Aghast she looks, and heaves her breast for breath, By winds and waves, and scudding through the throng. Just opposite, sad Nilus opens wide His arms and ample bosom to the tide, And spreads his mantle o'er the winding coast, 945 In which he wraps his queen, and hides the flying host. And Rome triumphant with his presence bless'd.950 Drench'd in his gore, the destin'd sacrifice. 960 965 With Scythians, expert in the dart and bow. And there the Rhine submits her swelling tides, 969 And proud Araxes, whom no bridge could bind. The Danes' unconquer'd offspring march behind; And Morini, the last of human kind. These figures, on the shield divinely wrought, By Vulcan labour'd, and by Venus brought, With joy and wonder fill the hero's thought. Unknown the names, he yet admires the grace, And bears aloft the fame and fortune of his race. 975 G 2 EN EIS, BOOK IX. ARGUMENT. Turnus takes advantage of Æneas's absence, fires some of his ships (which are transformed into sea-nymphs), and assaults his camp. The Trojans, reduced to the last extremities, send Nisus and Euryalus to recall Æneas; which furnishes the poet with that admirable episode of their friendship, generosity, and the conclusion of their adventures. WHILE these affairs in distant places pass'd, The various Iris Juno sends with haste, To find bold Turnus, who, with anxious thought, The secret shade of his great grandsire sought. Retir'd alone she found the daring man, And op'd her rosy lips, and thus began: "What none of all the gods could grant thy vowsThat, Turnus, this auspicious day bestows. Æneas, gone to seek th' Arcadian prince, 5 Has left the Trojan camp without defence; 10 And, short of succours there, employs his pains This said, on equal wings she pois'd her weight, 15 The Daunian hero lifts his hands and eyes, "Iris, the grace of heav'n! what pow'r divine 19 And follow, to the war, the god that leads the way.' Now march the bold confed'rates through the plain, The mighty Turnus tow'rs above the rest. 1 35 |