©Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia

©Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia
BOOK XII.
ARGUMENT.
TURlIUS seeing that after the two defeats of the Latins all hope is
aentred in him, determines to engnge with Aeneas in single combat,
and sends a message to him to tbat effect (1-106). Aeneas with delight
accepts the challenge, and an agreement is made between the two
armies, and sanctioned by an oath (107-215). By the wiles of Juno,
however, the treaty is violated, the augur Telumnius having wounded
a hero on the Trojan side (216-276). Both parties rush to Mms, and
Aeneas while endeavoring to restrain his men is wounded by an unseen
band, and obliged to retire from tbe battle-field (277-323). Turnus
takes advantage of tbe absence of his rival from the fight, to slay great
numbers of tbe Trojans nnd their allies (324-382). But meanwhile
Venus plucks an herb from the Cretan Ida, and heais her son, who now
recruited in strength returns to the conflict and loudly calls on Turnns
to fullil his former engagement (383-445). Turnus, however, is kept
away by his sister J uturna from that part of the field where Aeneas is
known to be, and Aeneas being unable to find him slays many of those
whom chance opposed to him, and commences an assault on the city
(446-592). Turnus, bearing tbat Amata bas in ber despair committed
suicide, and seeing tbat matters have come to tbe Illst extremity, renews
his eballenge to Aeneas (593-696). In the combat Aeneas is victorious.
He is about to spare his prostrate foe, when he sees on his shoulder the
baldric of the Arcadian Pallas, a.nd, furious with wrath, he slays the
slayer of his friend (696-952).
"The fates of the combatants have been balanced by Jupiter, and
we know that in a short time tbe only obstacle that keeps Aeneas from
his destined empire will be removed by Turnus's death. Yet tbat brief
space only scrves to intensify our interest for the doomed man; our
wishes lend him wings as he is fiying for his life, and calling by nltmo
on each of bis terrified comrades; and we ecbo tbe agonized prayer in
which he implores the gods of bis native land to hold fast Aeneas's
spear. We follow Turnus through t.be few remaining stages of bel pless
eifort, dreamy bewilderment, and final overtbrow, feeling tbat till he is
dead we can spare no thoughts for the conqueror and the fruits of his
victor,." C.
( 894)