In rash attempts, beyond thy tender age, Betrayed by pious love?"--Nor, thus forborne, The youth desists, but with insulting scorn Provokes the lingering prince, whose patience, tired, Gave place; and all his breast with fury fired. For now the Fates prepared their sharpened shears; And lifted high the flaming sword appears, Which, full descending with a frightful sway, Through shield and corslet forced the impetuous way, And buried deep in his fair bosom lay. The purple streams through the thin armour strove, And drenched the embroidered coat his mother wove; And life at length forsook his heaving heart, Loth from so sweet a mansion to depart. But when, with blood and paleness all o'erspread, The pious prince beheld young Lausus dead, He grieved; he wept, (the sight an image brought Of his own filial love, a sadly pleasing thought,) Then stretched his hand to hold him up, and said:-- "Poor hapless youth! what praises can be paid To love so great, to such transcendent store Of early worth, and sure presage of more? Accept whate'er Æneas can afford; Untouched thy arms, untaken be thy sword; And all that pleased the living, still remain Inviolate, and sacred to the slain. Thy body on thy parents I bestow, } To rest thy soul, at least, if shadows know, } Or have a sense of human things below. } There to thy fellow-ghosts with glory tell, 'Twas by the great Æneas' hand I fell." With this, his distant friends he beckons near, Provokes their duty, and prevents their fear: Himself assists to lift him from the ground, With clotted locks, and blood that welled from out the wound. Meantime, his father, now no father, stood, And washed his wounds, by Tyber's yellow flood: Oppressed with anguish, panting, and o'erspent, His fainting limbs against an oak he leant. A bough his brazen helmet did sustain; His heavier arms lay scattered on the plain: A chosen train of youth around him stand; His drooping head was rested on his hand: His grisly beard his pensive bosom sought; And all on Lausus ran his restless thought. Careful, concerned his danger to prevent, He much inquired, and many a message sent To warn him from the field--alas! in vain! Behold, his mournful followers bear him slain! O'er his broad shield still gushed the yawning wound, And drew a bloody trail along the ground. Far off he heard their cries, far off divined The dire event with a foreboding mind. With dust he sprinkled first his hoary head; } Then both his lifted hands to heaven he spread; } Last, the dear corpse embracing, thus he said:-- } "What joys, alas! could this frail being give, That I have been so covetous to live? To see my son, and such a son, resign His life, a ransom for preserving mine?