Then meet at length, their kinsmen's slaughter known, Brave Mnestheus, and Serestus fierce, and see Their friends in flight, and foemen in the town.
Then Mnestheus cries: "Friends, whither would ye flee?
What other walls, what further town have we?
Shame on the thought, shall then a single foe, One man alone, O townsmen! ay, and he Cooped thus within your ramparts, work such woe, Such deaths--and unavenged?
and lay your choicest low?
C.

"Is yours no pity, sluggard souls?
no shame For Troy's old gods, and for your native land, And for the great AEneas, and his name ?" Fired by his words, they gather heart, and stand, Shoulder to shoulder, rallying in a band.
Backward, but slowly he retreats, too proud To turn, and seeks the ramparts hard at hand, Girt by the stream; while, clamouring aloud, Fiercer the foe press on, and larger grows the crowd.
CI.

As when an angry lion, held at bay, And pressed with galling javelins, half in fright, But grim and glaring, step by step gives way, Too wroth to turn, too valorous for flight, And fain, but impotent, to wreak his spite Against his armed assailants; even so, Slowly and wavering, Turnus quits the fight, Boiling with rage; yet twice he charged the foe, Twice round the walls in rout they fled before his blow.
CII.

But now new hosts come swarming from the town, Nor Juno dares his failing force to stay, For Jove in wrath sent heavenly Iris down, Stern threats to bear, should Turnus disobey, And longer in the Trojan camp delay.
No more his shield, nor strength of hand avail To ward the storm; so thick the javelins play.
Loud rings his helmet with the driving hail; Rent with the volleyed stones, the solid brass-plates fail.
CIII.

Reft are his plumes, and shattered by the blows The shield-boss.