He spake, and in the shafted steel set all his body's might, 409 And hurled it: flying forth the spear clave through the dusk of night, And, reaching Sulmo turned away, amidst his back it flew, And brake there; but the splintering shaft his very heart pierced through, And o'er he rolleth, vomiting the hot stream from his breast: Then heave his flanks with long-drawn sobs and cold he lies at rest. On all sides then they peer about: but, whetted on thereby, The quivering shaft from o'er his ear again he letteth fly. Amid their wilderment the spear whistleth through either side Of Tagus' temples, and wet-hot amidst his brain doth bide. Fierce Volscens rageth, seeing none who might the spear-shot send, Or any man on whom his wrath and heat of heart to spend. 420 "But thou, at least, with thine hot blood shalt pay the due award For both," he cries; and therewithal, swift drawing forth the sword, He falleth on Euryalus. Then, wild with all affright, Nisus shrieks out, and cares no more to cloak himself with night, And hath no heart to bear against so great a misery. "On me, me! Here--I did the deed! turn ye the sword on me, Rutulians!--all the guilt is mine: he might not do nor dare. May heaven and those all-knowing stars true witness of it bear! Only with too exceeding love he loved his hapless friend." 429 Such words he poured forth, but the sword no less its way doth wend, Piercing the flank and rending through the goodly breast of him; And rolls Euryalus in death: in plenteous blood they swim His lovely limbs, his drooping neck low on his shoulder lies: As when the purple field-flower faints before the plough and dies, Or poppies when they hang their heads on wearied stems outworn, When haply by the rainy load their might is overborne. Then Nisus falls amidst of them, and Volscens seeks alone For aught that any man may do: save him he heedeth none. About him throng the foe: all round the strokes on him are laid To thrust him off: but on he bears, whirling his lightning blade, 440 Till full in Volscens' shouting mouth he burieth it at last, Tearing the life from out the foe, as forth his own life passed. Then, ploughed with wounds, he cast him down upon his lifeless friend, And so in quietness of death gat resting in the end. O happy twain, if anywise my song-craft may avail, From out the memory of the world no day shall blot your tale, While on the rock-fast Capitol Æneas' house abides, And while the Roman Father still the might of empire guides.