Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. At Jove's command Mezentius, breathing rage,
  2. now takes the field and leads a strong assault
  3. against victorious Troy. The Tuscan ranks
  4. meet round him, and press hard on him alone,
  5. on him alone with vengeance multiplied
  6. their host of swords they draw. As some tall cliff,
  7. projecting to the sea, receives the rage
  8. of winds and waters, and untrembling bears
  9. vast, frowning enmity of seas and skies,—
  10. so he. First Dolichaon's son he slew,
  11. Hebrus; then Latagus and Palmus, though
  12. they fled amain; he smote with mighty stone
  13. torn from the mountain, full upon the face
  14. of Latagus; and Palmus he let lie
  15. hamstrung and rolling helpless; he bestowed
  16. the arms on his son Lausus for a prize,
  17. another proud crest in his helm to wear;
  18. he laid the Phrygian Euanthus Iow;
  19. and Mimas, Paris' comrade, just his age,—
  20. born of Theano's womb to Amycus
  21. his sire, that night when royal Hecuba,
  22. teeming with firebrand, gave Paris birth:
  23. one in the city of his fathers sleeps;
  24. and one, inglorious, on Laurentian strand.
  25. As when a wild boar, harried from the hills
  26. by teeth of dogs (one who for many a year
  27. was safe in pine-clad Vesulus, or roamed
  28. the meres of Tiber, feeding in the reeds)
  29. falls in the toils at last, and stands at bay,
  30. raging and bristling, and no hunter dares
  31. defy him or come near, but darts are hurled
  32. from far away, with cries unperilous:
  33. not otherwise, though righteous is their wrath
  34. against Mezentius, not a man so bold
  35. as face him with drawn sword, but at long range
  36. they throw their shafts and with loud cries assail;
  37. he, all unterrified, makes frequent stand,
  38. gnashing his teeth, and shaking off their spears.