ecstasy: “May the great father of the gods, may royal Apollo grant that you come to the encounter!” So much said, he marches to meet him with brandished spear. The other replies: “Why terrify me, fellest of foes, now 10 you have robbed me of my son? this was the only way by which you could work my ruin. I fear not death, nor give quarter to any deity. Enough: I am coming to die, and send you this my present first.” He said, and flung a javelin at his enemy: then he sends another and another 15 to its mark, wheeling round in a vast ring: but the golden shield bides the blow. Three times, wheeling from right to left, he rode round the foe that faced him, flinging darts from his hand: three times the hero of Troy moves round, carrying with him a vast grove planted on his 20 brazen plate. Then, when he begins to tire of the long delay and the incessant plucking out of darts, and feels the unequal combat press him hard, meditating many things, at last he springs from his covert, and hurls his spear full between the hollow temples of the warrior-steed. The 25 gallant beast rears itself upright, lashes the air with its heels, and, flinging the rider, falls on and encumbers him, and itself bowed to earth presses with its shoulder the prostrate chief. Up flies Æneas, plucks forth his sword from its scabbard, and bespeaks the fallen: “Where now is 30 fierce Mezentius and that his savage vehemence of spirit?” To whom the Tuscan, soon as opening his eyes on the light he drank in the heaven and regained his sense: “Insulting foe, why reproach me and menace me with death? You may kill me without crime: I came not to battle to be 35 spared, nor was that the league which my Lausus ratified with you for his father. One boon I ask, in the name of that grace, if any there be, which is due to a vanquished enemy: suffer my corpse to be interred. The hot hatred of my subjects, well I know, is blazing all round me: screen me, I pray, from their fury, and vouchsafe me a share in the tomb of my son.” So saying, with full resolve he welcomes the sword to his throat, and spreads his life over his 5 armour in broad streams of blood. BOOK XI