And now appeared the ambassadors from the town of Latium, with the coverings of their olive boughs, entreating 5 an act of grace: the bodies which were lying over the plains as the steel had mowed them down they pray him to restore, and suffer them to pass under the mounded earth: no man wars with the vanquished and with those who have left the sun: let him show mercy to men once 10 known as his hosts and the fathers of his bride. The good Æneas hearkens to a prayer that merits no rebuke, grants them the boon, and withal bespeaks them thus: “What undeserved ill chance, men of Latium, has entangled you in a war so terrible and made you fly from us your friends? 15 Ask you peace for the dead, for those on whom the War-god’s die has fallen? Nay, I would fain grant it to the living too. I were not here had not fate assigned me a portion and a home: nor wage I war against your nation: it was the king that abandoned our alliance, and sought 20 shelter rather under Turnus’ banner. Fairer it had been that Turnus should have met the death-stroke ye mourn. If he seeks to end the war by strength of arm and expel the Trojan enemy, duty bade him confront me with weapons like mine, and that one should have lived who had earned 25 life from heaven or his own right hand. Now go and kindle the flame beneath your ill-starred townsmen.” Æneas’ speech was over: they stood in silent wonder, their eyes and countenances steadfastly fixed on each other. Then Drances, elder in birth, ever embroiled with the 30 youthful Turnus by hatred and taunting word, thus speaks in reply: “O mighty in fame’s voice, mightier in your own brave deeds, hero of Troy, what praise shall I utter to match you with the stars? Shall I first admire your sacred love of right, or the toils of your hand in war? Ours it 35 shall be gratefully to report your answer to our native town, and should any favouring chance allow, make you the friend of king Latinus. Let Turnus look for alliance where he may. Nay, it will be our pride to uprear those massive walls of destiny, and heave on our shoulders the stones of your new Troy.” He spoke, and the rest all murmured assent. For twelve days they make truce, and with amity to mediate, Trojans and Latians mingled roam 5 through the forest on the mountain slopes unharming and unharmed. The lofty ash rings with the two-edged steel: they bring low pines erst uplifted to the sky, nor is there pause in cleaving with wedges the oak and fragrant cedar, or in carrying ashen trunks in the groaning wains. 10