Latin poetry -- Adaptations; Virgil -- Adaptations
Now when Turnus saw that Æneas had departed from the battle he called
for his chariot. And when he had mounted thereon he drave it through
the host of the enemy, slaying many valiant heroes, as Sthenelus and
Pholus, and the two sons of Imbrasus the Lycian, Glaucus and Lades.
Then he saw Eumedes, son of that Dolon who would have spied out the
camp of the Greeks, asking as his reward the horses of Achilles (but
Diomed slew him). Him Turnus smote with a javelin from afar, and, when
he fell, came near and put his foot upon him, and taking his sword
drave it into his neck, saying, "Lo! now thou hast the land which thou
soughtest. Lie there, and measure out Italy for thyself." Many others
he slew, for the army fled before him. Yet did one man, Phegeus by
name, stand against him, and would have stayed the chariot, catching
the bridles of the horses in his hand. But as he clung to the yoke and
was dragged along, Turnus broke his cuirass with his spear, and
wounded him. And when the man set his shield before him, and made at
Turnus with his sword, the wheels dashed him to the ground, and Turnus
struck him between the helmet and the breast-plate, and smote off his
head.
But in the meanwhile Mnestheus and Achates and Iülus led Æneas to the
camp, leaning on his spear. Very wrath was he, and strove to draw
forth the arrow. And when he could not, he commanded that they should
open the wound with the knife, and so send him back to the battle.
Iapis also, the physician, ministered to him. Now this Iapis was
dearer than all other men to Apollo, and when the god would have given
him all his arts, even prophecy and music and archery, he chose rather
to know the virtues of herbs and the art of healing, that so he might
prolong the life of his father, who was even ready to die. This Iapis,
then, having his garments girt about him in healer's fashion, would
have drawn forth the arrow with the pincers, but could not. And while
he strove, the battle came nearer, and the sky was hidden by clouds of
dust, and javelins fell thick into the camp. But when Venus saw how
grievously her son was troubled, she brought from Ida, which is a
mountain of Crete, the herb dittany. A hairy stalk it hath and a
purple flower. The wild goats know it well if so be that they have
been wounded by arrows. This, then, Venus, having hidden her face,
brought and dipped into the water, and sprinkled there with ambrosia
and sweet-smelling panacea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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