Beat short and thick, and shake the rotten ground. Black clouds of dust come rolling in the sky, And o'er the darkened walls and rampires fly. The trembling matrons, from their lofty stands, Rend heaven with female shrieks, and wring their hands. All pressing on, pursuers and pursued, Are crushed in crowds, a mingled multitude. Some happy few escape: the throng too late Rush on for entrance, till they choke the gate. Even in the sight of home, the wretched sire Looks on, and sees his helpless son expire, Then, in a fright, the folding gates they close, But leave their friends excluded with their foes. The vanquished cry; the victors loudly shout; 'Tis terror all within, and slaughter all without. Blind in their fear, they bounce against the wall, Or, to the moats pursued, precipitate their fall. The Latian virgins, valiant with despair, Armed on the towers, the common danger share: So much of zeal their country's cause inspired; So much Camilla's great example fired. Poles, sharpened in the flames, from high they throw, With imitated darts to gall the foe. Their lives, for godlike freedom, they bequeath, And crowd each other to be first in death. Meantime to Turnus, ambushed in the shade, With heavy tidings came the unhappy maid:-- "The Volscians overthrown--Camilla killed-- The foes entirely masters of the field, Like a resistless flood, come rolling on: The cry goes off the plain, and thickens to the town." Inflamed with rage, (for so the Furies fire The Daunian's breast, and so the Fates require,) He leaves the hilly pass, the woods in vain Possessed, and downward issues on the plain. Scarce was he gone, when to the straits, now freed From secret foes, the Trojan troops succeed. Through the black forest and the ferny brake, Unknowingly secure, their way they take, From the rough mountains to the plain descend, And there, in order drawn, their line extend. Both armies now in open fields are seen; Not far the distance of the space between. Both to the city bend. Æneas sees, Through smoking fields, his hastening enemies; And Turnus views the Trojans in array, And hears the approaching horses proudly neigh. Soon had their hosts in bloody battle joined; But westward to the sea the sun declined. Intrenched before the town, both armies lie, While night with sable wings involves the sky. ÆNEÏS, BOOK XII. ARGUMENT. _Turnus challenges Æneas to a single combat: articles are agreed on, but broken by the Rutuli, who wound Æneas. He is miraculously cured by Venus, forces Turnus to a duel, and concludes the poem with his death._