Page:The Aeneid of Virgil JOHN CONINGTON 1917 V2.pdf/248

 and gnashing his bloody teeth. Nor less the carnage of Euryalus: he, too, all on fire, storms along, and slays on his road a vast and nameless crowd, Fadus and Herbesus, and Rhœtus and Abaris—unconscious these: Rhœtus was awake and saw it all, but in his fear he     5 crouched behind a massive bowl; whence, as he rose, the conqueror plunged into his fronting breast the length of his sword, and drew it back with a torrent of death. The dying man vomits forth his crimson life, and disgorges mingled wine and blood: the foe pursues his stealthy work. 10 And now he was making for Messapus' followers, for there he saw the flicker of dying fires, and horses tied and browsing at their ease; when thus spoke Nisus in brief, seeing him hurried on by passion and excess of slaughter: "Forbear we now; the daylight, our enemy, is at hand; we                15 have supped on vengeance to the full; a highway is open through the foe." Many warriors' arms they leave, wrought of solid silver, many bowls and gorgeous coverlets. Euryalus lays hand on Rhamnes' trappings and his belt with golden studs, sent by wealthy Cædicus of old as a     20 present to Remulus of Tiber, when he fain would make him his friend from a distance; he, dying, leaves them to his grandson, after whose death the Rutulians won them in battle; these he strips off, and fits them to his valiant breast, all for nought. Then he puts on Messapus' shapely     25 helm, with its graceful crest. They leave the camp, and pass into safety.

Meanwhile a troop of horse, sent on from the town of Latium, while the rest of the force abides drawn up on the field, was on its way with a message to king Turnus, three     30 hundred, shield-bearers all, with Volscens, their chief. They were just nearing the camp, and passing under the wall, when at distance they spy the two bending to the left, and the helmet, seen in the glimmering twilight, betrayed the heedless Euryalus, as the moonbeam flashed     35 full upon it. The sight fell not on idle eyes. Volscens shouts from his band: "Halt, gallants; tell your errand, who you are thus armed, and whither you are going."