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Dardan hand, a piteous spectacle, at rest from the passions
that were ever in thy heart; but thy brethren met
the foe in close band, the progeny of Phorcus: seven their
number, seven the darts they throw; some rebound idly
from shield and helm, some as they grazed the frame were 5
turned aside by Venus' gentle power. Quick spoke
Æneas to true Achates: "Give me store of weapons; not
one shall my hand hurl in vain against the Rutulians, of
all that have quivered in Grecian flesh on the plains of
Troy." With that he seizes his mighty spear and launches 10
it: flying on it crashes through the brass of Mæon's shield
and rends breastplate and breast at once. Swift comes
his brother Alcanor and props with his hand the falling
man: piercing the arm the spear flies onward and holds
its bloody course, and the dying hand dangles by the 15
sinews from the shoulder-blade. Then Numitor, snatching
the javelin from his brother's body, assails Æneas;
yet it might not lodge in the enemy's front, but just
grazed the thigh of mighty Achates.

Now comes Clausus of Cures in the pride of his youthful 20
frame, and strikes Dryops from a distance under the
chin with the strong impact of his stark spear, and piercing
his throat, robs him even as he speaks of life and
breath alike: the wounded man strikes the earth with
his forehead and vomits from his lips clotted blood. 25
Three, too, from Thrace, of Boreas' noblest lineage, and
three sent to battle by Idas their sire and Ismarus their
country, he lays low by this chance or that. To his side
runs Halesus and the Auruncan bands; comes to his aid,
too, the seed of Neptune, steed-famed Messapus. Now 30
these, now those, strain to win the ground: the struggle is
on Ausonia's very threshold. As in the spacious heaven
jarring winds meet in battle, alike in spirit and in strength,
winds, storm-clouds, and ocean, neither yields to the
other: long doubtful hangs the fight; all stand in death 35
grips, front to front: even such the meeting of the army
of Troy and the army of Latium: foot is set close to foot,
and man massed with man.