And now Iülus, having used his bow aforetime on beasts of the field only, now first drew it against a man, even against Numanus, who had to wife the sister of Turnus. For this Numanus, thinking himself to be some great one, stood in the front rank, and defied the men of Troy, saying, "Are ye not ashamed, ye that have already been twice conquered, now to be besieged again? What madness brought you to Italy? We are a hardy race, for our new-born babes are dipped in the stream, and our boys are hunters in the woods; and when we be men our hands are ever on the ploughshare or the sword, yea, and old age subdues us not, for when our hair is white yet do we cover it with the helmet. But ye with your mantles of purple and saffron, and sleeved tunics, and ribboned mitres, lovers of sleep and of the dance, ye men, nay rather ye women, of Phrygia, what do ye here?"
But the young Iülus endured not to hear such boasting. He fixed an arrow in his bow and drew the string, which was of horsehair, and ere he let fly, he cried to Jupiter, "Help me now, great Father, so will I bring, year by year, to thy temple a steer with gilded horns." And Jupiter heard, and thundered on the left hand. And now, together with the thunder, clanged the bow-string, sending death, and the arrow hissed in the air and smote Numanus through the head, even from temple to temple. "This is the answer that the twice-conquered men of Troy send thee." So cried the young Iülus, and all the people shouted for joy. And Apollo, where he sat in heaven and regarded the battle, spake, "Go thou on as thou beginnest, child and father of gods: 'tis thus that the race of Troy shall hereafter bring all wars to an end." Then he came down from heaven into the camp of Troy, and took upon himself the shape of the old man Butes: he had been aforetime the armour-bearer of Anchises, and now followed Iülus. And the god spake, saying, "It is enough that thou hast slain the boaster Numanus. The archer Apollo envieth thee not this glory. But tempt the battle no more." So saying he vanished out of their sight. But the chiefs knew him who he was, yea, and heard the rattle of his quiver as he departed. And they suffered not Iülus to draw his bow again. But all the more the battle raged along the walls.