Diana's arms upon her shoulder sound; } And when, too closely pressed, she quits the ground, } From her bent bow she sends a backward wound. } Her maids, in martial pomp, on either side, Larina, Tulla, fierce Tarpeia, ride-- Italians all--in peace, their queen's delight; In war, the bold companions of the fight. So marched the Thracian Amazons of old, When Thermodon with bloody billows rolled: Such troops as these in shining arms were seen, When Theseus met in fight their maiden queen: Such to the field Penthesilea led, From the fierce virgin when the Grecians fled; With such returned triumphant from the war, Her maids with cries attend the lofty car; They clash with manly force their moony shields; With female shouts resound the Phrygian fields. Who foremost, and who last, heroic maid, On the cold earth were by thy courage laid? Thy spear, of mountain-ash, Eunæus first, With fury driven, from side to side transpierced: A purple stream came spouting from the wound; Bathed in his blood he lies, and bites the ground. Liris and Pagasus at once she slew: The former, as the slackened reins he drew, Of his faint steed--the latter, as he stretched His arm to prop his friend--the javelin reached. By the same weapon, sent from the same hand, Both fall together, and both spurn the sand. Amastrus next is added to the slain: The rest in rout she follows o'er the plain: Tereus, Harpalycus, Demophoon, And Chromis, at full speed her fury shun. Of all her deadly darts, not one she lost; Each was attended with a Trojan ghost. Young Ornytus bestrode a hunter steed, Swift for the chase, and of Apulian breed. Him, from afar, she spied, in arms unknown: O'er his broad back an ox's hide was thrown; His helm a wolf, whose gaping jaws were spread A covering for his cheeks, and grinned around his head. He clenched within his hand an iron prong, And towered above the rest, conspicuous in the throng. Him soon she singled from the flying train, And slew with ease; then thus insults the slain:-- "Vain hunter! didst thou think through woods to chase The savage herd, a vile and trembling race? Here cease thy vaunts, and own my victory: A woman warrior was too strong for thee. Yet, if the ghosts demand the conqueror's name, Confessing great Camilla, save thy shame." Then Butes and Orsilochus she slew, The bulkiest bodies of the Trojan crew-- But Butes breast to breast: the spear descends } Above the gorget, where his helmet ends, } And o'er the shield which his left side defends. } Orsilochus, and she, their coursers ply: He seems to follow, and she seems to fly. But in a narrower ring she makes the race; And then he flies, and she pursues the chase. Gathering at length on her deluded foe,