725But the sower of men and gods sits high on the summit of Olympus watching this, not with unseeing eyes: the father rouses Tyrrhenian Tarchon to the cruel fight and stirs his anger with goads not gentle. 729So amid the slaughter and the yielding columns Tarchon rides on his horse and spurs on the squadrons with varied cries, calling each man by name, and rallies the routed to the battle. 732'What fear, O Tyrrhenians, never to feel shame, O sluggards for ever, what such cowardice has come into your hearts? 734A woman drives you scattering and routs these columns! 735To what end do we bear steel, why these useless weapons in our right hands?
736But you are not slow for Venus and night-time wars, or when the curved pipe of Bacchus has proclaimed the dances; wait for the feasts and the cups of a loaded table (this is your love, this your zeal) until the favouring soothsayer announces the sacrifice and a fat victim calls you into the deep groves!' 741So speaking he spurs his horse into the midst, ready to die himself too, and hurls himself wildly against Venulus, and tearing his enemy from his horse clasps him with his right arm and, spurred on with great force, carries him off held across his lap before him. 745A shout is raised to the sky, and all the Latins turned their eyes.
746Fiery Tarchon flies over the plain carrying arms and man; 747then he breaks off the iron from the tip of the man's own spear and searches for exposed parts, where he may deal a deadly wound; 749the other, struggling against him, holds the hand off from his throat and parries force with force. 751And as when a tawny eagle flying high carries off a snake it has seized, and has entwined its feet and clung with its talons, but the wounded serpent twists its winding coils and bristles with raised scales and hisses with its mouth, rearing up high; 755she no less presses her struggling prey with her hooked beak, and at the same time beats the air with her wings: just so Tarchon carries off his prey from the column of the Tiburtines in triumph.
758Following their leader's example and success, the Maeonians charge. 759Then Arruns, owed to the fates, circles swift Camilla, with his javelin and much cunning, ahead of her, and tests which chance is easiest. 762Wherever the maiden in her fury has borne herself through the midst of the column, there Arruns steals up and silently tracks her footsteps; 764where she returns victorious and brings back her foot from the enemy, there the young man stealthily turns his swift reins. 766These approaches and now those he tries, and roams the whole circuit on every side, and relentlessly shakes his unerring spear.