them from point to point, admiring and turning over in
his hands and arms the helmet with its dread crest, vomiting
flame, the fateful sword, the stiff brazen corslet, blood-red
and huge, in hue as when a dark cloud kindles with 20
sunlight and gleams afar; the polished cuishes,[258] too, of
electrum and gold smelted oft and oft, and the spear,
and the shield’s ineffable frame-work. On this was the
story of Italy and the triumphs of the Romans wrought
by the Lord of the fire; no stranger he to prophecy nor 25
ignorant of the time to come: on it was the whole royal