The Aeneid Book 12 Lines 887-952

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  • Created by: Sunset
  • Created on: 12-05-13 09:47

Aeneas pressed on against him and brandished his huge spear like a tree, and spoke thus from his savage heart: 'What further delay is there now? Or why now do you draw back Turnus? We must fight, not with running but hand-to-handwith seavage weapons. Change yourself into any shape and summon whatever power you have, whether in courage or in skill: choose to reach the high stars on wings or to imprison and hide youself in the caverns of the Earth.' Turnus replied, shaking his head: 'Fierce man, your fiery words do not frighten me: the Gods frighten me and the enmity of Jupiter.'

Saying no more he caught sight of a huge rock, a huge ancient rock, which by chance was lying on the plain, set there as a landmark to settle a dispute about the fields. Twelve picked men could scarcely support that rock on their shoulders, men of such size as the Earth now produces; that hero seized it with hasty hands, and tried to hurl it at his enemy, rising up higher and rushing at full speed.

But he did not know himself as he ran nor as he advanced nor as he raised the huge rock in his hands, nor as he threw; his knees gave way, his blood was frozen icy with cold. Then even the stone of the man, sent spinning through empty space, neither travelled the whole distance nor did it drive home the blow. And as in a dream, when at night drowsy sleep has weighed down our eyes, we seem to try to urge forward our eager steps but in vain and in the midst of our efforts we sink feebly; our tongue has no power, our usual strength is not sufficient for our body and neither our voice nor words to follow our wishes.

So

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