Page:The Aeneid of Virgil JOHN CONINGTON 1917 V2.pdf/308

all iron, bristles far and wide with spears, and the plains
are ablaze with arms reared on high. Likewise Messapus
on the other side and the swift-paced Latians, and Coras
and his brother, and maid Camilla's force appear in the
plain against them, couching the lance in their backdrawn 5
hands and brandishing the javelin: and the onset of warriors
and the neighing of steeds begin to wax hot. And
now each army had halted within a spear-throw of the
other: with a sudden shout they dash forward, and put
spurs to their fiery steeds: missiles are showered from all 10
sides in a moment, thick as snow-flakes, and heaven is
curtained with the shade. Instantly Tyrrhenus and fierce
Aconteus charge each other spear in hand, and foremost
of all crash together with sound as of thunder, so that the
chest of either steed is burst against his fellow's; Aconteus, 15
flung off like the levinbolt or a stone hurled from an engine,
tumbles headlong in the distance, and scatters his life in
air. At once the line of battle is broken, and the Latians,
turned to flight, sling their shields behind them and set
their horses' heads cityward. The Trojans give them 20
chase: Asilas in the van leads their bands. And now
they were nearing the gates, when the Latians in turn set
up a shout, and turn their chargers' limber necks; the
others fly, and retreat far away at full speed. As when
the sea, advancing with its tide that ebbs and flows, one 25
while sweeps towards the land, deluges the rocks with a
shower of spray, and sprinkles the sandy margin with the
contents of its bosom, one while flees in hasty retreat,
dragging back into the gulf the recaptured stones, and
with ebbing waters leaves the shore. Twice the Tuscans 30
drove the Rutulians in rout to their walls; twice, repulsed,
they look behind as they sling their shields backward.
But when in the shock of a third encounter the entire
armies grapple each other, and man has singled out man,
then in truth upsoar the groans of the dying, and arms and 35
bodies and death-stricken horses blended with human
carnage welter in pools of gore: and a savage combat is
aroused. Orsilochus hurls a spear at Remulus' horse—*