Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. From ancient Corythus had Acron come,
  2. a Greek, who left half-sung his wedding-song,
  3. and was an exile; him Mezentius saw
  4. among long lines of foes, with flaunting plumes
  5. and purple garments from his plighted spouse.
  6. Then as a starving lion when he prowls
  7. about high pasture-lands, urged on his way
  8. by maddening hunger (if perchance he see
  9. a flying she-goat or tall-antlered stag)
  10. lifts up his shaggy mane, and gaping wide
  11. his monstrous jaws, springs at the creature's side,
  12. feeding foul-lipped, insatiable of gore:
  13. so through his gathered foes Mezentius
  14. flew at his prey. He stretched along the ground
  15. ill-fated Acron, who breathed life away,
  16. beating the dark dust with his heels, and bathed
  17. his broken weapons in his blood. Nor deigned
  18. Mezentius to strike Orodes down
  19. as he took flight, nor deal a wound unseen
  20. with far-thrown spear; but ran before his face,
  21. fronting him man to man, nor would he win
  22. by sleight or trick, but by a mightier sword.
  23. Soon on the fallen foe he set his heel,
  24. and, pushing hard, with heel and spear, cried out:
  25. “Look ye, my men, where huge Orodes lies,
  26. himself a dangerous portion of this war!”
  27. With loyal, Ioud acclaim his peers reply;
  28. but thus the dying hero: “Victor mine,
  29. whoe'er thou art, I fall not unavenged!
  30. Thou shalt but triumph for a fleeting hour.
  31. Like doom for thee is written. Speedily
  32. thou shalt this dust inhabit, even as I!”
  33. Mezentius answered him with wrathful smile:
  34. “Now die! What comes on me concerns alone
  35. the Sire of gods and Sovereign of mankind.”
  36. So saying, from the wounded breast he plucked
  37. his javelin: and on those eyes there fell
  38. inexorable rest and iron slumber,
  39. and in unending night their vision closed.
  1. Then Caedicus cut down Alcathous,
  2. Sacrator slew Hydaspes, Rapo smote
  3. Parthenius and Orses stout and strong;
  4. Messapus, good blade cut down Clonius
  5. and Ericetes, fierce Lycaon's child;
  6. the one from an unbridled war-horse thrown,
  7. the other slain dismounted. Then rode forth
  8. Agis the Lycian, but bold Valerus,
  9. true to his valiant breeding, hurled him down;
  10. having slain Thronius, Salius was slain
  11. by skilled Nealces, of illustrious name
  12. for spear well cast and far-surprising bow.