But they, when empty space is cleared amid the open lea, 710 Set each on each in speedy wise, and with their war-spears hurled Amid the clash of shield and brass break into Mavors' world; Then groaneth earth; then comes the hail of sword-strokes thick and fast, And in one blended tangle now are luck and valour cast: As when on mighty Sila's side, or on Taburnus height, Two bulls with pushing horny brows are mingled in the fight: The frighted herdsmen draw aback, and all the beasts are dumb For utter fear; the heifers too misdoubt them what shall come, Who shall be master of the grove and leader of the flock; But each on each they mingle wounds with fearful might of shock, 720 And gore and push home fencing horns, and with abundant blood Bathe neck and shoulder, till the noise goes bellowing through the wood; E'en so Æneas out of Troy, and he, the Daunian man, Smite shield on shield; and mighty clash through all the heavens there ran. 'Tis Jupiter who holds the scales 'twixt even-poisèd tongue; There in the balance needfully their sundered fates he hung, Which one the battle-pain shall doom, in which the death shall lie. Now Turnus deems him safe, and forth with sword upreared on high, He springs, and all his body strains, and rises to the stroke, And smites: the Trojans cry aloud, and eager Latin folk, 730 And both hosts hang 'twixt hope and fear: but lo, the treacherous sword Breaks in the middle of the blow and leaves its fiery lord:-- And if the flight shall fail him now!--Swift as the East he flees When in his right hand weaponless an unknown hilt he sees. They say, that when all eager-hot he clomb his yokèd car In first of fight, that then he left his father's blade of war, And caught in hand his charioteer Metiscus' battle-glaive; And that was well while Trojan fleers backs to the smiting gave, But when they meet Vulcanian arms, the very God's device, Then shivereth all the mortal blade e'en as the foolish ice; 740 And there upon the yellow sand the glittering splinters lie. So diversely about the field doth wildered Turnus fly, And here and there in winding ways he doubleth up and down, For thick all round about the lists was drawn the Teucrian crown: By wide marsh here, by high walls there, his fleeing was begirt.