and earthworks. Meanwhile the missioned band had performed
their journey, and were in sight of the towers and 30
stately homes of Latium, and passing under the city wall.
In a space before the town, boys and youths in their prime
are exercising on horseback, and breaking in their harnessed
cars among clouds of dust, or bending the sharp-springing
bow, or hurling from the arm the quivering javelin, 35
or vying on foot or with the gloves, when galloping up,
a messenger announces, in the aged monarch’s ears, that
mighty men have arrived in strange attire. The king bids