It seems, as if the Cyclades again Were rooted up, and jostled in the main; Or floating mountains floating mountains meet; Such is the fierce encounter of the fleet. Fire-balls are thrown, and pointed javelins fly; The fields of Neptune take a purple dye. The queen herself, amidst the loud alarms, With cymbals tossed, her fainting soldiers warms-- Fool as she was! who had not yet divined Her cruel fate, nor saw the snakes behind. Her country gods, the monsters of the sky, Great Neptune, Pallas, and love's queen defy. The dog Anubis barks, but barks in vain, Nor longer dares oppose the etherial train. Mars, in the middle of the shining shield, Is graved, and strides along the liquid field. The Diræ sowse from heaven with swift descent: And Discord, dyed in blood, with garments rent, Divides the prease: her steps Bellona treads, And shakes her iron rod above their heads. This seen, Apollo, from his Actian height, Pours down his arrows; at whose winged flight The trembling Indians and Egyptians yield, And soft Sabæans quit the watery field. The fatal mistress hoists her silken sails, And, shrinking from the fight, invokes the gales. Aghast she looks, and heaves her breast for breath, Panting, and pale with fear of future death. The god had figured her, as driven along By winds and waves, and scudding through the throng. Just opposite, sad Nilus opens wide His arms and ample bosom to the tide, And spreads his mantle o'er the winding coast, In which he wraps his queen, and hides the flying host. The victor to the gods his thanks expressed, And Rome triumphant with his presence blessed. Three hundred temples in the town he placed; With spoils and altars every temple graced. Three shining nights, and three succeeding days, } The fields resound with shouts, the streets with praise, } The domes with songs, the theatres with plays. } All altars flame: before each altar lies, Drenched in his gore, the destined sacrifice, Great Cæsar sits sublime upon his throne, Before Apollo's porch of Parian stone; Accepts the presents vowed for victory, And hangs the monumental crowns on high. Vast crowds of vanquished nations march along, Various in arms, in habit, and in tongue. Here, Mulciber assigns the proper place For Carians, and the ungirt Numidian race; Then ranks the Tracians in the second row, With Scythians, expert in the dart and bow. And here the tamed Euphrates humbly glides, And there the Rhine submits her swelling tides, And proud Araxes, whom no bridge could bind. } The Danes' unconquered offspring march behind; } And Morini, the last of human kind. } These figures, on the shield divinely wrought, } By Vulcan laboured, and by Venus brought, }