Nor is my Youth unworthy of my Friend,
Or of the Heav'n-born Heroe I attend.
The thing call'd Life with eafe I can disclaim;
And think it over-fold to purchase Fame.
To whom his Friend;
I could not think, alas, thy Tender Years
Would minifter new matter to my Fears:
Nor is it just thou shouldft thy With obtain s
So Jove in Triumph bring me back again
To thofe dear eyes; or if a God there be
To pious Friends, propitious more than he,
But if fome one, as many fure there are,
Of adverfe accidents in doubtful War,
If one fhould reach my Head, there let it fall,
And fpare thy life, I would not perish all :
Thy Youth is worthy of a longer Date;
Do thou remain to mourn thy Lover's fate;
To bear my mangled body from the Foe,
Or buy it back, and Fun'ral rites bestow.
Or if hard Fortune fhail my Corps deny
Those dues, with empty Marble to fupply.
O let not me the Widow's tears renew,
Let not a Mother's curfe my name pursue
Thy pious Mother, who in Love to thee,
Left the fair Coaft of fruitful Sicity;
Her Age committing to the Seas and Wind,
When every weary Matron ftaid behind.
To this Euryalus, Thou plead'ft in vain,
And but delay'ft the caufe thou cank not gain:
No more, 'tis lofs of time: With that he wakes
The nodding Watch; each to his Office takes !
The Guard reliev'd, in Company they went
To find the Council at the Royal Tent.
Now every living thing lay void of care,
And Sleep, the common gift of Nature, share :
Mean time the Trojan Peers in Council fate,
And call'd their Chief Commanders, to debate
The weighty business of th' indanger'd State,
What next was to be done, who to be fent
T' inform Eneas of the Foes intent.
In midft of all the quiet Camp they held
Nocturnal Council; each fuftains a Shield,
Which his o'er-labour'd Arm can hardly rear ;
And leans upon a long projected Spear.
Now Nifus and his Friend approach the Guard,
And beg admittance, eager to be heard;
Th' affair important; not to be deferr'd.
Afcanius bids them be conducted in ;
Then thus, commanded, Nifus does begin.
Ye Trojan Fathers lend attentive Ears;
Nor judge our undertaking by our years.
The Foes fecurely drench'd in Sleep and Wine
Their Watch neglect; their Fires but thinly fhine.
And where the Smoak in thickning Vapours flies
Cov'ring the plain, and Clouding all the Skies,
Betwixt the spaces we have mark'd a way,
Close by the Gate and Coafting by the Sea;
This Paffage undisturb'd, and unespy'd
Our Steps will fafely to Aneas guide.
Expect each hour to fee him back again
Loaded with spoils of Foes, in Battle flain:
Snatch we the lucky Minute while we may,
Nor can we be mistaken in the way:
For Hunting in the Vale, we oft have feen
The rifing Turrets with the ftream between ;
And know its winding Course, with every foord
He paus'd, and Old Alethes took the word.
Our Country Gods in whom our truft we place,
Will yet from ruin fave the Trojan race;
While we behold fuch fpringing-worth appear,
In youth fo brave, and breafts fo void of fear.
(With this he took the hand of either Boy,
Embrac'd them clofely both, and wept for joy :)
Ye brave young men, what equal gifts can we,
What recompence for fuch defert, decree!
The greateft fure and beft you can receive,
The Gods, your vertue, and your fame will give:
The Reft, our grateful General will bestow;
And young Afcanius, 'till his Manhood, owe.
And I whofe welfare in my Father lies,
(Afcanius adds,) by all the Deities,
By our great Country, and our household Gods,
By Hoary Vefta's rites, and dark abodes,
Adjure you both, on you my Fortune stands,
That and my Faith I plight into your hands,
Make me but happy in his fafe return,
(For I no other lofs but only his can mourn,).
Nifus your gift fhall two large Goblets be,
Of Silver wrought with curious Imag'ry,
And high embost: which when old Priam reign'd`
My conqu'ring Sire, at fack'd Arisha gain'd.
And more, two Tripods caft in antick mould,
With two great Talents of the finest Gold.
Befides a Bowl which Tyrian Art did grave;
The Prefent that Sidonian Dido gave..
But if in Conquer'd Italy we reign,
When Spoils by Lot the Victors shall obtain,
Thou faw'ft the Courfer by proud Turnus preft;
That, and his golden Arms, and fanguine Crest,
And Shield, from lot exempted, thou shalt fhare;
With these, twelve captive Dam'fels young and fair :
Male Slaves as many; well appointed all
With Vests and Arms, shall to thy Portion fall :
And laft a fruitful Field to thee fhall reft,
The large demenes the Latian King poffeft.
But thou, whose Years are more to mine ally'd,
No fate my vow'd Affection fhall divide
From thee, O wondrous Youth: Be ever mine,
Take full Poffeffion, all my Soul is thine:
My life's Companion, and my bofom Friend;
One Faith, one Fame, one Fate fhall both attend.
My Peace fhall be committed to thy Care,
And to thy Conduct my Concerns in War.
Then thus the bold Euryalus reply'd;
What ever Fortune, good or bad, betide,
The fame shall be my Age, as now my Youth
No time shall find me wanting to my Truth.
This only from your Bounty let me gain;
(And this not granted, all rewards are vain :)
Of Priam's Royal Race my Mother came,
And fure the best that ever bore the Name :
Whom neither Tray, nor Sicily cou'd hold
From me departing; but o'erfpent and old,
My Fate fhe follow'd; ignorant of this
Whatever danger, neither parting kiss,
Nor pious Bleffing taken, her I leave;
And in this only Act of all my Life deceive:
By this your hand and confcious Night I fwear,
My Youth fo fad a Farewel cou'd not bear.
Be you her Patron, fill my vacant Place ;
(Permit me to presume fo great a Grace ;)
Support her Age, forfaken and diftreft ;
That hope alone will fortifie my Breaft,
Against the worst of Fortunes and of Fears:
He faid; th' Affiftants fhed prefaging Tears.
But above all, Afcanius, mov'd to fee
That image of paternal Piety.
So great Beginnings in fo green an Age
Exact that Faith, which firmly I engage;
Thy Mother all the Privilege fhall claim
Creifa had; and only want the Name.
Whate'er event thy enterprife fhall have,
"Tis Merit to have born a Son fo brave.
By this my Head, a facred Oath, I fwear,
(My Father us'd it) what returning, here
Crown'd with fuccefs, I for thy felf prepare,
Thy Parent and thy Family fhall share:
He faid; and weeping while he spoke the word,
From his broad Belt he drew a shining Sword,
Magnificent with Gold; Lycaon made,
And in an Iv'ry fcabbard theath'd the Blade.
This was his Gift: while Mneftheus did provide
For Nifus Arms; a grily Lion's Hide;
And true Alethes chang'd with him his helm of
temper try'd.
Thus arm'd they went: the noble Trojans wait
Their going forth, and follow to the Gate.
With Pray'rs and Vows above the reft appears
Afcanius, manly far above his years.
And Meffages committed to their care;
Which all in Winds were loft, and empty air.
The Trenches first they pafs; then took their way,
Where their proud foes in pitch'd Pavilions lay.
To many fatal e'er themselves were flain :
The careless Host disperst upon the Plain
They found, who drunk with Wine fupinely snore :
Unharness'd Chariots ftand upon the fhore;
Midft wheels, and reins, and arms, the Goblet by,
A Medly of Debauch and War they lie.
Obferving Nisus shew'd his friend the fight;
Then thus: behold a Conqueft without fight.
Occafion calls the Sword to be prepar'd:
Our way lies there, ftand thou upon the guard;
And look behind, while I fecurely go
To cut an ample paffage through the Foc.
Softly he fpoke; then talking took his way,
With his drawn Sword, where haughty Rhamnes lay,
His head rais'd high, on Tapestry beneath,
And heaving from his breaft, he puff'd his breath,
A King, and Prophet, by King Turnus lov'd,
But fate by Prefcience cannot be remov'd.
Three fleeping Slaves he foon fubdues: then spies
Where Rheraus, with his proud Retinue, lies:
His Armour Bearer firft, and next he kills
His Charioteer, entrench'd betwixt the wheels,
And his loy'd Horses; laft invades their Lord,
Full on his Neck he aims the fatal Sword:
The gaping head flies off: a purple flood
Flows from the Trunk, that wallows in the bloody
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