Page:Aeneid (Conington 1866).djvu/455

As tracking Turnus' truant car
He sweeps his vision round and round
The town he sees in peace profound,
Unscathed by all that war.
At once upon his inward sight
The image dawns of grander fight:
Sergestus and Serestus tried
He calls with Mnestheus to his side,
And on a mound takes stand:
Round in dense ranks the Trojans swarm,
The shield still cleaving to their arm,
The javelin in their hand.
Then from the height he thus began:
'Now hearken and obey, each man:
Our cause is Jove's own cause:
Nor, sudden though the change of plan,
Let any plead for pause.
This town, the source of all the fray,
The centre of Latinus' sway,
Unless they bow them to the yoke
And own my conquering power,
In ruin on the ground shall smoke
From base to topmost tower.
What, I forsooth to stand and wait
Till Turnus deign to end debate,
And, humbled by his old defeat,
Prepare once more my call to meet?
Here, here it stands, the foul spring-head
Of all this blood so basely shed:
Quick with your torches, and demand
Our rightful treaty, fire in hand.'
He said: with emulous speed they form,
And rush in mass the walls to storm.
Forth come the ladders, quick as thought;
Fire, faggot, pitch at once are brought: