THE BATTLE ON THE SHORE.
In the meanwhile Æneas had made alliance with Tarchon and the Tuscans.
For when he had expounded all things to Tarchon their chief, telling
him withal whence he had come, the people, believing that all things
were now fulfilled as the Gods would have them, followed him
willingly. Now, therefore, he was returning to the camp, leading the
way in his ship, on the prow whereof were two lions, and above them
the image of the goddess Ida. Pallas also sat beside him, and asked
him, now concerning the stars by which men guide their ways at night,
and now concerning the things which he had himself endured by land and
sea.
After him came Massicus, in the Tiger, with whom were a thousand men
from Clusium and Cosæ; and Abas, with six hundred from Populonia; and
from Ilva, rich in mines, three hundred more. Asilas also, the
soothsayer, came leading a thousand men from Pisa; and Astyr, the
fairest of men, with three hundred from Cære and from the corn-fields
of Minio and from Pyrgi.
Also the Ligurians came, with Cinyras, son of Cycnus, who had for his
crest swan feathers; and his ship was called the Centaur. And Ocnus
came from Mantua in the Mincius, and five hundred with him; and
Aulestes in the Triton; and the number of the ships was thirty in all.
And now the night had fallen, and as Æneas sat at the helm, for care
suffered him not to sleep, lo! there appeared to him a troop of
Nymphs, which once had been his ships. And one of these, by name
Cymodocea, came behind and caught the stern of the ship with her right
hand, swimming meanwhile with the left. Then she spake, saying,
"Wakest thou, son of the goddess? We are pines of Mount Ida, once thy
ships, but now changed to Nymphs when Turnus would have burned us with
fire. Know that thy son is besieged in the camp. Arm thyself therefore
with the arms which Vulcan hath wrought for thee. To-morrow thou
shalt lay many Latins low in death." And as she spake she pushed the
ship with her hand, and it sped along through the waters and the rest
also with it.
And when the day was come, Æneas commanded that all should make them
ready for battle. And now the camp was in his sight, as he stood on
the stern and lifted in his left hand a flashing shield. Much did the
men of Troy rejoice to see that sight, and shouted amain. And Turnus
and his companions marvelled, till they looked behind them, and lo!
the sea was covered with ships, and in the midst was Æneas. And it was
as if a flame poured forth, from his helmet and his shield, bright as
is a comet when it shines in the night-time red as blood, or as the
Dog Star in the hot summer-tide with baleful light bringing fevers to
the race of men.
Yet did not Turnus lose heart, but would occupy the shore, and hinder
from landing those that came. Wherefore he cried, "Now have ye that
which ye wished for. Lo! the enemy hides not himself behind a wall,
but meets us face to face. Remember wife and child and home and the
great deeds of your fathers. Let us meet them on the shore ere yet
their footing is firm." And he thought within himself who should watch
the walls, and who should meet the enemy when he would gain the shore.
But in the meanwhile Æneas landed his men on gangways from the ships.
And some leapt on shore, having watched for the ebb of the waves, and
some ran along the oars. Tarchon also, the Etrurian, having spied a
place where the sea broke not in waves, commanded his men that they
should beach the ships. Which indeed they did without harm. Only the
ship of Tarchon himself was caught upon a ridge and the men thrown
therefrom. Yet these also, after a while, got safe to the shore.
Then did Æneas do great deeds against the enemy. For first he slew
Theron, who surpassed all men in stature, smiting through his coat of
mail; and Cisseus and Gyas, who wielded clubs after the manner of
Hercules. Sons were they of Melampus, who had borne Hercules company
in all his labours. Then the sons of Phorcus came against him, seven
in number; and they cast at him seven spears, whereof some rebounded
from his shield and some grazed his body, but harmed him not. Then
cried Æneas to Achates, "Give me spears enough. Spears which have
slain the Greeks on the fields of Troy shall not be cast in vain
against these Latins." Then of the seven he slew Mæon and Alcanor, for
the spear pierced the breast-plate and heart of Mæon, and when Alcanor
would have held him up, passed through his arm and yet kept on its
way. And many others fell on this side and on that, for they fought
with equal fortune. On the very threshold of Italy they fought, and
neither would the Italians give place nor yet the men of Troy, for
foot was planted close to foot, and man stood fast by man.
In another part of the battle Pallas fought with his Arcadians. And
when he saw that they fled, not being wont to fight on foot (for by
reason of the ground they had sent away their horses), he cried, "Now,
by the name of your King Evander, and by my hope that I may win praise
like unto his, I beseech you that ye trust not to your feet. Ye must
make your way through the enemy with your swords. Where the crowd is
the thickest follow me. Nor have ye now gods against you. These are
but mortal men that ye see." And he rushed into the midst of the
enemy. First he smote Lagus with his spear, even as he was lifting a
great stone from the earth. In the back he smote him, and, having
smitten him, strove to draw forth the spear, and while he strove,
Hisbo would have slain him; but Pallas was aware of his coming, and
pierced him in the breast with his sword. Next he slew the twin
brothers, Larides and Thymber. Very like they were, and it pleased
father and mother that they knew not the one from the other; but
Pallas made a cruel difference between them, for from Thymber he
struck off the head, and from Larides the right hand. And after these
he slew Rhœtus, as he fled past him in his chariot. And now, even as
a shepherd sets fire to a wood, and the flames are borne along by the
wind, so Pallas, and his Arcadians following, raged through the
battle. And when Halæsus, the companion of Agamemnon, would have
stayed them, Pallas, first praying to Father Tiber, smote him through
the breast with a spear, that he died. Then came to the help of the
Latins Lausus, the son of King Mezentius, and slew Abas of Populonia,
and others also. Then the battle was equal for a space, for Pallas
supported it on the one side and Lausus on the other. Fair were they
both to behold and of equal age, and for both it was ordained that
they should not return to their native country. Yet they met not in
battle, seeing that the doom of each was that he should fall by a
greater hand.
And now the nymph Juturna, who was sister to Turnus, bade her brother
haste to the help of Lausus. And when he was come, he cried to the
Latins, "Give place: I only will deal with Pallas. I only would that
his father were here to see." Much did Pallas marvel to behold him and
to see the men give place. But, being no whit afraid, he went forth
into the space between the hosts, and the blood of the Arcadians ran
cold when they saw him go. Then Turnus leapt from his chariot, for he
would meet him on foot. And first Pallas prayed, saying, "O Hercules!
if thou wast indeed my father's guest, help me to-day!" And Hercules
heard him where he sat in heaven, and wept because he could avail
nothing. Then said Father Jupiter, "My son, the days of men are
numbered; yet may they live for ever by noble deeds. This at least can
valour do. Did not many sons of the gods fall at Troy? yea, and my own
Sarpedon. And for Turnus, too, the day of doom is at hand." And he
turned his eyes from the battle. Then Pallas cast his spear with all
his might. Through the shield of Turnus it passed, and through the
corslet, yea, and grazed the top of his shoulder. Then Turnus balanced
his spear awhile, and said, "This, methinks, shall better make its
way," and he cast it. Through the shield, through the stout bull's
hide, and through the folds of bronze it passed, and through the
corslet, and pierced the breast of Pallas from front to back. And
Pallas tore from the wound the reeking steel, and the blood gushed
out, and the life therewith. Then Turnus stood above the corpse, and
said, "Men of Arcadia, tell these my words to Evander: 'Pallas I send
him back, even as he deserved that I should send him. I grudge him not
due honours of burial. Yet of a truth the friendship of Æneas hath
cost him dear.'" Then he put his foot upon the body and dragged
therefrom the belt. Great and heavy it was, and Clonius had wrought
thereon in gold the deed of the fifty daughters of Danaüs, how they
slew their husbands in one night. But even then the time was very near
when Turnus would wish that he had left that spoil untouched. And
afterwards, with much groaning and weeping, the companions of Pallas
laid him upon a shield and bare him back.
And now tidings came to Æneas that it fared ill with his men, and that
Pallas was slain. Across the field he sped, and all his heart was full
of wrath against Turnus and pity for the old man Evander; and first he
took alive eight youths, whom he should slay upon the tomb. Then he
cast his spear at Lagus; but Lagus avoided it by craft, and rushed
forward, and caught him by the knees, beseeching him by the spirit of
his father and the hopes of Iülus that he would spare him, and take a
ransom for his life. But Æneas made answer, "Talk not of sparing nor
of ransom; for to all courtesy of war there is an end now that Turnus
hath slain Pallas." And he caught the man's helmet with his left
hand, and, bending back his neck, thrust in the sword up to the hilt.
And many other valiant chiefs he slew, as Haemonides, priest of
Phœbus and Diana, and Tarquitus, son of Faunus, and dark Camers, son
of Volscens. And now there met him two brethren on one chariot,
Lucagus and Liger. And Liger, who indeed drave the horses, cried
aloud, "These are not the horses of Diomed, nor this the chariot of
Achilles, from which thou mayest escape. Lo! the end of thy battles
and thy life is come." But Æneas spake not, but cast his spear, and
even as Lucagus made himself ready for battle it sped through his
shield and pierced his thigh. Then he fell dying on the plain. And
Æneas cried, mocking him, "Thy horses are not slow to flee, nor
frightened by a shadow. Of thine own will thou leavest thy chariot."
And he caught the horses by the head. Then Liger stretched out his
hands to him in supplication, saying, "I beseech thee, by thy parents,
have pity upon me." But Æneas made answer, "Nay, but thou spakest not
thus before. Die! and desert not thy brother." And he thrust the sword
into his breast. Thus did Æneas deal death through the host, even as
he had been the giant Typhoeus with the hundred hands. And when Iülus
and the men of Troy beheld him they broke forth from the camp.
And now Juno bethought her how she might save Turnus, whom she loved.
So she caused that there should pass before his eyes an image as of
Æneas, which seemed to defy him to battle. And when Turnus would have
fought, lo! the false Æneas fled, and Turnus followed him. Now there
chanced to be lying moored to a great rock a certain ship, on which
King Asinius had come from Clusium. Into this the false Æneas fled,
and Turnus followed hard upon him, but found not the man. And when he
looked, Juno had burst the moorings of the ship, and the sea was about
him on every side. Then he cried, "What have I done, great Jupiter,
that I should suffer such shame? What think the Latins of my flight?
Drown me, ye winds and waves, or drive me where no man may see me
more." Thrice he would have cast himself into the sea; thrice would he
have slain himself with the sword; but Juno forbad, and brought him
safe to the city of Daunus, his father.
In the meanwhile King Mezentius joined the battle. Nor could the men
of Troy, nor yet the Tuscans, stay him. Many valiant men he slew, as
Mimas, whom his mother Theano bare the same night that Hecuba bare
Paris to King Priam; and Actor, a Greek, who had left his promised
wife, and carried her purple favour in his helmet; and tall Orodes.
Orodes, indeed, was flying, but the king deigned not to slay him in
his flight, but met him face to face and smote him. Also when Orodes
cried, "Whoever thou art, thou goest not long unpunished: a like doom
awaits thee; and in this land shalt thou find thy grave," Mezentius
laughed, and made answer, "Die thou, but let the king of Gods and men
see to me."
But after awhile Æneas spied Mezentius as he fought, and made haste to
meet him. Nor did the king give place, but cried, "Now may this right
hand and the spear which I wield be my gods, and help me." And he cast
his spear. It smote the shield of Æneas, but pierced it not. Yet did
it not fly in vain, for glancing off it smote Antores in the
side--Antores who once had been comrade to Hercules, and afterwards
followed Evander. Now he fell, and in his death remembered the city
which he loved, even Argos. Then in his turn Æneas cast his spear.
Through the bull's-hide shield it passed, wounding the king in the
groin, but not to death. And Æneas was right glad to see the blood
flow forth, and drew his sword and pressed on; and Mezentius, much
cumbered with the spear and the wound, gave place. But when Lausus,
his son, saw this, he groaned aloud and leapt forward, and took the
blow upon his sword; and his companions followed him with a shout, and
cast their spears at Æneas, staying him till Mezentius had gotten
himself safe away. And Æneas stood awhile under the shower of spears,
even as a traveller stands hiding himself from a storm. Then he cried
to Lausus, "What seekest thou, madman? Why venturest thou that which
thy strength may not endure?" But Lausus heeded him not at all, but
still pressed on. Then the heart of Æneas was filled with wrath, and
the day was come for Lausus that he should die. For the king smote
him with his sword: through shield it passed and tunic woven with
gold, and was hidden to the hilt in his body. And Æneas pitied him as
he lay dead, bethinking him how he, too, would fain have died for his
father, and spake, saying, "What shall Æneas give thee, unhappy boy,
for this thy nobleness? Keep thy arms, in which thou hadst such
delight, and let thy father care as he will for thy body; and take
this comfort in thy death, that thou fallest by the hand of the great
Æneas." Then he lifted him from the earth, and bade his companions
carry him away.
[Illustration: ÆNEAS AND THE BODY OF LAUSUS.]
In the mean time his father tended his wounds, leaning on the trunk of
a tree by the Tiber bank. His helmet hung from a branch, and his arms
lay upon the ground, while his followers stood around. And ever he
asked tidings of Lausus, and sent those who should bid him return. But
when they brought back his body on a shield, his father knew it from
afar, and threw dust upon his white hair, and fell upon the body,
crying, "Had I such desire to live, my son, that I suffered thee to
meet in my stead the sword of the enemy? Am I saved by these wounds?
Do I live by thy death? And indeed, my son, I did dishonour to thee by
my misdeeds. Would that I had given my guilty life for thine! But
indeed I die; nevertheless not yet, for I have first somewhat that I
must do."
Then he raised himself on his thigh, and commanded that they should
bring his horse. His pride it was and comfort, and had borne him
conqueror from many fights. Very sad was the beast, and he spake to
it, saying, "O Rhœbus, thou and I have lived long enough, if indeed
aught on earth be long. To-day thou shalt bring back the head and the
arms of Æneas, and so avenge my Lausus; or thou shalt die with me. For
a Trojan master thou wilt not, I know, endure."
Then he mounted the horse and took spears in both his hands, and so
hasted to meet Æneas. Thrice he called him by name, and Æneas rejoiced
to hear his voice, and cried, "Now may Jupiter and Apollo grant that
this be true. Begin the fight." And Mezentius made answer: "Seek not
to make afraid. Thou canst do me no harm now that thou hast slain my
son. I am come to die, but take thou first this gift;" and he cast his
spear, and then another, and yet another, as he rode in a great circle
about the enemy. But they brake not the boss of gold. And Æneas stood
firm, bearing the forest of spears in his shield. But at last, issuing
forth in anger from behind his shield, he cast his spear and smote the
war-horse Rhœbus between his temples. Then the horse reared himself
and lashed the air with his feet, and fell with his rider beneath him.
And the men of Troy and the Latins sent up a great shout. Then Æneas
hasted and drew his sword, and stood above him, crying, "Where is the
fierce Mezentius now?" And the king said, when he breathed again, "Why
threatenest thou me with death? Slay me; thou wrongest me not. I made
no covenant with thee for life, nor did my Lausus when he died for me.
Yet grant me this one thing. Thou knowest how my people hateth me.
Keep my body, I pray thee, from them, that they do it no wrong. And
let my son be buried with me in my grave." And he gave his throat to
the sword, and feared not.