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forever, mightiest Pallas, and forever farewell." Saying
this and this only, he turned to the lofty walls again, and
bent his footsteps campward.

And now appeared the ambassadors from the town of
Latium, with the coverings of their olive boughs, entreating 5
an act of grace: the bodies which were lying over the
plains as the steel had mowed them down they pray him
to restore, and suffer them to pass under the mounded
earth: no man wars with the vanquished and with those
who have left the sun: let him show mercy to men once 10
known as his hosts and the fathers of his bride. The good
Æneas hearkens to a prayer that merits no rebuke, grants
them the boon, and withal bespeaks them thus: "What
undeserved ill chance, men of Latium, has entangled you
in a war so terrible and made you fly from us your friends? 15
Ask you peace for the dead, for those on whom the War-god's
die has fallen? Nay, I would fain grant it to the
living too. I were not here had not fate assigned me a
portion and a home: nor wage I war against your nation:
it was the king that abandoned our alliance, and sought 20
shelter rather under Turnus' banner. Fairer it had been
that Turnus should have met the death-stroke ye mourn.
If he seeks to end the war by strength of arm and expel the
Trojan enemy, duty bade him confront me with weapons
like mine, and that one should have lived who had earned 25
life from heaven or his own right hand. Now go and
kindle the flame beneath your ill-starred townsmen."
Æneas' speech was over: they stood in silent wonder, their
eyes and countenances steadfastly fixed on each other.
Then Drances, elder in birth, ever embroiled with the 30
youthful Turnus by hatred and taunting word, thus speaks
in reply: "O mighty in fame's voice, mightier in your own
brave deeds, hero of Troy, what praise shall I utter to
match you with the stars? Shall I first admire your sacred
love of right, or the toils of your hand in war? Ours it 35
shall be gratefully to report your answer to our native
town, and should any favouring chance allow, make you
the friend of king Latinus. Let Turnus look for alliance