768It chanced that Chloreus, sacred to Cybelus and once a priest, was gleaming from afar, conspicuous in Phrygian arms, and spurring on a foaming horse, which a hide covered, sewn with gold, with bronze scales like plumage. 772He himself, resplendent in foreign dark-blue and purple, was shooting Gortynian arrows from a Lycian bow; 774golden was the bow on his shoulders and golden the helmet of the seer; 775then he had gathered his saffron cloak and its rustling linen folds into a knot with tawny gold, his tunic and the barbarian coverings of his legs embroidered with the needle. 778This man the maiden, whether to fix Trojan arms on temples or to parade herself, a huntress, in captured gold, was blindly pursuing, him alone out of the whole contest of battle, and recklessly through all the column she was burning with a woman's love of booty and spoils, when at last Arruns, seizing his moment, launches his spear from ambush and prays thus aloud to the gods above: 'Highest of gods, Apollo, guardian of holy Soracte, whom we worship first, for whom the pine-wood blaze is fed on the heap, and we, your worshippers, trusting in our devotion, plant our steps through the midst of the fire on the thick embers, grant, father, that this disgrace be wiped out by our arms, almighty one.
790I do not seek the armour or a trophy of the routed maiden or any spoils (my other deeds will bring me praise): so long as this dread plague falls struck down by my wound, I will return without glory to the cities of my fathers.'