While Turnus stirred Rutulia's valiant souls,Alecto on her Stygian pinions spedto where the Teucrians lay. She scanned the groundwith eager guile, where by the river's margefair-browed Iulus with his nets and snaresrode fiercely to the chase. Then o'er his houndsthat hell-born virgin breathed a sudden rage,and filled each cunning nostril with the scentof stags, till forth in wild pursuit they flew.Here all the woe began, and here awokein rustic souls the swift-enkindling war.For a fair stag, tall-antlered, stolen awayeven from its mother's milk, had long been keptby Tyrrhus and his sons—the shepherd heof all the royal flocks, and foresterof a wide region round. With fondest caretheir sister Silvia entwined its hornswith soft, fresh garlands, tamed it to run close,and combed the creature, or would bring to batheat a clear, crystal spring. It knew the handsof all its gentle masters, and would feedfrom their own dish; or wandering through the wood,come back unguided to their friendly door,though deep the evening shade. Iulus' dogsnow roused this wanderer in their ravening chase,as, drifted down-stream far from home it lay,on a green bank a-cooling. From bent bowAscanius, eager for a hunter's praise,let go his shaft; nor did Alecto failhis 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 seemedto fill that shepherd's house with plaintive prayer.Then Silvia the sister, smiting ofton breast and arm, made cry for help, and calledthe sturdy rustics forth in gathering throng.These now (for in the silent forest couchedthe cruel Fury) swift to battle flew.One brandished a charred stake, another swunga knotted cudgel, as rude anger shapesits weapon of whate'er the searching eyefirst haps to fall on. Tyrrhus roused his clans,just when by chance he split with blows of wedgean oak in four; and, panting giant breath,shouldered his woodman's axe. Alecto then,prompt to the stroke of mischief, soared aloftfrom where she spying sate, to the steep roofof a tall byre, and from its peak of strawblew a wild signal on a shepherd's horn,outflinging her infernal note so farthat all the forest shuddered, and the grovethrobbed to its deepest glen. Cold Trivia's lakefrom end to end gave ear, and every waveof the white stream of Nar, the lonely poolsof still Velinus heard: while at the soundpale mothers to their breasts their children drew.Swift to the signal of the dreadful horn, snatching their weapons rude, the freeborn swainsassembled for the fray; the Trojan bandspoured from their bivouac with instant aid for young Ascanius. In array of warboth stand confronting. Not mere rustic brawlwith charred oak-staff and cudgel is the fight,but with the two-edged steel; the naked swordswave like dark-bladed harvest-field, while farthe 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 higherits billows rears, until the utmost deeplifts in one surge to heaven. The first to fallwas Almo, eldest-born of Tyrrhus' sons,whom, striding in the van, a loud-winged shaftlaid low in death; deep in his throat it clung,and silenced with his blood the dying cryof his frail life. Around him fell the formsof many a brave and strong; among them diedgray-haired Galaesus pleading for a truce:righteous he was, and of Ausonian fieldsa prosperous master; five full flocks had heof bleating sheep, and from his pastures camefive herds of cattle home; his busy churlsturned with a hundred ploughs his fruitful glebe.

While o'er the battle-field thus doubtful swungthe scales of war, the Fury (to her tasknow equal proven) having dyed the daya deep-ensanguined hue, and opened fightwith death and slaughter, made no tarryingwithin Hesperia, but skyward soared,and, Ioud in triumph, insolently thusto Juno called: “See, at thy will, their strifefull-blown to war and woe! Could even thyselfcommand them now to truce and amity?But I, that with Ausonia's blood befoultheir Trojan hands, yet more can do, if thoushift not thy purpose. For with dire alarmsI will awake the bordering states to warenkindling in their souls the frenzied lustthe war-god breathes; till from th' horizon roundthe reinforcement pours—I scattering seedsof carnage through the land.” In answer spokejuno: “Enough of artifice and fear!Thy provocation works. Now have they joinedin close and deadly combat, and warm bloodthose sudden-leaping swords incarnadines,which chance put in their hands. Such nuptial joys,such feast of wedlock, let the famous sonof Venus with the King Latinus share!But yon Olympian Sire and King no morepermits thee freely in our skies to roam.Go, quit the field! Myself will take controlof 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 farewellof upper air. Deep in Italia liesa region mountain-girded, widely famed,and known in olden songs from land to land:the valley of Amsanctus; deep, dark shadesenclose it between forest-walls, wherebythrough thunderous stony channel serpentinesa roaring fall. Here in a monstrous caveare breathing-holes of hell, a vast abysswhere Acheron opes wide its noisome jaws:in this Alecto plunged, concealing soher execrable godhead, while the airof earth and heaven felt the curse removed.

Forthwith the sovereign hands of Juno hasteto consummate the war. The shepherds bearback from the field of battle to the townthe bodies of the slain: young Almo's corseand gray Galaesus' bleeding head. They calljust 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 landhave Trojan lords? Shall Phrygian marriagesdebase our ancient, royal blood—and Ibe spurned upon the threshold?” Then drew nearthe men whose frenzied women-folk had heldbacchantic orgies in the pathless grove,awed by Amata's name: these, gathering,sued loud for war. Yea, all defied the signsand venerable omens; all withstooddivine decrees, and clamored for revenge,prompted by evil powers. They besiegedthe house of King Latinus, shouting-loudwith emulous rage. But like a sea-girt rockunmoved he stood; like sea-girt rock when surgeof waters o'er it sweeps, or howling wavessurround; 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 changetheir counsels blind, and each event fulfilleddread Juno's will, then with complaining prayerthe aged sire cried loud upon his godsand on th' unheeding air: “Alas,” said he,“My doom is shipwreck, and the tempest bearsmy bark away! O wretches, your own bloodshall pay the forfeit for your impious crime.O Turnus! O abominable deed!Avenging woes pursue thee; to deaf godsthy late and unavailing prayer shall rise.Now was my time to rest. But as I comeclose to my journey's end, thou spoilest meof comfort in my death.” With this the Kingfled to his house and ceased his realm to guide.

A sacred custom the Hesperian landof Latium knew, by all the Alban hillshonored unbroken, which wide-ruling Rome keeps to this day, when to new stroke she stirsthe might of Mars; if on the Danube's waveresolved 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 awayour banners Iost. Twin Gates of War there be,of fearful name, to Mars' fierce godhead vowed:a hundred brass bars shut them, and the strengthof uncorrupting steel; in sleepless watchJanus the threshold keeps. 'T is here, what timethe senate's voice is war, the consul gravein Gabine cincture and Quirinal shifthimself the griding hinges backward moves,and bids the Romans arm; obedient thenthe 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 rollthose gates of sorrow: but the aged kingrecoiled, refused the loathsome task, and fledto solitary shades. Then from the skiesthe Queen of gods stooped down, and her sole handthe lingering portal moved; Saturnia swung on their hinges the barred gates of war.ausonia from its old tranquillitybursts forth in flame. Foot-soldiers through the fieldrun to and fro; and mounted on tall steedsthe cavaliers in clouds of dust whirl by.All arm in haste. Some oil the glittering shieldor javelin bright, or on the whetstone weargood axes to an edge, while joyful bandsuplift the standards or the trumpets blow.Five mighty cities to their anvils bringnew-tempered arms: Atina—martial name —proud Tibur, Ardea, Crustumium,and river-walled Antemnae, crowned with towersstrong hollow helmets on their brows they drawand weave them willow-shields; or melt and mouldcorselets of brass or shining silver greaves;none now for pruning-hook or sacred ploughhave love or care: but old, ancestral swordsfor hardier tempering to the smith they bring.Now peals the clarion; through the legions passthe watchwords: the impatient yeoman takeshis helmet from the idle roof-tree hung;while to his chariot the master yokesthe mettled war-horse, dons a shining shieldand golden mail, and buckles his good sword.

Virgins of Helicon, renew my song!Instruct me what proud kings to battle flownwith following legions throng the serried plain.Tell me what heroes and illustrious armsItalia's bosom in her dawning daybenignant bore: for your celestial minds,have memory of the past, but faint and lowsteals glory's whisper on a mortal ear.