Mamilius smote Herminius 505
    Through head-piece and through head;
  And side by side those chiefs of pride
    Together fell down dead. 
  Down fell they dead together
    In a great lake of gore; 510
  And still stood all who saw them fall
    While men might count a score.

[Mamilius’ charger dashes off to Tusculum, Black Auster remains by his master’s body.  Titus attempts to mount him, but is slain by Aulus the Dictator.]

  XXIX

  Fast, fast, with heels wild spurning,
    The dark-grey charger fled: 
  He burst through ranks of fighting men; 515
    He sprang o’er heaps of dead. 
  His bridle far out-streaming,
    His flanks all blood and foam,
  He sought the southern mountains,
    The mountains of his home. 520
  The pass was steep and rugged,
    The wolves they howled and whined;
  But he ran like a whirlwind up the pass,
    And he left the wolves behind. 
  Through many a startled hamlet 525
    Thundered his flying feet;
  He rushed through the gate of Tusculum,
    He rushed up the long white street;
  He rushed by tower and temple,
    And paused not from his race 530
  Till he stood before his master’s door
    In the stately market-place. 
  And straightway round him gathered
    A pale and trembling crowd,
  And when they knew him, cries of rage 535
    Brake forth, and wailing loud: 
  And women rent their tresses
    For their great prince’s fall;
  And old men girt on their old swords,
    And went to man the wall. 540

  XXX

  But, like a graven image,
    Black Auster kept his place,
  And ever wistfully he looked
    Into his master’s face. 
  The raven-mane that daily, 545
    With pats and fond caresses,
  The young Herminia washed and combed,
    And twined in even tresses,
  And decked with coloured ribands
    From her own gay attire, 550
  Hung sadly o’er her father’s corpse
    In carnage and in mire. 
  Forth with a shout sprang Titus,
    And seized Black Auster’s rein. 
  Then Aulus sware a fearful oath, 555
    And ran at him amain. 
  “The furies of thy brother[53]
    With me and mine abide,
  If one of your accursed house
    Upon black Auster ride!” 560
  As on an Alpine watch-tower
    From heaven comes down the flame,
  Full on the neck of Titus
    The blade of Aulus came: 
  And out the red blood spouted, 565
    In a wide arch and tall,
  As spouts a fountain in the court
    Of some rich Capuan’s[54] hall. 
  The knees of all the Latines
    Were loosened with dismay 570
  When dead, on dead Herminius,
    The bravest Tarquin lay.