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442 Think you 'twas right a god decreed

By mortal treachery should bleed,

Or Turnus—for apart from you

What mischief could Juturna do?—

Receive his long lost sword again,

And strength be waked in vanquished men?

'Tis Jove entreats: at length give way;

Permit my prayers your will to sway;

Nor brood in silent grief, nor vent

From those sweet lips your ill-content.

The end is reached. By land and main

I let you vex the Dardan train,

Stir guilty war, a home o'ercloud,

And bridal joys with mourning shroud.

Attempt no further.' Jove's fair queen

Bespoke her spouse with duteous mien:

'Your known good pleasure is the cause,

Dread lord, that Juno now withdraws

From Turnus and the fight;

You would not see me else in air

Content to sit resigned and bear:

No; armed with torches should I stand

In battle, and with red right hand

My Trojan foemen smite.

I roused, I own, Juturna's zeal

To venture for her brother's weal:

Yet bade I not to launch the steel

Or bend the deadly bow:

By Styx' dire spring I take my oath,

The sole dread form of solemn troth

Olympus' tenants know.

And now in truth behold me yield

And quit for aye the accursed field.