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was that the maiden, eager, it may be, to fasten on the
temple-gate the arms of Troy, or to flaunt herself in the
golden spoil, singled out from all the battle, and was following
with a hunter's blind devotion, raging recklessly
through the ranks, enkindled with a woman's love for prey 5
and plunder; when at length, seizing his opportunity,
Arruns awakes his dart from its ambush, and thus prays
aloud to heaven: "Greatest of gods, Apollo, guardian of
divine Soracte, whom we are the first to worship, for whom
the pine-tree glow is fed by heaps of wood, while ourselves, 10
thy votaries, strong in our piety, walk through the flame
over living embers, grant, all-powerful sire, that my arms
may wipe this scandal away. I seek no plunder or spoil,
no trophy for the conquest of a maid; the rest of my deeds
shall secure my fame; let but this terrible fiend fall vanquished 15
by wound of mine, I will return to the cities of my
fathers an unhonoured man." Phœbus heard, and vouchsafed
in his heart that half the vow should speed, while
half he scattered among the flying breezes: to strike and
slay Camilla with sudden death-wound, so much he grants 20
the suppliant: to return and meet the eyes of his noble
fatherland, this he allows not; the gusts of air turned the
accents into wind. So when the spear, launched from the
hand, was heard along the sky, each keen Volscian mind
flew to one centre, every Volscian eye was bent on the 25
queen. She alone had no thought for wind or sound or
weapon sweeping down from heaven, till the spear had
made its passage and lodged beneath her protruded breast,
and deeply driven, drank her maiden blood. Her comrades
run together in alarm, and support their falling mistress. 30
Arruns, more terrified than all, flies away, half joy,
half fear, nor puts further confidence in his lance, nor dares
to meet the darts of the maiden. Even as the caitiff
wolf, ere the weapons of vengeance can follow him, has
fled at once to the pathless privacy of the mountain steep, 35
on slaying a shepherd or mighty bullock, conscious of his
daring deed, and drawing back his quivering tail with
lithe action has clapped it to his belly and made for the