Over the cliffs in spray and foam or smoothing The farthest sand with the shallow curve, withdrawing Faster and faster, and undertow, slowly, slowly Dragging the shingle back, and the surface gliding Sleek from the visible beaches. Twice the Tuscans Drove the Rutulians routed to the city; Twice, driven back themselves, they slung behind them The shields, reversed, quick-glancing over their shoulders. But when, for the third time, they came together, They stayed together, locked, all down the line, And each man picked his man, and each man stayed there, And the rough fight rose and thickened. Dying men Groaned, and the blood was deep, and men and armor And wounded horses and wounded men and bodies Of men and horses were in it all together. Orsilochus found Remulus a warrior Too tough to take head on, and flung his spear At the head of the horse, instead, and left the iron Under the ear, and the great beast, wounded, rearing, Flailed the air with his forelegs, came down crashing, And the stunned rider, thrown, rolled over and over. Catillus killed Iollas, and another, Herminius, giant in body, giant in arms, Giant in spirit, a man who fought bare-headed, Bare-shouldered, a fair-haired man, so huge in stature He feared no wound. But through his shoulders driven The quivering spear made way and bent him double, Writhing in pain. Dark blood flows everywhere, The sword deals death; men look to wounds for glory. In the thick of the fight Camilla rages, wearing Her quiver like an Amazon, one breast Exposed: she showers javelins, she plies The battle-axe; she never tires; her shoulder Clangs with the golden bow, Diana’s weapon. If ever, turning back, she yields, the arrows Are loosed from over her shoulder; even in flight She makes attack. Around her, chosen comrades, Larina, Tulla, and Tarpeia brandish Axes of bronze. She chose them as her handmaids, Good both in peace and war, Italian daughters, Italy’s pride, like Thracian Amazons Warring in colorful armor in the country Where Thermodon river runs, and women warriors Hail fighting queens with battle-cries or clash The crescent shields together.