O more than madmen! you yourselves shall bear The guilt of blood and sacrilegious war:
Thou, Turnus, shalt atone it by thy fate, And pray to Heav'n for peace, but pray too late.
For me, my stormy voyage at an end, I to the port of death securely tend.
The fun'ral pomp which to your kings you pay, Is all I want, and all you take away."He said no more, but, in his walls confin'd, Shut out the woes which he too well divin'd Nor with the rising storm would vainly strive, But left the helm, and let the vessel drive.
A solemn custom was observ'd of old, Which Latium held, and now the Romans hold, Their standard when in fighting fields they rear Against the fierce Hyrcanians, or declare The Scythian, Indian, or Arabian war;Or from the boasting Parthians would regain Their eagles, lost in Carrhae's bloody plain.
Two gates of steel (the name of Mars they bear, And still are worship'd with religious fear)Before his temple stand: the dire abode, And the fear'd issues of the furious god, Are fenc'd with brazen bolts; without the gates, The wary guardian Janus doubly waits.
Then, when the sacred senate votes the wars, The Roman consul their decree declares, And in his robes the sounding gates unbars.
The youth in military shouts arise, And the loud trumpets break the yielding skies.
These rites, of old by sov'reign princes us'd, Were the king's office; but the king refus'd, Deaf to their cries, nor would the gates unbar Of sacred peace, or loose th' imprison'd war;But hid his head, and, safe from loud alarms, Abhorr'd the wicked ministry of arms.
Then heav'n's imperious queen shot down from high:
At her approach the brazen hinges fly;
The gates are forc'd, and ev'ry falling bar;And, like a tempest, issues out the war.
The peaceful cities of th' Ausonian shore, Lull'd in their ease, and undisturb'd before, Are all on fire; and some, with studious care, Their restiff steeds in sandy plains prepare;Some their soft limbs in painful marches try, And war is all their wish, and arms the gen'ral cry.
Part scour the rusty shields with seam; and part New grind the blunted ax, and point the dart: