XIX. "Nymph, pride of rivers, darling of my love,
Thou know'st, Juturna, how to all whoe'er
Of Latin maidens climbed the couch of Jove,
I thee preferred, and gave his courts to share.
Learn now thy woe, lest I the blame should bear.
While Fate and Fortune smiled on Latium's sway,
Thy walls I saved, and Turnus was my care.
Now in ill hour I see him tempt the fray;		163
Fate and the foe speed on the inevitable day.
XX. "Not I this fight, this wager can behold.
Thou, if thou durst, thy brother's doom arrest.
Go; luck perchance may follow thee." Fast rolled
Juturna's tears, and thrice she smote her breast.
"No time to weep," said Juno, "speed thy quest,
And save thy brother, if thou canst, ere dead,
Or wake the war, and rend the league unblest;
'Tis I who bid thee to be bold." She said,		172
And left her, tost with doubt, and full of wildering dread.

XXI. Forth come the Kings; Latinus, proudly borne
High in his four-horse chariot, shines afar.
Twelve gilded rays the monarch's brows adorn,
His Sire's, the Sun-God's. Wielding as for war
Two spears, comes Turnus in his two-horse car.
There, Rome's great founder, doth Æneas ride,
With dazzling shield, bright-shining as a star,
And arms divine, and at his father's side		181
Ascanius takes his place, Rome's second hope and pride.
XXII. And clad in robes of purest white, the priest
Leads forth the youngling of a bristly swine,
And two-year sheep, by shearer's hands unfleec'd.
And they, with eyes turned to the dawn divine,
Bared the bright steel, the victim's brow to sign,
And strewed the cakes of salted meal, and poured
On blazing altars bowls of sacred wine;
And good Æneas drew his glittering sword,		190
And thus, with pious prayer, the immortal gods adored:
XXIII. "Witness, O Sun, thou Earth attest my prayer,
For whom I toil. Thou, Jove, supreme in sway,
And thou, great Juno, pleased at length to spare.
O mighty Mars, whose nod directs the fray;
Springs, Streams, and Powers whom Air and Sea obey.
If Turnus win—O let the vow remain—
Humbly to King Evander, as they may,
Troy's sons shall fly, Iulus quit the reign,		199
Nor seed of mine e'er vex the Latin field again.
XXIV. "But else, if victory smile upon my sword
(As rather deem I, and may Heaven decree),
I wish not Troy to be Italia's lord,
Nor claim the crown; let each, unquelled and free,
In deathless league on equal terms agree.
Arms, empire let Latinus keep; I claim
To bring our rites and deities. For me
My Teucrian friends another town shall frame,		208
And bless the rising towers with fair Lavinia's name."

XXV. Thus first Æneas; then with uplift eyes,
His right hand stretching to the stars in prayer,
"Hear me, Æneas," old Latinus cries,
"By the same Earth, and Sea and Stars I swear,
By the twin offering of [Latona] fair,
And two-faced Janus, and Hell's powers malign,
And Dis unpitying; let Jove give ear,
The Sire whose bolt the solemn league doth sign,		217
Witness these fires and gods,—my hand is on the shrine,—
XXVI. "No time with Latins shall this league unbind,
Whate'er the issue, or the peace confound,
No force shall shake the purpose of my mind.
Nay—though the circling Ocean burst its bound,
And all the Earth were in a deluge drowned,
And Heaven with Hell should mingle. Sure as now
This sceptre" (haply in his hand was found
The Royal sceptre) "nevermore, I trow,		226
Shall bourgeon with fresh leaves, or spread a shadowing bough,