"Caught in his den, the startled monster strove, With uncouth bellowing, to elude the light.
With darts Alcides plies him from above, Huge trunks and millstones seizing for the fight, Hard pressed at length, and desperate for flight, Black smoke he vomits, wondrous to be told, That shrouds the cavern, and obscures the sight, And, denser than the night, around his hold Thick darkness, mixt with fire, and smothering fumes are rolled.
XXXIV.

"Scorn filled Alcides, and his wrath outbroke, And through the fire, indignant, with a bound He dashes, where thickest rolled the cloud of smoke, And in black vapours all the cave was drowned.
Here, vomiting his idle flames, he found Huge Cacus in the darkness.

Like a thread He twists him--chokes him--pins him to the ground, The strangled eyeballs starting from his head; Blood leaves the blackened throat, the giant form lies dead.
XXXV.

"Then suddenly, as back the doors are torn, The gloomy den stands open, and the prey, The stolen oxen, and the spoils forsworn, Are bared to heaven, and by the heels straightway He drags the grisly carcase to the day.
All, thronging round, with hungry gaze admire The monster.

Lost in wonder and dismay They mark the eyes, late terrible with ire, The face, the bristly breast, the jaw's extinguished fire.
XXXVI.