Messapus lo, the horse-tamer, a child by Neptune won, Ne'er by the fire to be spilled, nor by the steel undone; His folk this long while sunk in peace, a battle-foolish band, He calleth suddenly to fight, and taketh sword in hand; Æqui Falisci are of these, Fescennium's folk of fight, These lie upon Flavinium's lea, and hold Soracte's hight, And mere and mound of Ciminus, Capena's woodland broad. With measured footfalls on they go, a-singing of their lord: As whiles the snowy swans will fare amid the world of cloud, Returning from their feeding-field; far goes the song and loud, 700 Whose notes along their necks they pour: the flood resounds, and all The Asian marish beat with song. Scarce might ye deem the brazen ranks of such a mighty host Were gathered there: but rather fowl a-driving toward the coast, An airy cloud of hoarse-voiced things drawn from the wallowing sea. Lo sprung from ancient Sabine blood comes Clausus presently, Leading a mighty host, himself a very host of war; From whom the Claudian tribe and race hath spread itself afar Through Latium, since the Sabine folk was given a share in Rome: With him the Amiternian host and old Quirites come; 710 Eretus' host and they that keep Mutusca's olive gain, The biders in Nomentum's wall, and Veline Rosea's plain, The bristling rocks of Tetricæ and high Severus' flank, Casperia and Foruli and wet Himella's bank; The drinkers of the Tiber-stream and Fabaris, and folk Cool Nursia sends, and Horta's troop, and men of Latin yoke; And they whom hapless Allia parts with wash of waters wan: As many as on Lybian main the tumbling waves roll on When fierce Orion falls to sleep in wintry waters' lair; Or thick as stand the wheaten ears the young sun burneth there 720 On Hermus' plain or Lycia's lea a-yellowing for the hook: Loud clashed the shields, and earth afeared beneath their footfalls shook. Halæsus, Agamemnon's blood, a foe to Troy inbred, Next yoked the horses to the car; a thousand men he led, Fierce folk for Turnus: they that hoe the vine-fair Massic soil; And they that from their lofty hills adown unto the broil Aruncan fathers sent, and they of Sidicinum's lea; All who leave Cales, all whose homes beside Vulturnus be, The shoally water: with them went Saticula's fierce band, And host of Oscans: slender shafts are weapons of their hand, 730 Which same to toughened casting-thong amid the fight they tie; With bucklered left and scanty blade they come to blows anigh.