Page:The Aeneid of Virgil JOHN CONINGTON 1917 V2.pdf/256

 horsehair he levelled his dart, and drawing his arms wide apart he stood, having first invoked Jove thus in suppliant prayer: "Jove Almighty, smile on my bold essay; with my own hand I will bring to thy temple yearly offerings, and will set before thine altar a bullock with gilded brow,     5 snowy white, rearing his head to the height of his mother's, fit to butt with the horn and spurn up sand with the hoof." The father heard and from a cloudless quarter of the sky thundered on the left; at the same instant twanged the deadly bow. Forth flies the arrow from the string, whizzing     10 fearfully, passes through the head of Remulus, and cleaves with its point his hollow temples. "Go, make valour the sport of your boasting; the twice-captured Phrygians answer the Rutulians thus." So far Ascanius: the Teucrians second him with a cry, shout for joy, and mount             15 heavenward in their exultation. It chanced that then in the realm of sky long-haired Apollo was surveying the armies of Ausonia and the city, seated on a cloud; and thus addressed Iulus in the moment of triumph: "Rejoice, brave youth, in your new-won laurels; 'tis thus            20 men climb the stars; son of gods that are, sire of gods that shall be! Well has Fate ordered that beneath the house of Assaracus the wars of the future shall find their end; nor can Troy contain your prowess." So saying he shoots down from heaven, parts before him the breathing gales,     25 and makes for Ascanius. He changes his features to those of ancient Butes, who had once been armour-bearer to Dardanian Anchises and trusty watcher at the gate; thence Ascanius' sire made him his son's guardian. Apollo moved along, in all things like the aged veteran, the voice,     30 the colour, the white locks, the fiercely clanking armour; and thus he spoke to Iulus' glowing heart: "Suffice it, child of Æneas, that Numanus has met from your darts an unrequited death: this your maiden glory great Apollo vouchsafes you freely, nor looks with jealousy on weapons     35 like his own; for the rest abstain from war, as stripling should." So Apollo began, and ere his speech was well done parted from mortal eyes, and vanished from sight