenging woes pursue thee; to deaf gods thy late and unavailing prayer shall rise. Now was my time to rest. But as I come close to my journey's end, thou spoilest me of comfort in my death.” With this the King fled to his house and ceased his realm to guide. A sacred custom the Hesperian land of Latium knew, by all the Alban hills honored unbroken, which wide-ruling Rome 
 keeps to this day, when to new stroke she stirs the might of Mars; if on the Danube 's wave resolved to fling the mournful doom of war, or on the Caspian folk or Arabs wild; or chase the morning far as India 's verge, ind from the Parthian despot wrest away our banners Iost. Twin Gates of War there be, of fearful name, to Mars' fierce godhead vowed: a hundred brass bars shut them, and the strength of uncorrupting steel; in sleepless watch Janus the threshold keeps. 'T is here, what time the senate's voice is war, the consul grave in Gabine cincture and Quirinal shift himself the griding hinges backward moves, and bids the Romans arm; obedient then the legionary host makes Ioud acclaim, and hoarse consent the brazen trumpets blow. Thus King Latinus on the sons of Troy 
 was urged to open war, and backward roll those gates of sorrow: but the aged king recoiled, refused the loathsome task, and fled to solitary shades. Then from the skies the Queen of gods stooped down, and her sole hand the lingering portal moved; Saturnia 
 swung on their hinges the barred gates of war. ausonia from its old tranquillity bursts forth in flame. Foot-soldiers through the field run to and fro; and mounted on tall steeds the cavaliers in clouds of dust whirl by. All arm in haste. Some oil the glittering shield or javelin bright, or on the whetstone wear good axes to an edge, while joyful bands uplift the standards or the trumpets blow. Five mighty cities to their anvils bring new-tempered arms: Atina—martial name — proud Tibur , Ardea , Crustumium, and river-walled Antemnae, crowned with towers strong hollow helmets on their brows they draw and weave them willow-shields; or melt and mould corselets of brass or shining silver greaves; none now for pruning-hook or sacred plough have love or care: but old, ancestral swords for hardier tempering to the smith they bring. Now peals the clarion; through the legions pass the watchwords: the impatient yeoman takes his helmet from the idle roof-tree hung; while to his chariot the master yokes the mettled war-horse, dons a shining shield and golden mail, and buckles his good sword. Virgins of Helicon, renew my song! Instruct me what proud kings to battle flown with following legions throng the serried plain. Tell me what heroes and illustrious arms Italia 's bosom in her dawning day benignant bore: for your celestial minds, have memory of the past, but faint and low steals glory's whisper on a mortal ear.