Page:Aeneid (Conington 1866).djvu/296

272 A part was barbed and formed to kill,

A part remained imperfect still.

Three rays they took of forky hail,

Of watery cloud three rays,

Three of the winged southern gale,

Three of the ruddy blaze:

Now wrath they mingle, swift to harm,

And glare, and noise, and loud alarm.

Elsewhere for Mars they plan the car

Wherewith he maddens into war

Strong towns and spearmen bold,

And burnish Pallas' shirt of mail,

The Ægis, bright with dragon's scale

And netted rings of gold:

The twisted serpent-locks they shape

And Gorgon's head, lopped at the nape:

Her dying eyes yet rolled.

'Away with these' he cried 'away,

My sons, and list what now I say:

A mighty chief of arms has need:

Now prove your skill, your strength, your speed.

Begone, delay!' No further speech:

Each takes the part assigned to each,

And plies the work with zeal:

In streams the gold, the copper flows,

And in the mighty furnace glows

The death-inflicting steel.

A shield they plan, whose single guard

May all the blows of Latium ward,

And fold on fold together bind,

Seven circles round one centre twined.

Some make the windy billows heave,

Now give forth air, and now receive:

The copper hisses in the wave:

The anvils press the groaning cave.