And after these from Volscian folk doth fair Camilla pass, Leading a mighty host of horse all blossoming with brass; A warrior maid, whose woman's hands unused to ply the rock, Unused to bear Minerva's crate, were wise in battle's shock. The very winds might she outgo with hurrying maiden feet, Or speed across the topmost blades of tall unsmitten wheat, Nor ever hurt the tender ears below her as she ran; Or she might walk the middle sea, and cross the welter wan, 810 Nor dip the nimble soles of her amid the wavy ways. From house and field the youth pours forth to wonder and to gaze; The crowd of mothers stands at stare all marvelling, and beholds Her going forth; how kingly cloak of purple dye enfolds Her shining shoulders, how the clasp of gold knots up her hair, And how a quiver Lycian-wrought the Queen herself doth bear, And shepherd's staff of myrtle-wood steel-headed to a spear. BOOK VIII. ARGUMENT. THE LATINS SEEK HELP OF DIOMEDE, AND ÆNEAS OF EVANDER, TO WHOM HE GOETH AS A GUEST. VENUS CAUSETH VULCAN TO FORGE ARMOUR AND WEAPONS FOR HER SON ÆNEAS. When Turnus from Laurentum's burg the battle-sign upreared, When with their voices hard and shrill the gathering trumpets blare, When he had stirred his war-steeds on and clashed his weed of war, All troubled were the minds of men, and midst of tumult sore All Latium swore the battle oath, and rage of men outbroke; Messapus then, and Ufens great, the dukes of warring folk, Mezentius, scorner of the Gods, these drive from every side The folk to war, and waste the fields of tillers far and wide. And Venulus is sent withal to Diomedes' town To pray for aid, and tell him how the Teucrians are come down 10 On Latium: how Æneas comes with ship-host, carrying His vanquished House-Gods, calling him the Fate-ordainèd King; How many a folk of Italy hath joined the Dardan lord, How that his name in Latin land is grown a mighty word-- What thing the man will build from this, what way the prize of fight, If Fortune aid him he shall turn--through this thou see'st more light Than cometh to King Turnus yet or King Latinus eyes. So goes the world in Latium now, and noting how all lies, The Trojan hero drifts adown a mighty tide of care, And hither now his swift thought speeds, now thither bids it fare, 20 And sends it diversely about by every way to slip: As quivering light of water is in brazen vessel's lip, Smit by the sun, or casting back the image of the moon. It flitteth all about the place, and rising upward soon Smiteth the fashioned ceiling spread beneath the tiling steep.