Aeneid

Virgil

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

  1. They heard, and took their places. The loud horn
  2. gave signal, and impetuous from the line,
  3. swift as a bursting storm they sped away,
  4. eyes fixed upon the goal. Far in advance
  5. Nisus shot forward, swifter than the winds
  6. or winged thunderbolt; the next in course,
  7. next, but out-rivalled far, was Salius,
  8. and after him a space, Euryalus
  9. came third; him Helymus was hard upon;
  10. and, look! Diores follows, heel on heel,
  11. close at his shoulder—if the race be long
  12. he sure must win, or claim a doubtful prize.
  13. Now at the last stretch, spent and panting, all
  14. pressed to the goal, when in a slime of blood
  15. Nisus, hard fate! slipped down, where late the death
  16. of victims slain had drenched the turf below.
  17. Here the young victor, with his triumph flushed,
  18. lost foothold on the yielding ground, and plunged
  19. face forward in the pool of filth and gore;
  20. but not of dear Euryalus was he
  21. forgetful then, nor heedless of his friend;
  22. but rising from the mire he hurled himself
  23. in Salius' way; so he in equal plight
  24. rolled in the filthy slough. Euryalus
  25. leaped forth, the winner of the race by gift
  26. of his true friend, and flying to the goal
  27. stood first, by many a favoring shout acclaimed.
  28. Next Helymus ran in; and, for the third, last prize,
  29. Diores. But the multitude now heard
  30. the hollowed hill-side ringing with wild wrath
  31. from Salius, clamoring where the chieftains sate
  32. for restitution of his stolen prize,
  33. lost by a cheat. But general favor smiles
  34. upon Euryalus, whose beauteous tears
  35. commend him much, and nobler seems the worth
  36. of valor clothed in youthful shape so fair.
  37. Diores, too, assists the victor's claim,
  38. with loud appeal—he too has won a prize,
  39. and vainly holds his last place, if the first
  40. to Salius fall. Aeneas then replied:
  41. “Your gifts, my gallant youths, remain secure.
  42. None can re-judge the prize. But to console
  43. the misadventure of a blameless friend,
  44. is in my power.” Therewith to Salius
  45. an Afric lion's monstrous pelt he gave,
  46. with ponderous mane, the claws o'erlaid with gold.
  47. But Nisus cried: “If such a gift be found
  48. for less than victory, and men who fall
  49. are worthy so much sorrow, pray, what prize
  50. shall Nisus have? For surely I had won
  51. the proudest of the garlands, if one stroke
  52. of inauspicious fortune had not fallen
  53. on Salius and me.” So saying, he showed
  54. his smeared face and his sorry limbs befouled
  55. with mire and slime. Then laughed the gracious sire,
  56. and bade a shield be brought, the cunning work
  57. of Didymaon, which the Greeks tore down
  58. from Neptune's temple; with this noble gift
  59. he sent the high-born youth upon his way.