Would wed her to their sons; but she, a maid without a stain, Alone in Dian's happiness the spear for ever loved, For ever loved the maiden life. --"O had she ne'er been moved By such a war, nor dared to cross the Teucrian folk in fight! Then had she been a maid of mine, my fellow and delight. But since the bitterness of fate lies round her life and me, Glide down, O maiden, from the pole, and find the Latin lea, Where now, with evil tokens toward, sad battle they awake; Take these, and that avenging shaft from out the quiver take, 590 Wherewith whoso shall wrong with wound my holy-bodied may, Be he of Troy or Italy, see thou his blood doth pay: And then will I her limbs bewept, unspoiled of any gear, Wrap in a hollow cloud, and lay in kindred sepulchre." She spoke; the other slipped adown the lightsome air of heaven, With wrapping cloak of mirky cloud about her body driven. But in meanwhile the Trojan folk the city draw anigh, The Tuscan dukes and all their horse in many a company Well ordered: over all the plain neighing the steed doth fare, Prancing, and champing on the bit that turns him here and there, 600 And far and wide the lea is rough with iron harvest now. And with the weapons tossed aloft the level meadows glow. Messapus and the Latins swift, lo, on the other hand; And Coras with his brother-lord, and maid Camilla's band, Against them in the field; and lo, far back their arms they fling In couching of the level spears, and shot spears' brandishing. All is afire with neigh of steeds and onfall of the men. And now, within a spear-shot come, short up they rein, and then They break out with a mighty cry, and spur the maddened steeds; And all at once from every side the storm of spear-shot speeds, 610 As thick as very snowing is, and darkens down the sun. And thereon with their levelled spears each against each they run, Tyrrhenus and Aconteus fierce: in forefront of the fight They meet and crash with thundering sound; wracked are the steeds outright, Breast beating in each breast of them: far is Aconteus flung In manner of the lightning bolt, or stone from engine slung; Far off he falls, and on the air pours all his life-breath out.