Turnus: A Short Story

Juno hurries Iris down to Turnus, who’s seated by chance in a hallowed Glen. The messenger with rosy lips bestirred the king:” Turnus, your prayers have been answered at last. Aeneas and some of his men have left the camp to go to Palatine Hill and he’s arming the Tuscan countryside. Quick! Strike the camp while it is weak! Why hold back? Now’s the time for horses and chariots”. With that, she whisked away in a rainbow. Seeing her, he fell on his knees in astonishments raising his hands. “Isis, pride of the sky! Who has sped you down, swooping in form the clouds? Why this sudden radiance and brightness? I follow a sign so clear, whoever you are who calls me.” Inspired, he goes to the river edge, drew the pure water up and sprinkling in his hands, he weighed down the heaven with his prayers. Emboldened, he mustered his chariots, …show more content…
First a strange radiance flashed in all eyes and a cloud appearing out of dawn swept through the sky followed by the Goddess’s dancing troupes form Ida. Then an awesome voice descended through the air:” No frantic rush to defend my ships, you Trojans, no rising up in arms! Turnus can sooner burn the Ocean dry that burn these sacred pines of mine. Run free my ships! Run, you nymphs of the sea! Your mother commands you now! All at once, each vessel snapped and dived like dolphins to the depths of the sea then resurfaced as beautiful nymphs, sweeping out to the sea. The Rutulians shrank back in panic. Messapus himself was stunned, his stallion rearing, and the river roaring checked its currents, Tiber summoned his outflow backed from the sea. But dauntless Turnus never loses faith in his daring, he flares up even more, inflaming his men’s spirits: All these omens threaten the Trojans! Jove has swept away their trusted line of defense! No waiting for us! Now the open sea blocks the Trojans, no escape, and no hope. Those walls and ditches are but a flimsy barrier between