Th’ Aeneans wish in vain their wanted chief, Hopeless of flight, more hopeless of relief. Thin on the tow’rs they stand; and ev’n those few A feeble, fainting, and dejected crew. Yet in the face of danger some there stood: The two bold brothers of Sarpedon’s blood, Asius and Acmon; both th’ Assaraci; Young Haemon, and tho’ young, resolv’d to die. With these were Clarus and Thymoetes join’d; Tibris and Castor, both of Lycian kind. From Acmon’s hands a rolling stone there came, So large, it half deserv’d a mountain’s name: Strong-sinew’d was the youth, and big of bone; His brother Mnestheus could not more have done, Or the great father of th’ intrepid son. Some firebrands throw, some flights of arrows send; And some with darts, and some with stones defend. Amid the press appears the beauteous boy, The care of Venus, and the hope of Troy. His lovely face unarm’d, his head was bare; In ringlets o’er his shoulders hung his hair. His forehead circled with a diadem; Distinguish’d from the crowd, he shines a gem, Enchas’d in gold, or polish’d iv’ry set, Amidst the meaner foil of sable jet. Nor Ismarus was wanting to the war, Directing pointed arrows from afar, And death with poison arm’d—in Lydia born, Where plenteous harvests the fat fields adorn; Where proud Pactolus floats the fruitful lands, And leaves a rich manure of golden sands. There Capys, author of the Capuan name, And there was Mnestheus too, increas’d in fame, Since Turnus from the camp he cast with shame. Thus mortal war was wag’d on either side. Meantime the hero cuts the nightly tide: For, anxious, from Evander when he went, He sought the Tyrrhene camp, and Tarchon’s tent; Expos’d the cause of coming to the chief; His name and country told, and ask’d relief; Propos’d the terms; his own small strength declar’d; What vengeance proud Mezentius had prepar’d: What Turnus, bold and violent, design’d; Then shew’d the slipp’ry state of humankind, And fickle fortune; warn’d him to beware, And to his wholesome counsel added pray’r. Tarchon, without delay, the treaty signs, And to the Trojan troops the Tuscan joins. They soon set sail; nor now the fates withstand; Their forces trusted with a foreign hand. Aeneas leads; upon his stern appear Two lions carv’d, which rising Ida bear— Ida, to wand’ring Trojans ever dear. Under their grateful shade Aeneas sate, Revolving war’s events, and various fate. His left young Pallas kept, fix’d to his side, And oft of winds enquir’d, and of the tide; Oft of the stars, and of their wat’ry way; And what he suffer’d both by land and sea.