Series 1 > Grameid: an heroic poem descriptive of the campaign of Viscount Dundee in 1689, and other pieces

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PANURGI PHILOCABALLI [568-592
Transilit et colles, et montes circuit altos,
Accessusque omnes superat, campumque tenebat
Surgentem unde omnem late est prospectus ad urbem.
Quatuor hie juvenes ferventi sanguine venas
Inflati, rigidum gaudent accendere Martem,
Sublimesque in equis inimica lacessere castra,
Aggressi ducis imperio non ante rogato,
Ad portas magno incurrunt hostesque fatigant
Clamore, et rapidum sclopeta rotantia plumbum
Immittunt, clausasque vocant in praelia turmas.
Illi intus septi muris et turribus altis
Defensi, sat iniqua viris responsa remittunt.
Horum unum longe torquentes glande petitum
Sulphurea juvenem sternunt, et pectora dura
Transadigunt plumbo ; ille accepto cernuus ictu
Concidit in terram, moribundus et arva cruentat.
Dundius at tonitru ignivomae succensus acuto
Bombardae, hostiles credens instare cohortes,
Bellica signa movet, properansque adventat ad urbem
Et campum tenet, atque aciem simul instruit arvis.
Ipse duces longeque incessit in urbe morantes
Increpitans, portasque ingens rapit agmen ad altas.
Utque in conspectu expansis apparuit alis
Prima acies, cumulo glomerantur et agmina denso,
Panicus infidam subito tremor occupat urbem,
the hills, and made himself master of all the approaches, he occu¬
pied a high tableland, from which all the town could be seen.
Now four hot-blooded youths on horseback, thinking to provoke a
battle, without orders from their commanders advance to the
hostile garrison, to the very gates, firing their pistols and chal¬
lenging the beleaguered enemy. Those within, defended by
walls and towers, send an answer sufficiently hostile. They
prostrate one of their challengers with a volley from a distance,
and pierce his breast with the hard lead. He falls to the earth,
and, dying, stains the plain with his blood. But Dundee, aroused
by the sharp thunder of guns, thinking that the enemy were
approaching, moves his force, and hastens towards the city. He
holds the plain, and forms in order of battle. He himself
advances, contemning the leaders for dallying so long within the
city, and leads his line to the high gates. But when the force
appeared, with its centre massed and wings extended, a sudden
panic seized the faithless town, and fear and trembling held both