“A silver goose in gilded walls With flapping wings announced the Gauls; And through the wood the invaders crept, And climbed the height while others slept. Golden their hair on head and chin: Gold collars deck their milk-white skin: Short cloaks with colours checked Shine on their backs: two spears each wields Of Alpine make: and oblong shields Their brawny limbs protect.” In the succeeding compartments are wrought the procession of the Salii with the sacred shields, and the regions of the world below, where Catiline lies in torment, while Cato has his portion with the just. And within the whole, round the _umbo_ or boss of the shield, there runs a sea of molten gold in which sport silver dolphins, framing the centre design--the glories of Augustus:-- “There in the midmost meet the sight The embattled fleets, the Actian fight: Leucate flames with warlike show, And golden-red the billows glow. Here Cæsar, leading from their home The fathers, people, gods of Rome, Stands on the lofty stern: The constellation of his sire Beams o’er his head, and tongues of fire About his temples burn, With favouring Gods and winds to speed Agrippa forms his line: The golden beaks, war’s proudest meed, High on his forehead shine. There, with barbaric troops increased, Antonius, from the vanquished East, And distant Red-sea side, To battle drags the Bactrian bands And Egypt; and behind him stands (Foul shame!) the Egyptian bride.” There the gods of Rome--conspicuous amongst whom is the archer Apollo, the tutelary deity of the house of Cæsar--put to flight the dog-headed Anubis, and the other monstrous gods of Egypt. There, too, is blazoned the “triple triumph” of Augustus, graced by a long procession of captives of all tribes, from Scythia to the Euphrates. “Such legends traced on Vulcan’s shield The wondering chief surveys: On truth in symbol half revealed He feeds his hungry gaze, And high upon his shoulders rears The fame and fates of unborn years.” CHAPTER X. TURNUS ATTACKS THE TROJAN ENCAMPMENT.