Aeneid

arrived at land. Aeneas then bestowed

a boon upon Sergestus, as was meet

for reward of the ship in safety brought

with all its men; a fair slave was the prize,

the Cretan Pholoe, well taught to weave,

and twin boy-babes upon her breast she bore.

Then good Aeneas, the ship-contest o'er,

turned to a wide green valley, circled round

with clasp of wood-clad hills, wherein was made

an amphitheatre; entering with a throng

of followers, the hero took his seat

in mid-arena on a lofty mound.

For the fleet foot-race, now, his summons flies, —

he offers gifts, and shows the rewards due.

The mingling youth of Troy and Sicily

hastened from far. Among the foremost came

the comrades Nisus and Euryalus,

Euryalus for beauty's bloom renowned,

Nisus for loyal love; close-following these

Diores strode, a prince of Priam's line;

then Salius and Patron, who were bred

in Acarnania and Arcady;

then two Sicilian warriors, Helymus

and Panopes, both sylvan bred and born,

comrades of King Acestes; after these

the multitude whom Fame forgets to tell.

Aeneas, so surrounded, thus spake forth:

“Hear what I purpose, and with joy receive!

of all your company, not one departs

with empty hand. The Cretan javelins

bright-tipped with burnished steel, and battle-axe

adorned with graven silver, these shall be

the meed of all. The three first at the goal

shall bind their foreheads with fair olive green,

and win the rewards due. The first shall lead,

victorious, yon rich-bridled steed away;

this Amazonian quiver, the next prize,

well-stocked with Thracian arrows; round it goes

a baldrick broad and golden,—in its clasp

a lustrous gem. The third man goes away

taking this helmet from the Argive spoil.”

They heard, and took their places. The loud horn

gave signal, and impetuous from the line,

swift as a bursting storm they sped away,

eyes fixed upon the goal. Far in advance

Nisus shot forward, swifter than the winds

or winged thunderbolt; the next in course,

next, but out-rivalled far, was Salius,

and after him a space, Euryalus

came third; him Helymus was hard upon;

and, look! Diores follows, heel on heel,

close at his shoulder—if the race be long

he sure must win, or claim a doubtful prize.

Now at the last stretch, spent and panting, all

pressed to the goal, when in a slime of blood

Nisus, hard fate! slipped down, where late the death

of victims slain had drenched the turf below.

Here the young victor, with his triumph flushed,

lost foothold on the yielding ground, and plunged

face forward in the pool of filth and gore;

but not of dear Euryalus was he

forgetful then, nor heedless of his friend;

but rising from the mire he hurled himself

in Salius' way; so he in equal plight

rolled in the filthy slough. Euryalus

leaped forth, the winner of the race by gift

of his true friend, and flying to the goal

stood first, by many a favoring shout acclaimed.

Next Helymus ran in; and, for the third, last prize,

Diores. But the multitude now heard

the hollowed hill-side ringing with wild wrath

from Salius, clamoring where the chieftains sate

for restitution of his stolen prize,

lost by a cheat. But general favor smiles

upon Euryalus, whose beauteous tears

commend him much, and nobler seems the worth

of valor clothed in youthful shape so fair.

Diores, too, assists the victor's claim,

with loud appeal—he too has won a prize,

and vainly holds his last place, if the first

to Salius fall. Aeneas then replied:

“Your gifts, my gallant youths, remain secure.

None can re-judge the prize. But to console

the misadventure of a blameless friend,

is in my power.” Therewith to Salius

an Afric lion's monstrous pelt he gave,

with ponderous mane, the claws o'erlaid with gold.

But Nisus cried: “If such a gift be found

for less than victory, and men who fall

are worthy so much sorrow, pray, what prize

shall Nisus have? For surely I had won

the proudest of the garlands, if one stroke

of inauspicious fortune had not fallen

on Salius and me.” So saying, he showed

his smeared face and his sorry limbs befouled

with mire and slime. Then laughed the gracious sire,

and bade a shield be brought, the cunning work

of Didymaon, which the Greeks tore down

from Neptune's temple; with this noble gift

he sent the high-born youth upon his way.