Page:The Aeneid of Virgil JOHN CONINGTON 1917 V2.pdf/294

where he may. Nay, it will be our pride to uprear those
massive walls of destiny, and heave on our shoulders the
stones of your new Troy." He spoke, and the rest all
murmured assent. For twelve days they make truce, and
with amity to mediate, Trojans and Latians mingled roam 5
through the forest on the mountain slopes unharming and
unharmed. The lofty ash rings with the two-edged steel:
they bring low pines erst uplifted to the sky, nor is there
pause in cleaving with wedges the oak and fragrant cedar,
or in carrying ashen trunks in the groaning wains. 10

And now flying Fame, the harbinger of that cruel agony,
is filling with her tidings the ears of Evander, his palace and
his city—Fame that but few hours back was proclaiming
Pallas the conqueror of Latium. Forth stream the Arcadians
to the gates, with funeral torches in ancient fashion, 15
snatched up hurriedly; the road gleams with the long
line of fire, which parts the breath of fields on either hand.
To meet them comes the train of Phrygians, and joins the
wailing company. Soon as the matrons saw them pass
under the shadow of the houses, they set the mourning city 20
ablaze with their shrieks. But Evander—no force can
hold him back; he rushes into the midst: there as they
lay down the bier he has flung himself upon Pallas, and is
clinging to him with tears and groans, till choking grief
at last lets speech find her way: "No, my Pallas! this was 25
not your promise to your sire, to trust yourself with caution
in the War-god's savage hands. I knew what a spell
there lay in the young dawn of a soldier's glory, the enrapturing
pride of the first day of battle. Alas for the
ill-starred first-fruits of youth, the cruel foretaste of the 30
coming war! alas for those my vows and prayers, that
found no audience with any of the gods! alas too for thee,
my blessed spouse, happy as thou art in the death that
spared thee not for this heavy sorrow! while I, living on,
have triumphed over my destiny, that I might survive in 35
solitary fatherhood. Had I but followed the friendly
standards of Troy, and fallen whelmed by Rutulian javelins!
had I rendered my own life up, so that this funeral