Part 11 (1/2)
At dawn of morning the fleet came within view of the Trojan camp. Then AEneas standing on the deck of his own vessel, held aloft his bright s.h.i.+eld made by Vulcan. His people saw it from the ramparts, and shouted loud with joy, and now, their hope being revived, they a.s.sailed the enemy with fresh courage. The Rutulians and Latians were amazed at this sudden change, not knowing the cause, but looking back, they too beheld the fleet approaching the sh.o.r.e.
The brave Turnus however was not dismayed at the sight. On the contrary he resolved to give battle to the new foe without delay, and so addressing his men he bade them fight valiantly for their homes and country, remembering the glorious deeds of their ancestors.
”Your sires, your sons, your houses, and your lands, And dearest wives, are all within your hands; Be mindful of the race from whence you came, And emulate in arms your fathers' fame.”
DRYDEN, _AEneid_, BOOK X.
Then he hurried to the sh.o.r.e with the main body of his army, and AEneas having already landed his companions and allies, a fierce battle began. The Trojan hero performed wonderful feats of valor.
First he attacked the Latian troops, who were in front of the hosts of the enemy, and he slew their leader The'ron, a warrior of giant size.
Through his brazen s.h.i.+eld and golden coat of mail AEneas smote him with his sword. Next he slew Lycas, and then Cis'seus and Gyas, tall men and powerful, who, with clubs like the club of Hercules, had been striking down the Trojans. Then a band of seven warrior brothers, the sons of Phorcus, attacked the Trojan chief, hurling seven darts upon him all together, some of which rebounded from his s.h.i.+eld, and some, turned aside by Venus, harmlessly grazed his skin. AEneas now called to the faithful Achates to bring him darts--those with which on the plains of Troy the bodies of Grecian warriors had been pierced--
”Those fatal weapons, which, inured to blood, In Grecian bodies under Ilium stood; Not one of those my hand shall toss in vain Against our foes, on this contended plain.”
DRYDEN, _AEneid_, BOOK X.
Grasping a mighty spear, as soon as these weapons were brought to him, AEneas hurled it at Macon, one of the brothers. It pierced through his s.h.i.+eld and breastplate, and he fell mortally wounded. At his brother Alcanor, who had run to his relief, AEneas cast another dart, which penetrated his shoulder, leaving the warrior's arm hanging lifeless by his body. And now Hal-ae'sus with his Auruncian bands, and Messapus, the son of Neptune, conspicuous with his steeds, hastened up to encounter AEneas. The fight then became more furious and many were slain on both sides.
Thus Trojan and Italian meet, With face to face, and feet to feet, And hand close pressed to hand.
CONINGTON, _AEneid_, BOOK X.
In another quarter of the field young Pallas, fighting at the head of his Arcadian hors.e.m.e.n, slew many chiefs of the Latians and Rutulians.
Opposed to him was Lausus, son of the tyrant Mezentius. Lausus being hard pressed by the Arcadians, King Turnus was called to his a.s.sistance, and rus.h.i.+ng up he cried to the Rutulians, ”Desist you for a moment from the battle. I alone will fight Pallas. Would that his father were here to see.” Hearing these words the brave son of Evander advanced boldly into the open plain between the two hosts. The hearts of his Arcadian followers were filled with dread at seeing their young chief about to engage in single combat with so great a warrior as the Rutulian king. Turnus sprang down from his chariot, to meet his foe on foot.
And, as a lion--when he spies from far A bull that seems to meditate the war, Bending his neck, and spurning back the sand-- Runs roaring downward from his hilly stand; Imagine eager Turnus not more slow To rush from high on his unequal foe.
DRYDEN, _AEneid_, BOOK X.
Then Pallas prayed to Hercules, once his father's guest, to help him.
Hercules in his place in heaven, hearing the prayer, groaned in distress and poured forth tears, for he knew that the fate of the brave youth could not be averted. Noticing the grief of his son, almighty Father Jupiter spoke to him in comforting words. ”To every one,” said he, ”his period of life is fixed. Short is the time allotted to all, but it is the part of the brave man to lengthen out fame by glorious deeds. Many even of the sons of the G.o.ds have fallen under the lofty walls of Troy. Turnus too awaits his destiny, and already he has nearly arrived at the limit of existence left to him.”
So saying the king of heaven turned his eyes from the scene of battle.
Pallas now hurled his spear with great force. The weapon struck the armor of Turnus near his shoulder, and piercing through it, grazed his body. Then Turnus poising his sharp steel-tipped javelin, darted it at Pallas. Through the centre of his many-plated s.h.i.+eld and the folds of his corselet the fatal shaft pa.s.sed into the breast of the brave youth, inflicting a mortal wound. Down on the earth he fell, and Turnus approaching the dead body exclaimed, ”You Arcadians carry these my words to your king. In such plight as he deserved I send his son back to him. His league of friends.h.i.+p with AEneas shall cost him dear.”
[Ill.u.s.tration with caption: PALLAS' BODY BORNE FROM THE FIELD. (Drawn by Birch.)]
Then Turnus stripped from the body of Pallas a beautiful belt, embossed with figures carved in gold, and putting it on his own armor, triumphed in the spoil. It proved to be a fatal possession for Turnus.
O mortals! blind in fate who never know To bear high fortune, or endure the low!
The time shall come when Turnus, but in vain, Shall wish untouched the trophies of the slain-- Shall wish the fatal belt were far away, And curse the dire remembrance of the day.
DRYDEN, _AEneid_, BOOK X.
The body of the brave young prince was laid upon his s.h.i.+eld, and borne away from the field of battle, accompanied by a numerous retinue of his sorrowing friends.
O sad, proud thought, that thus a son Should reach a father's door!
This day beheld your wars begun; This day beholds them o'er, CONINGTON, _AEneid_, BOOK X.
The news of the fate of Pallas soon reached AEneas, who was deeply distressed at the thought of the sorrow the youth's death would bring upon his aged father Evander. Eager for vengeance, he hastened through the battle field in search of Turnus, slaying many chiefs of the enemy whom he encountered on his way. But he was not yet to meet the Rutulian king face to face, for Juno, by Jupiter's permission, led Turnus off the field, and saved him for a time from the wrath of the Trojan hero. Out of a hollow cloud she fas.h.i.+oned a phantom with the shape, likeness and voice of AEneas, and caused it to appear before Turnus, as if challenging him to combat.
A phantom in AEneas' mould She fas.h.i.+ons, wondrous to behold, Of hollow shadowy cloud, Bids it the Dardan arms a.s.sume, The s.h.i.+eld, the helmet, and the plume, Gives soulless words of swelling tone, And motions like the hero's own, As stately and as proud.
CONINGTON, _AEneid_, BOOK X.
The Rutulian king bravely advanced to attack the supposed Trojan chief, upon which the spectre, wheeling about, hastily retreated towards the river. Turnus followed, loudly upbraiding AEneas as a coward. It happened that at the sh.o.r.e there was a s.h.i.+p, connected with the land by a plank bridge or gangway. Into this s.h.i.+p the phantom fled, closely pursued by Turnus; and no sooner had the latter reached the deck of the vessel than Juno, bursting the cables which held it to the bank, sent it floating down the stream. Then the figure of cloud, soaring aloft, vanished into the air, and Turnus knew that he had been deceived.