My father will give twelve women, beautiful captives, And captive men, equipped with arms, and land Now held by king Latinus; and I cherish With all my heart, Euryalus, your courage. Your years are near my own, and all my life Your glory will be mine; in peace or war, In word and deed, I trust in you, completely.” Euryalus replied:--“No day will ever Prove me unworthy of brave deeds, if fortune Is kind, not cruel, to me. I ask one thing Better than any gift: I have a mother Of Priam’s ancient line, and she came with me, Poor soul, from Troy, and king Acestes’ city Was powerless to keep her. I leave her now With never a word about what I am doing, Whatever its danger is, with no farewell. I cannot bear a mother’s tears. I beg you, Comfort her helplessness, relieve her sorrow. Let me take with me that much hope; it will help me Face any risk more boldly.” They were weeping At this, the Trojans, all of them, Iulus More deeply touched than any. And he spoke:-- “Be reassured, Euryalus; all we do Will prove as worthy as your glorious mission. Your mother shall be mine, in all but name; Great honor waits the mother of a son So great in honor. Whatever fortune follows, I vow and swear it, with an oath as solemn As any my father ever took, I promise, When you return to us, safe and successful, Your triumph and your glory and your prizes Shall be for her as well, for all your house.” He spoke with tears, and from his sword-belt took A present in farewell, the golden sword, The ivory scabbard, wonderfully fashioned By old Lycaon’s talent; Mnestheus gave A lion-skin to Nisus, and Aletes Exchanged his helmet with him. As they started, All the great company, young men and old ones, Went with them to the gate, and out beyond it The hopeful prayers attended them. Iulus, Mature beyond his years, gave many a message To carry to Aeneas, but the winds Bore these away and swept them off to cloudland.