ch. 21.2In a short time the Aborigines and Trojans became involved in war with
Turnus, the king of the Rutulians. Lavinia had been betrothed to him before the arrival of
Aeneas, and, furious at finding a stranger preferred to him, he declared war against both
Latinus and Aeneas. Neither side could congratulate themselves on the result of the battle;
the Rutulians were defeated, but the victorious Aborigines and Trojans lost their leader
Latinus. Feeling their need of allies, Turnus and the Rutulians had recourse to the
celebrated power of the Etruscans and Mezentius, their king, who was reigning at Caere, a
wealthy city in those days. From the first he had felt anything but pleasure at the rise of the
new city, and now he regarded the growth of the Trojan state as much too rapid to be safe
to its neighbours, so he welcomed the proposal to join forces with the Rutulians. To keep
the Aborigines from abandoning him in the face of this strong coalition and to secure their
being not only under the same laws, but also the same designation, Aeneas called both
nations by the common name of Latins. From that time the Aborigines were not behind the
Trojans in their loyal devotion to Aeneas. So great was the power of Etruria that the
renown of her people had filled not only the inland parts of Italy but also the coastal
districts along the whole length of the land from the Alps to the Straits of Messina. Aeneas,
however, trusting to the loyalty of the two nations who were day by day growing into one,
led his forces into the field, instead of awaiting the enemy behind his walls. The battle
resulted in favour of the Latins, but it was the last mortal act of Aeneas His tomb—
whatever it is lawful and right to call him— is situated on the bank of the Numicius. He is
addressed as Jupiter Indiges.
