Latin poetry -- Adaptations; Virgil -- Adaptations
And now Iülus, having used his bow aforetime on beasts of the field
only, now first drew it against a man, even against Numanus, who had
to wife the sister of Turnus. For this Numanus, thinking himself to be
some great one, stood in the front rank, and defied the men of Troy,
saying, "Are ye not ashamed, ye that have already been twice
conquered, now to be besieged again? What madness brought you to
Italy? We are a hardy race, for our new-born babes are dipped in the
stream, and our boys are hunters in the woods; and when we be men our
hands are ever on the ploughshare or the sword, yea, and old age
subdues us not, for when our hair is white yet do we cover it with the
helmet. But ye with your mantles of purple and saffron, and sleeved
tunics, and ribboned mitres, lovers of sleep and of the dance, ye
men, nay rather ye women, of Phrygia, what do ye here?"
But the young Iülus endured not to hear such boasting. He fixed an
arrow in his bow and drew the string, which was of horsehair, and ere
he let fly, he cried to Jupiter, "Help me now, great Father, so will I
bring, year by year, to thy temple a steer with gilded horns." And
Jupiter heard, and thundered on the left hand. And now, together with
the thunder, clanged the bow-string, sending death, and the arrow
hissed in the air and smote Numanus through the head, even from temple
to temple. "This is the answer that the twice-conquered men of Troy
send thee." So cried the young Iülus, and all the people shouted for
joy. And Apollo, where he sat in heaven and regarded the battle,
spake, "Go thou on as thou beginnest, child and father of gods: 'tis
thus that the race of Troy shall hereafter bring all wars to an end."
Then he came down from heaven into the camp of Troy, and took upon
himself the shape of the old man Butes: he had been aforetime the
armour-bearer of Anchises, and now followed Iülus. And the god spake,
saying, "It is enough that thou hast slain the boaster Numanus. The
archer Apollo envieth thee not this glory. But tempt the battle no
more." So saying he vanished out of their sight. But the chiefs knew
him who he was, yea, and heard the rattle of his quiver as he
departed. And they suffered not Iülus to draw his bow again. But all
the more the battle raged along the walls.
Now there were two youths, sons of Alcanor of Mount Ida, tall as
pine-trees; and their names were Pandarus and Bitias. These having
charge of the gate opened it, and standing on the right hand and on
the left, even as towers, bade the enemy enter. And many of these,
seeing the open gate, rushed forward, but fell slain upon the
threshold. And now the men of Troy took heart, and pressed on beyond
the walls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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