in deed,[133] Megareus, the
offspring of Creon, of the race of the sown;[134] who will go forth from
the gates not a whit terrified at the noise of the mad snortings of the
horses; but, either by his fall will fully pay the debt of his nurture
to the land, or, having taken two men[135] and the city on the shield,
will garnish with the spoils the house of his father. Vaunt thee of
another, and spare me not the recital.

CH. I pray that this side may succeed, O champion of my dwellings! and
that with them it may go ill; and as they, with frenzied mind, utter
exceedingly proud vaunts against our city, so may Jove the avenger
regard them in his wrath.

MES. Another, the fourth, who occupies the adjoining gates of Onca
Minerva, stands hard by with a shout, the shape and mighty mould of
Hippomedon; and I shuddered at him as he whirled the immense orb, I mean
the circumference of his buckler--I will not deny it. And assuredly it
was not any mean artificer in heraldry who produced this work upon his
buckler, a Typhon, darting forth through his fire-breathing mouth dark
smoke, the quivering sister of fire, and the circular cavity of the
hollow-bellied shield hath been made farther solid with coils of
serpents. He himself, too, hath raised the war-cry; and, possessed by
Mars, raves for the onslaught, like a Thyiad,[136] glaring terror. Well
must we guard against the attack of such a man as this, for Terror is
already vaunting himself hard by our gates.

ET. In the first place, this Onca Pallas, who dwells in our suburbs,
living near the gates, detesting the insolence of the man, will drive
him off, as a noxious serpent from her young. And Hyperbius, worthy son
of OEnops, hath been chosen to oppose him, man to man, willing to
essay his destiny in the crisis of fortune; he is open to censure
neither in form, nor in spirit, nor in array of arm: but Mercury hath
matched them fairly; for hostile is the man to the man with whom he will
have to combat, and on their bucklers will they bring into conflict
hostile gods; for the one hath fire-breathing Typhon, and on the buckler
of Hyperbius father Jove is seated firm, flashing, with his bolt in his
hand; and never yet did any one know of Jove being by any chance
vanquished.[137] Such in good sooth is the friendship of the
divinities: we are on the side of the victors, but they on that of the
conquered, if at least Jove be mightier in battle than Typhon. Wherefore
'tis probable that the