123The Rutulians were stunned in their hearts; Messapus himself was terrified, his horses thrown into confusion; and the river hesitates, sounding hoarsely, and Tiberinus draws back his foot from the deep. 126But bold Turnus did not lose his confidence; 127he even raises their spirits with words, and even rebukes them: 'These portents are aimed at the Trojans; Jupiter himself has snatched from them their usual help; he did not wait for Rutulian weapons and fires. 130So the seas are pathless for the Teucrians, and there is no hope of flight: half the world has been taken from them. 132But the land is in our hands; so many thousands, the nations of Italy, bear arms.
133The fated answers of the gods, if the Phrygians boast of any, do not frighten me at all: enough has been granted to the fates and to Venus, in that the Trojans have touched the fields of fertile Ausonia. 136I too have my fates to set against theirs: to cut down with the sword an accursed race that has stolen my bride: that grief does not touch the sons of Atreus alone, nor is Mycenae alone allowed to take up arms. 140"But to have perished once is enough": then to have sinned once before should have been enough for them, hating now almost all womankind utterly. 142These men take heart from this trust in the rampart between us and the hindrance of the ditches, a slender margin from death.
144But have they not seen the walls of Troy, built by Neptune's hand, sink into the flames? 146But you, my chosen men, who among you is ready to breach the rampart with the sword and attack the panic-stricken camp with me? 148I have no need of Vulcan's arms, nor of a thousand ships, against the Teucrians; 149let all the Etruscans join them straight away as allies; let them not fear darkness and the cowardly theft of the Palladium, with the guards of the high citadel slain; nor shall we hide in the dark belly of a horse: in daylight, openly, I am resolved to ring their walls with fire. 154I shall make sure they do not think they are dealing with Danaans and Pelasgian youth, whom Hector held off until the tenth year.
156Now then, since the better part of the day is spent, for what remains, men, refresh your bodies, glad at your success, and be sure that battle is being prepared.' 159Meanwhile Messapus is given the task of blockading the gates with watches of sentries and ringing the walls with fires. 161Twice seven Rutulians are chosen to guard the walls with soldiers; 162but each of them is followed by a hundred young men, purple-crested and gleaming with gold. 164They run to and fro and take turns, and, stretched on the grass, indulge in wine and tip up bronze mixing-bowls. 166The fires blaze, and the watch spends the sleepless night in games.