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the warrior along the well-known road: he has occupied
the spot and sat him down in the treacherous forest.

Meantime, in the mansions above Latona's daughter
was addressing Opis the swift, a maiden comrade of her
sacred train, and was uttering these words in tones of 5
sorrow: "Ah, maiden, Camilla is on her way to the ruthless
war; in vain she girds herself with the arms of our
sisterhood, dear to me that she is beyond all beside: for
no new tenderness this that has come on Diana, nor sudden
the spell wherewith it stirs her heart. When Metabus, 10
exiled for the hate which tyranny genders, was parting
from Privernum, his ancient city, as he fled from the heart
of the combat, he bore away his infant child to share his
banishment, and varying Casmilla, her mother's name,
called her Camilla. The father, carrying her in his bosom, 15
was making for the long mountain slopes of the solitary
woods, while bitter javelins were showering all around him,
and the Volscians with circling soldiery hovering about:
when lo! intercepting his flight was Amasenus, brimming
and foaming over its banks, so vast a deluge of rain had 20
burst from the clouds. Preparing to plunge in, he is
checked by tenderness for his child, and fears for the precious
load. At last, as he pondered over every course,
he hit suddenly on this resolve. There was a huge weapon,
which he chanced to be carrying in his stalwart hand 25
as warriors use, sturdy with knots and seasoned timber:
to it he fastens his daughter, enclosed in the cork-tree's
forest bark, and binds her neatly round the middle
of the shaft; then, poising it in a giant's grasp, he thus
exclaims to heaven: 'Gracious lady, dweller in the woods, 30
Latona's maiden daughter, I vow to thy service this my
child: thine are the first weapons that she wields as she
flies from the foe through air to thy protection. Receive,
I conjure thee, as thine own her whom I now entrust to the
uncertain gale." He said, and, drawing back his arm, 35
hurled the javelin: loud roared the waves, while over the
furious stream fled poor Camilla on the hurtling dart.
But Metabus, pressed closer and closer by the numerous