The warder of the gate was Nisus, a soldier of keenest mettle, Hyrtacus’ son, whom Ida the huntress sent to attend Æneas, quick with the dart and the flying arrow: and at his side Euryalus, than who was none fairer among 15 Æneas’ children, none that ever donned the arms of Troy, a stripling whose unrazored cheeks just showed the first bloom of youth. Theirs was a common love: side by side they wont[266] to rush into the battle: and even then they were keeping watch at the gate in joint duty. Nisus exclaims: 20 “Is it the gods, Euryalus, that make men’s hearts glow thus? or does each one’s ungoverned yearning become his god? My heart has long been astir to rush on war or other mighty deed, nor will peaceful quiet content it. You see the Rutulians there, delivered up to confidence 25 in the future: their line of lights gleams brokenly: unnerved with sleep and wine, yonder they lie: all around is still. Listen on, and learn on what I am brooding, and what thought is this moment uppermost. ‘Æneas should be recalled’—so cry people and leaders as one man; 30 ‘messengers should be sent to tell him the truth.’ If they pledge themselves to what I ask for you—for me the fame of the deed is sufficient—methinks under the mound yonder I could find a way to the city walls of Pallanteum.” A thrill of generous ambition struck wonder into Euryalus, 35 as thus he addressed his glowing friend: “And would you shrink from taking me with you, Nisus, on this high occasion? Am I to send you out alone on such perilous errand? It was not thus that my father, the veteran Opheltes, reared and bred me among Argive terrors and Trojan agonies, nor have such been my doings at your side, since I followed our hero Æneas and his desperate fate. Here, here, within me is a soul that thinks scorn of happy 5 sunshine, and deems that the glory at which you aim were cheaply bought with life.” “Nay,” returns Nisus, “trust me, I had no such fear of you—none such had been just: so may I return to you in triumph, by grace of mighty Jove, or whosoever now looks down on us with righteous eyes. 10 But should aught—and a venture like this, you see, has a thousand such—should aught sway things amiss, be it chance or heaven’s will, I would fain have you spared: yours is the meeter age for life. Let me have one to rescue me in fight, or redeem me by ransom paid, and so consign 15 me to the burial all receive: or should Fortune grudge even that, to pay me the rites of the absent, and give me the adornment of a tomb. Nor let me be the cause of grief so terrible to that unhappy parent, who alone of many matrons has had a heart to follow you, dear boy, 20 nor cares for the city of great Acestes.” He replied: “Spinning empty pretexts is idle work: there is no change