367Meanwhile horsemen sent ahead from the Latin city, while the rest of the legion waits drawn up on the plains, were coming and bringing answers to King Turnus, three hundred, all bearing shields, under the command of Volcens. 371And now they were nearing the camp and coming up under the walls, when they see these two in the distance, turning off by a path to the left, and the helmet betrayed the heedless Euryalus in the dim shadow of night, and gleamed as it caught the rays. 375It was not seen in vain. 375Volcens shouts from the column: 'Halt, men. 376What is the reason for your journey? 376Or who are you in arms?
377Or where are you heading?' 377They offer nothing in reply, but hasten their flight into the woods and trust to the night. 379The horsemen place themselves at the familiar crossways on either side, and ring every exit with guards. 381There was a wood, spreading wide, rough with thickets and dark holm-oak, which dense briars had filled on every side; 383here and there a path glimmered through the hidden tracks. 384The darkness of the branches and the heavy plunder hamper Euryalus, and fear misleads him in the direction of the paths; 386Nisus gets away, and now, unthinking, had escaped the enemy and the place later called Alban from the name of Alba (then King Latinus kept tall stables there), when he stopped and looked back in vain for his absent friend.
390'Unhappy Euryalus, in what region have I left you? 391Or where shall I follow, retracing again the whole tangled path of the deceptive wood?' 392At the same time he picks out and follows his footprints backwards and wanders among the silent thickets. 394He hears horses, hears the noise and signals of the pursuers. 395Nor was it long before a shout reaches his ears and he sees Euryalus, whom now, betrayed by the place and the night and confused by the sudden uproar, the whole band has overpowered and is dragging away, as he struggles much in vain. 399What is he to do? 399With what force, with what arms is he to dare to rescue the young man?
400Or should he hurl himself to die in the midst of the swords and hasten to a glorious death through wounds? 402Quickly drawing back his arm and poising his spear, looking up at the high Moon, he prays thus aloud: 'You, goddess, you be present and help our labour, glory of the stars and Latona's daughter, guardian of the groves. 406If ever my father Hyrtacus brought any gifts to your altars on my behalf, if I myself have added any from my hunting, or hung them in your dome or fixed them to your sacred roof, let me throw this throng into confusion, and guide my weapons through the air.' 410He had spoken, and straining with his whole body he hurls the steel: the flying spear lashes through the shadows of the night and strikes the back of Sulmo, who was turned away, and there it breaks, and passes through his heart with the splintered wood.
414He rolls over, vomiting a warm stream from his breast, cold now, and his flanks heave with long gasps. 416They look round in all directions. 416Look! The same man, the fiercer for this, was poising another weapon from the tip of his ear. 418While they panic, the spear goes whistling through both temples of Tagus, and stuck, warm, in the pierced brain.