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of my waning years, had the heart to leave me alone, un-*pitying?
nor, when you ventured on such dangerous errand,
might your wretched mother speak her farewell?
Alas! on an unknown land you are lying, exposed to the
ravin[o] of Latium's dogs and birds; nor have I, your 5
mother, followed your corpse to the tomb, or closed your
eyes, or bathed your wounds, shrouding you with the
robe which I worked so hard to finish day and night, and
made the loom the medicine of an old wife's sorrow!
Where shall I seek you? what land now contains those 10
severed limbs, that mutilated corpse? is this the sole relic
of yourself that you bring back to me, my son? is this
what I followed over land and sea? Pierce me, if you have
aught of human feeling—shower on me all your darts, ye
Rutulians, let the sword make me its first meal; or do 15
thou, great sire of the gods, have mercy, and with thy
lightning-bolt strike down to Tartarus this hated life,
since I cannot otherwise end the cruel pain of being."
Her wail shook every heart to its centre; a groan of sorrow
passed through the ranks; their martial prowess flags 20
and faints. At last, as her agony flames higher, Idæus
and Actor, bidden by Ilioneus and the tearful Iulus, lay
hold of her, and carry in their arms within.

But the trumpet from its brazen throat uttered afar a
tremendous blare; a shout ensues, and heaven returns the 25
roar. Quick speed the Volscians, carrying in level line
their penthouse of shields, and strive to fill the moat and
pluck down the palisade. Some look about for an access,
and fain would scale the walls with ladders, where the line
of defence is thin, and the ring of men, not too closely set, 30
shows a gleaming interval. The Teucrians, on their part,
shower missiles of every sort, and repulse the assailants
with strong poles, taught by a long war's experience how
to guard their walls. Stones, too, they kept rolling of fatal
bulk, in hope to break through the foe's sheltered ranks, 35
though beneath so firm a penthouse a soldier may well
smile at all that can betide. Ay, and it ceases to avail
them: for where a mighty mass threatens the rampart, the