Page:The Aeneid of Virgil JOHN CONINGTON 1917 V2.pdf/238



While these things are in progress far away, Juno, Saturn's daughter, has sent down Iris from above on an errand to Turnus the bold. It chanced that then Turnus was sitting in the grove of his sire Pilumnus, deep in the hallowed dell. Him then the child[o] of Thaumas bespoke           5 thus from her rosy lips: "Turnus, what no god would have dared to promise to your prayers, lo! the mere lapse of time has brought to you unasked. Æneas, leaving behind town, comrades, and fleet, is gone to seek the realm of the Palatine, the settlement of Evander. Nor is that all:           10 he has won his way to Corythus' farthest towns, and is arming the Lydian bands, the crowds of country folk. Why hesitate? now, now is the moment to call for horse and car; fling delay to the winds, and come down on the bewildered camp." So saying, she raised herself aloft on the                      15 poise of her wings, and drew as she fled along the clouds her mighty bow. The warrior knew his visitant, lifted his two hands to heaven, and pursued her flight with words like these: "Iris, fair glory of the sky, who has sent thee down from heaven to earth on an errand to me? I see             20 the firmament parting asunder, and the stars reeling about the poles. Yes! I follow thy mighty presage, whoe'er thou art thus calling me to arms." With these words he went to the river-side, and took up water from the brimming flood, calling oft on the gods and burdening heaven             25 with a multitude of vows.

And now his whole army was in motion along the open plain, richly dowered with horses, richly dowered with gold and broidered raiment. Messapus[o] marshals the van, Tyrrheus' warrior-sons the rear: Turnus himself, the            30 general, is in the centre—like Ganges with his seven calm