Aen. 5.545At pater Aenēās, nōndum certāmine missō,
custōdem ad sēsē comitemque impūbis Iūlī
Epytidēn vocat, et fīdam sīc fātur ad aurem:
Vāde age, et Ascaniō, sī iam puerīle parātum
agmen habet sēcum, cursūsque īnstrūxit equōrum,
550dūcat avō turmās, et sēsē ostendat in armīs,
dīc ait.But father Aeneas, the contest not yet finished, calls to him Epytides, guardian and companion of young Iulus, and speaks thus into his faithful ear: 'Go now, and tell Ascanius, if he now has his troop of boys ready with him and has arranged the horses' manoeuvres, to lead out his squadrons in honour of his grandfather, and show himself in arms,' he says. Aen. 5.551Ipse omnem longō dēcēdere circō
īnfūsum populum, et campōs iubet esse patentēs.He himself orders all the people who had flooded in to withdraw from the long course, and the field to be left open. Aen. 5.553Incēdunt puerī, pariterque ante ōra parentum
frēnātīs lūcent in equīs, quōs omnis euntēs
555Trīnacriae mīrāta fremit Troiaeque iuventūs.The boys advance, and evenly, before their parents' eyes, shine on bridled horses; as they pass, all the youth of Sicily and Troy murmur in admiration.
Aen. 5.556omnibus in mōrem tōnsā coma pressa corōnā;on all, the hair is pressed, as custom is, with a trimmed garland; Aen. 5.557cornea bīna ferunt praefīxa hastīlia ferrō;they carry two cornel-wood spears tipped with iron; Aen. 5.558pars levīs umerō pharetrās;some have light quivers on their shoulders; Aen. 5.558it pectore summō
flexilis obtortī per collum circulus aurī.a pliant circlet of twisted gold runs round the neck at the top of the chest. Aen. 5.560Trēs equitum numerō turmae, ternīque vagantur
ductōrēs: puerī bis sēnī quemque secūtī
agmine partītō fulgent paribusque magistrīs.Three troops of horsemen in number, and three leaders ride about: each followed by twice six boys, they shine in divided column with matching captains. Aen. 5.563Ūna aciēs iuvenum, dūcit quam parvus ovantem
nōmen avī referēns Priamus,—tua clāra, Polītē,
565prōgeniēs, auctūra Italōs,—quem Thrācius albīs
portat equus bicolor maculīs, vestīgia prīmī
alba pedis frontemque ostentāns arduus albam.One line of young men, exulting, is led by little Priam, bearing his grandfather's name—your famous offspring, Polites, destined to increase the Italians—whom a Thracian horse carries, piebald with white spots, showing white pasterns on his forefeet and a white forehead held high.
Aen. 5.568Alter Atys, genus unde Atiī dūxēre Latīnī,
parvus Atys, puerōque puer dīlēctus Iūlō.The second is Atys, from whom the Latin Atii have drawn their line, little Atys, a boy beloved by the boy Iulus. Aen. 5.570Extrēmus, fōrmāque ante omnīs pulcher, Iūlus
Sīdōniō est invectus equō, quem candida Dīdō
esse suī dederat monumentum et pignus amōris.Last, and beautiful in looks above all, Iulus rode on a Sidonian horse, which radiant Dido had given him as a memorial of herself and a pledge of her love. Aen. 5.573Cētera Trīnacriī pūbēs seniōris Acestae
fertur equīs.The rest of the youth ride on the horses of old Sicilian Acestes.