Book Vi. Canto Xliv. The Night Canto Xliv.: The Night. The lord of Light had sunk and set: Night came; the foeman struggled yet;And fiercer for the gloom of night Grew the wild fury of the fight.Scarce could each warrior's eager eye The foeman from the friend descry. 'Rkshas or Vnar? say;' cried each, And foe knew foeman by his speech. 'Why wilt thou fly? O warrior, stay: 'Turn on the foe, and rend and slay:' Such were the cries, such words of fear Smote through the gloom each listening ear.Each swarthy rover of the night Whose golden armour flashed with light,Showed like a towering hill embraced By burning woods about his waist. The giants at the Vnars flew,And ravening ate the foes they slew: With mortal bite like serpent's fang, The Vnars at the giants sprang,And car and steeds and they who bore The pennons fell bedewed with gore, No serried band, no firm arrayThe fury of their charge could stay Down went the horse and rider, down Went giant lords of high renown. Though midnight's shade was dense and dark,With skill that swerved not from the mark Their bows the sons of Raghu drew, And each keen shaft a chieftain slew.Uprose the blinding dust from meads Ploughed by the cars and trampling steeds,And where the warriors fell the flood Was dark and terrible with blood. Six giants 1b singled Rma out,And charged him with a furious shout Loud as the roaring of the sea When every wind is raging free. Six times he shot: six heads were cleft; Six giants dead on earth were left. Nor ceased he yet: his bow he strained,And from the sounding weapon rained A storm of shafts whose fiery glare Filled all the region of the air;And chieftains dropped before his aim Like moths that perish in the flame. Earth glistened where the arrows fell,As shines in autumn nights a dell Which fireflies, flashing through the gloom, With momentary light illume. But Indrajit, when Bli's son 2b The victory o'er the foe had won.Saw with a fury-kindled eye His mangled steeds and driver die; Then, lost in air, he fled the fight, And vanished from the victor's sight. The Gods and saints glad voices raised, And Angad for his virtue praised;And Raghu's sons bestowed the meed Of honour due to valorous deed. Compelled his shattered car to quit, Rage filled the soul of Indrajit, Who brooked not, strong by Brahm's grace Defeat from one of Vnar race.In magic mist concealed from view His bow the treacherous warrior drew,And Raghu's sons were first to feel The tempest of his winged steel.Then when his arrows failed to kill The princes who defied him still, He bound them with the serpent noose, 3b The magic bond which none might loose.Footnotes 460:1 I have omitted several of these single combats, as there is little variety in the details and each duel results in the victory of the Vnar or his ally.
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