Aeneid

Virgil

Vergil. The Aeneid of Virgil. Williams, Theodore, C, translator. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1910.

  1. But at a distance where the river's flood
  2. had scattered rolling boulders and torn trees
  3. uprooted from the shore, young Pallas spied
  4. th' Arcadian band, unused to fight on foot,
  5. in full retreat, the Latins following close—
  6. who also for the roughness of the ground
  7. were all unmounted: he (the last resource
  8. of men in straits) to wild entreaty turned
  9. and taunts, enkindling their faint hearts anew:
  10. “Whither, my men! O, by your own brave deeds,
  11. O, by our lord Evander's happy wars,
  12. the proud hopes I had to make my name
  13. a rival glory,—think not ye can fly!
  14. Your swords alone can carve ye the safe way
  15. straight through your foes. Where yonder warrior-throng
  16. is fiercest, thickest, there and only there
  17. your Country's honor calls for men like you,
  18. and for your captain Pallas. Nay, no gods
  19. against us fight; we are but mortal men
  20. pressed by a mortal foe. Not more than ours
  21. the number of their lives or swords. Behold,
  22. the barrier of yonder spreading sea
  23. emprisons us, and for a craven flight
  24. yon lands are all too small. Ha! Shall we steer
  25. across the sea to Troy?” He said, and sprang
  26. full in the centre of his gathered foes.