hail rattles upon the house-tops.  AEneas now deemed it high time to put a stop to the combat, and called upon Dares, who indeed was quite overpowered, to yield.  His comrades led the beaten champion to the ships, with the blood flowing from his battered head and face, and on his behalf they took away the helmet and sword, leaving the bull to the conqueror.  Entellus, proud of his victory, laid hold of the animal, and exclaimed, “Behold, O chief, and you Trojans, from this what my strength once was, and also from what death you have saved Dares.”  With these words he smote the bull on the forehead with the cestus so mightily that the skull was battered in and the brute sank dead at his feet.

After this exciting competition came a more peaceful sport,—­a trial of skill with the bow.  A mast was planted on a sward, and to the top of it a living dove was secured by a cord.  This was the mark, and four archers came forward to contend for the prizes,—­Hippocooen, the brother of Nisus and one of AEneas’s dearest friends; Mnestheus, the winner of the second prize in the galley race; Eurytion, a brother of that Pandarus who was one of the most skillful archers that fought in the Trojan war, and who, after wounding Menelaus, was slain by Diomedes; and lastly, King Acestes himself.  Hippocooen shot first, and his arrow, whizzing past the fluttering dove, pierced the pole to which she was fastened.  This, though it did not hit the mark, was an excellent shot, and it won loud applause from the spectators.  Mnestheus next discharged his dart, taking a long and steady aim; but his arrow, instead of striking the bird, cut in two the cord by which she was fastened, and, spreading her wings, the dove at once flew away.  Instantly, however, Eurytion raised his bow, and shot with so true an aim that he struck the bird even in mid-flight, and brought her lifeless to the earth.  There was thus no longer a mark at which Acestes could aim; but notwithstanding he drew his bow and discharged a shaft high into the air.  And now a strange prodigy happened; for the arrow, soaring upward, took fire as it flew, and marked out a path of flame, till, being quite consumed, it vanished into the air.  This spectacle naturally excited the wonder and reverence of the assembled multitude; and AEneas, embracing Acestes, declared that the incident was an omen from the Gods awarding to him the first prize.  He therefore bestowed on him a splendid bowl, embossed with figures, which had once belonged to Anchises, nor did the other competitors dispute the justice of the decision.

But the games were not yet ended.  The Trojan chief had prepared a closing spectacle as a surprise for the spectators.  He sent a messenger to summon Ascanius, and in the mean time ordered a large space of ground to be cleared.  Then suddenly his son entered on horseback at the head of a numerous company,—­all the youths of the expedition.  They were attired alike, with garlands on their heads and circles of