Page:Aeneid (Conington 1866).djvu/168

A garniture of glorious show,
Nor fitted less to ward a blow.
Beneath, that burden staggering strain
Two stalwart squires of Mnestheus' train,
Wherewith Demoleos erst endued
Troy's scattered sons on foot pursued.
With caldrons twain the third is graced,
And silver-bowls with figures chased.

The meeds were given; the rivals proud
Were moving stately through the crowd,
Each glorying in his several boon,
And wreathed with purple-bright festoon,
When lo! unhonoured and forlorn,
Scarce from the rock with effort torn,
One tier destroyed, 'mid gibes and jeers
His wavering bark Sergestus steers.
E'en as a snake that on the way
Some wheel has mangled as it lay,
Or passer-by with stone well-aimed
Has left half-dying, crushed and maimed:
In slow retreat without avail
It strives its lengthening coils to trail:
One half erect the foe defies
With hissing throat and fiery eyes;
One, lame and wounded, backward holds
The surging spires and gathering folds:
So rows the bark on her slow way,
Yet sets her sail, and gains the bay.
Not less her chief receives his due
For ship brought back and rescued crew,
A Cretan slave, expert to spin,
And at her bosom children twin.

When ended now the naval race,
Æneas seeks a grassy space,