Aen. 9.176Nīsus erat portae custōs, ācerrimus armīs,
Hyrtacidēs, comitem Aenēae quem mīserat Īda
vēnātrīx iaculō celerem levibusque sagittīs;Nisus was guard of the gate, most fierce in arms, son of Hyrtacus, whom Ida the huntress had sent as a companion to Aeneas, swift with the javelin and light arrows; Aen. 9.179it iūxtā comes Euryalus, quō pulchrior alter
180nōn fuit Aeneadum Trōiāna neque induit arma,
ōra puer prīma signāns intōnsā iuventā.beside him went his companion Euryalus, than whom no other of the Aeneadae was more handsome, nor any who put on Trojan armour, a boy whose unshaven cheeks showed the first bloom of youth. Aen. 9.182Hīs amor ūnus erat, pariterque in bella ruēbant:
tum quoque commūnī portam statiōne tenēbant.These two had one love, and side by side they rushed into battle: then too they were holding the gate on shared watch. Aen. 9.184Nīsus ait: Dīne hunc ardōrem mentibus addunt,
185Euryale, an sua cuique deus fit dīra cupīdō?Nisus says: 'Is it the gods who put this ardour into our minds, Euryalus, or does each man's fierce desire become his god?
Aen. 9.186Aut pugnam aut aliquid iamdūdum invādere magnum
mēns agitat mihi nec placidā contenta quiēteest.For a long while now my mind has been urging me to attempt either a fight or some great thing, and is not content with peaceful rest. Aen. 9.188Cernis, quae Rutulōs habeat fīdūcia rērum.You see what confidence in their fortunes holds the Rutulians. Aen. 9.189Lūmina rāra micant;Their lights glimmer here and there; Aen. 9.189somnō vīnōque solūtī
190prōcubuēre;loosened by sleep and wine, they lie sprawled; Aen. 9.190silent lātē loca: percipe porrō,
quid dubitem et quae nunc animō sententia surgat.far and wide the place is silent: hear further what I am pondering, and what plan now rises in my mind. Aen. 9.192Aenēān accīrī omnēs, populusque patrēsque,
exposcunt mittīque virōs, quī certa reportent.All, people and fathers alike, demand that Aeneas be summoned and that men be sent to bring back sure news. Aen. 9.194Sī tibi quae poscō prōmittunt (nam mihi factī
195fāma sat est), tumulō videor reperīre sub illō
posse viam ad mūrōs et moenia Pallantēa.If they promise what I ask for you (for the fame of the deed is enough for me), I think I can find beneath that mound a way to the walls and fortifications of Pallanteum.' Aen. 9.197Obstipuit magnō laudum percussus amōre
Euryalus;Euryalus was stunned, struck with a great love of glory; Aen. 9.198simul hīs ārdentem adfātur amīcum:
Mēne igitur socium summīs adiungere rēbus,
200Nīse, fugis?at once he addresses his ardent friend with these words: 'Do you then shun taking me as your comrade in this supreme venture, Nisus?
Aen. 9.200Sōlum tē in tanta perīcula mittam?Am I to send you alone into such great dangers? Aen. 9.201Nōn ita mē genitor, bellīs adsuētus Opheltēs,
Argolicum terrōrem inter Troiaeque labōrēs
sublātum ērudiit, nec tēcum tālia gessī,
magnanimum Aenēān et fāta extrēma secūtus:
205est hīc, est animus lūcis contemptor et istum
quī vītā bene crēdat emī, quō tendis, honōrem.Not so did my father Opheltes, used to wars, train me, raised amid the Argive terror and the toils of Troy, nor have I behaved so at your side, following great-hearted Aeneas and his utmost fortunes: here, here is a spirit that scorns the light, that thinks the honour you strive for well bought with a life.' Aen. 9.207Nīsus ad haec: Equidem dē tē nīl tāle verēbar
nec fās, nōn, ita mē referat tibi magnus ovantem
Iuppiter aut quīcumque oculīs haec aspicit aequīs.To this Nisus: 'Indeed I feared nothing of the kind about you, nor would it be right, no; so may great Jupiter, or whoever looks on these things with favouring eyes, bring me back to you in triumph. Aen. 9.210Sed sīquis, quae multa vidēs discrīmine tālī,
sīquis in adversum rapiat cāsusve deusve,
tē superesse velim;But if anything (and you see many such things in a crisis like this), if any chance or god should sweep me to ruin, I would want you to survive; Aen. 9.212tua vītā dignior aetās.your youth is more worthy of life.
Aen. 9.213Sit quī mē raptum pugnā pretiōve redēmptum
mandet humō solitā aut Sīqua id Fortūna vetābit,
215absentī ferat īnferiās decoretque sepulchrō.Let there be someone to commit me to the earth in the customary way, rescued from the battle or ransomed for a price, or, if some Fortune forbids that, to pay rites to me in my absence and honour me with a tomb. Aen. 9.216Neu mātrī miserae tantī sim causa dolōris,
quae tē sōla, puer, multīs ē mātribus ausa
persequitur magnī nec moenia cūrat Acestae,
Ille autem: Causās nēquīquam nectis inānīs,
220nec mea iam mūtāta locō sententia cēdit:
adcelerēmus, ait.Nor would I be the cause of such great grief to your poor mother, who alone of many mothers has dared to follow you, my boy, and cares nothing for the walls of great Acestes.' But he: 'In vain you weave empty excuses, nor does my resolve now change and give ground: let us hurry,' he says. Aen. 9.221Vigilēs simul excitat, illī
succēdunt servantque vices: statiōne relictā
ipse comes Nīsō graditur, rēgemque requīrunt.At once he rouses the sentries; they come up and take over the watch: leaving his post, he walks as Nisus' companion, and they go in search of the prince.