So the battle had an end. And the next day, early in the morning, Æneas paid his vows. For he took an oak-tree, and lopped the branches round about, and set it on a mound. And thereon he hung, for a trophy to Mars, the arms of King Mezentius, the crest dripping with blood, and the headless spears, and the corslet pierced in twelve places. Also he fastened on the left hand the shield, and hung about the neck the ivory-hilted sword. And next, the chiefs being gathered about him, he spake, saying, “We have wrought a great deed. Here ye see all that remaineth of Mezentius. Now, therefore, let us make ready to carry the war against the city of Latinus. This, therefore, will we do with the first light to-morrow. And now let us bury the dead, doing such honour to them as we may, for indeed they have purchased a country for us with their own blood. But first will I send back Pallas to the city of Evander.”

Then he went to the tent where the dead body was laid, and old Acoetes kept watch thereby—Acoetes, who had been armour-bearer to Evander, and now had followed his son, but with evil fortune; and the women of Troy, with their hair unbound, mourned about him. But when they saw Æneas they beat their breasts, and sent up a great cry even to heaven. And when the king saw the pillowed head and the great wound in the breast he wept, and said, “Ah! why did Fortune grudge me this, that thou shouldst see my kingdom, and go back in triumph to thy father’s home? This is not what I promised to Evander when he gave thee to my charge, and warned me that the men of Italy were valiant and fierce. And now haply, old man, thou makest offerings and prayers for him who now hath no part nor lot in the Gods of heaven. Yet, at least, thou wilt see that he beareth an honourable wound. But what a son thou losest, O Italy! and what a friend, thou, IÜlus!” Then he chose a thousand men who should go with the dead and share the father’s grief. After this they made a bier of arbutus boughs and oak, and put also over it a canopy of branches, and laid the dead thereon, like unto a flower of violet or hyacinth which a girl hath plucked, which still hath beauty and colour, but the earth nourisheth it no more. And Æneas took two robes of purple, which Dido had woven with thread of gold, and with one he wrapped the body and with the other the head. And behind were carried the arms which Pallas had won in fight; and they led the old man Acoetes, smiting on his breast and tearing his cheeks, and throwing himself upon the ground; and the war-horse Æthon walked beside, with the great tears rolling down his cheeks. And also they bare behind him his helmet and shield, for all else Turnus had taken; and then followed the whole company, the men of Troy, the Arcadians, and the Tuscans, with arms reversed. And Æneas said, “The same cares and sorrows of war call me elsewhere. Farewell, my Pallas, for ever!” And he departed to the camp.

And now there came ambassadors from the city, having olive-branches about their heads, praying for a truce, that they might bury their dead. Then Æneas made answer, “Ye ask peace for the dead; fain would I give it to the living. I had not come to this land but for the bidding of the Fates. And if your king changeth from me and my friendship to Turnus, I am blameless. Yet methinks Turnus should rather have taken this danger upon himself. And even now, if he be willing to fight with me, man to man, so be it. But now bury ye your dead.”

Then they made a truce for twelve days. And the men of Troy and the Latins laboured together, hewing wood upon the hills, pine and cedar and mountain ash. And the men of Troy built great piles upon the shore and burned the dead bodies of their companions thereon, and their arms with them. And the Latins did likewise. Also they that had been chosen to do this thing carried the body of Pallas to his city. And King Evander and the Arcadians made a great mourning for him.

But when they had made an end of burning the dead there arose a great tumult in the city, for many had lost husband, or brother, or son. Wherefore they cried out that it was an evil war, and they cursed the marriage of Turnus, and would have him fight with Æneas, man to man, that there might be an end of these troubles. And lo! in the midst of the tumult there came back the ambassadors that had been sent to Diomed, saying that their prayers and gifts had availed nothing. Then King Latinus called a council of the chiefs, and sat him down upon his throne, and bade the men say on. Then Venulus, who was the chiefest among them, spake, saying, “We went to Arpi, to the city of King Diomed. And the man received us, and asked us wherefore we had come, and when we had told him, he spake, saying, ‘Men of Italy, why will ye thus tempt your fate? Know ye not that we, as many of us as lifted hand against the men of Troy, have suffered grievous things? For the Lesser Ajax perished on the rocks of Euboea; and MenelaÜs was driven even to the island of Proteus, which is hard by the land of Egypt; and Ulysses scarcely escaped from the Cyclops; and as for King Agamemnon, an adulterer slew him in his palace. And us the Gods suffered not to see wife or country again. But as for this which ye ask of me, I fight not against men of Troy any more. These gifts which ye bring to me, give rather to Æneas. We have fought together, and I know how mightily he rises to the stroke of his sword and casts his spear. I tell you this: if there had been in Troy two others such as he, the war had come to the gates of Argos, and Greece had suffered even what she wrought. ’Twas he and Hector who for ten years bore up against our arms: both valiant men and strong, and this man the dearer to the Gods. Make peace with him, if ye may; but beware that ye meet him not in war.’”

And when they had made an end of speaking, there was a murmur in the council, some saying one thing, and some another. Then King Latinus said from his throne, “This is an ill time for counsel when the enemy is about our walls. Yet hearken to my words. Ye do ill to wage this war: for the men of Troy are dear to the Gods, nor may any sword prevail against them. Ye have heard what saith King Diomed; ye see also how low our fortunes be brought. My sentence therefore is this: I have a domain near to the Tiber, stretching far to the west, a land of corn-fields and pasture. This, and the pine forests also on the hills, will I give to the men of Troy, and I will divide also my kingdom. But if they would rather seek some other land, let us build them twelve ships, or more, if they be able to fill them, and let them depart in peace. Now therefore let us send ambassadors, even a hundred men, and let them carry gifts, talents of gold, and ivory, and also a throne and a robe, which are the emblems of kingship.”

Then spake Drances. (Now Drances had great jealousy of Turnus. Bountiful was he, and eloquent, and skilful in counsel and debate, but feeble in fight.) “This matter about which thou askest us, O King, is manifest, and needeth not speech; for all men know what shall best profit the people, yet fear to say it. ’Tis this man that hindereth us from speech; this man for whose evil pride—aye, I will say it though he threaten me with death—so many valiant chiefs have fallen, while he makes a vain show of his valour. And now, O King, I would bid thee add one more to thy gifts. Give thy daughter to this great son-in-law, and make peace sure for ever. Yea, Turnus, yield thou this to thy country. Lo! we all ask it of thee, even I, whom thou holdest to be thine enemy. But if thou wilt not, counting a royal wife to be more than thy country, call not on us to die for thee, but meet thy rival face to face.”

Then in great wrath Turnus made answer, “Thou hast always many words at command, O Drances, and, when the senators are called, art ever the first to come. But where is thy valour? Where are the trophies which thy right hand hath set up? Wilt thou make trial of it now? Lo! the enemy is at hand. Shall we go? Dost thou linger? Is all thy valour in thy boasting tongue and coward feet? And thou doubtest, forsooth, of my courage. What? hast thou not heard of Pallas slain, and Bitias and Pandarus, and all whom I laid low when they shut me within their walls? And now I would speak of thee and thy counsel, my father. If thou thinkest that one defeat is enough, and that fortune may not change, be it so: let us pray for peace. Happy then he who hath died before he saw such foul disgrace! But if we have yet strength remaining, and nations and cities that will yet help us; if these men of Troy have won their victory dear, why faint we at the threshold, and tremble before the trumpet sounds? Diomed will not help us. But we have Messapus, and the augur Tolumnius, and all the chiefs of Italy, yea and the Volscian Camilla, with her squadrons clad in bronze. And if they would have me fight man to man, I refuse not in such a cause. Let him be mighty as Achilles, and don the arms which Vulcan hath made. I refuse not the battle, for my life is for you and for your king.”

But while they disputed there came a messenger unto the palace bringing tidings of fear. For the men of Troy, he said, were marching in battle line from their camp. Then there arose a great uproar, some crying aloud for arms, and some weeping; loud was it as the clamour of birds that settle in some deep wood, or of swans by the mouth of Po. And Turnus cried, “Call your councils, my friends, speak of peace as you sit. But the enemy is at the gate.” And he made haste and rushed forth from the senate-house.