638Then, as it chanced, long-haired Apollo, seated on a cloud in the region of the sky, was looking down on the Ausonian lines and the town, and he addresses the victorious Iulus with these words: 'A blessing on your new valour, boy: this is the way to the stars, son of gods and father of gods to be. 642Rightly all wars destined to come shall subside under the race of Assaracus, and Troy cannot contain you.' 644As he spoke these words he sent himself down from high heaven, parts the breathing breezes and makes for Ascanius. 646Then he changes the form of his face into old Butes; 647he had formerly been armour-bearer to Dardanian Anchises and faithful guardian at his door; then the father had made him a companion to Ascanius.
649Apollo went, like the old man in everything, his voice and complexion, his white hair and fiercely clanging arms, and addresses the eager Iulus with these words: 'Let it be enough, son of Aeneas, that Numanus has fallen to your arrows without harm to you; 654great Apollo grants you this first glory and does not grudge you arms equal to his: for the rest, boy, refrain from war.' 656Having spoken so, Apollo in mid-speech left mortal sight and vanished far from their eyes into thin air. 659The Dardanian chiefs recognised the god and his divine arrows, and heard his quiver rattle as he fled. 661So, at the words and will of Phoebus, they hold back Ascanius, eager for battle, and themselves return to the fight and send their lives into open dangers.
664A shout goes along the battlements of all the walls; they bend their keen bows and whirl their thongs. 666The whole ground is strewn with weapons; then shields and hollow helmets ring with the clash; the fight rises fierce: as great as the storm that, coming from the west when the Kids are rainy, lashes the ground, as thick as the hail with which the clouds rush down upon the waters, when Jupiter, bristling with south winds, whirls a watery storm and bursts the hollow clouds in the sky.