The Aeneid

    When thus began the heroic guest：

    'Too cruel， lady， is the pain

    You bid me thus revive again；

    How lofty Ilium's throne august

    Was laid by Greece in piteous dust，

    The woes³ I saw with these sad eyne，

    The deeds whereof large part was mine：

    What Argive， when the tale were told，

    What Myrmidon of sternest mould，

    What foe⁴ from Ithaca could hear，

    And grudge⁵ the tribute of a tear？

    Now dews precipitate⁶ the night，

    And setting stars to rest invite：

    Yet， if so keen your zeal⁷ to know

    In brief the tale of Troy's last woe²，

    Though memory shrinks with backward start，

    And sends a shudder⁸ to my heart，

    I take the word.

    Worn down by wars，

    Long beating 'gainst Fate's dungeon-bars，

    As year kept chasing year，

    The Danaan chiefs， with cunning given

    By Pallas， mountain-high to heaven

    A giant horse uprear，

    And with compacted beams of pine

    The texture⁹ of its ribs¹⁰ entwine.

    A vow¹¹ for their return they feign¹²：

    So runs the tale， and spreads amain.

    There in the monster's cavernous side

    Huge frames of chosen chiefs they hide，

    And steel-clad soldiery finds room

    Within that death-producing womb.

    An isle¹³ there lies in Ilium's sight，

    And Tenedos its name，

    While Priam's fortune yet was bright，

    Known for its wealth to fame：

    Now all has dwindled¹⁴ to a bay，

    Where ships in treacherous¹⁵ shelter stay.

    Thither¹⁶ they sail， and hide their host

    Along its desolated¹⁷ coast.

    We thought them to Mycen？ flown，

    And rescued Troy forgets to groan¹⁸.

    Wide stand the gates： what joy to go

    The Dorian camp to see，

    The land disburthened of the foe，

    The shore from vessels¹⁹ free！

    There pitched Thessalia's squadron， there

    Achilles' tent was set：

    There， drawn²⁰ on land， their natives were，

    And there the battle met.

    Some on Minerva's offering gaze，

    And view its bulk with strange amaze：

    And first Thym？tes loudly calls

    To drag the steed within our walls，

    Or by suggestion from the foe，

    Or Troy's ill fate had willed it so.

    But Capys and the wiser kind

    Surmised²¹ the snare²² that lurked²³ behind：

    To drown it in the whelming tide，

    Or set the fire-brand to its side，

    Their sentence is： or else to bore

    Its caverns²⁴， and their depths explore.

    In wild confusion sways the crowd：

    Each takes his side and all are loud.

    Girt with a throng²⁵ of Ilium's sons，

    Down from the tower Laocoon runs，

    And， 'Wretched countrymen，' he cries，

    'What monstrous²⁷ madness blinds your eyes？

    Think you your enemies removed？

    Come presents without wrong

    From Danaans？ have you thus approved

    Ulysses， known so long？

    Perchance-who knows？-the bulk we see

    Conceals²⁸ a Grecian enemy，

    Or 'tis a pile to o'erlook the town，

    And pour from high invaders²⁹ down，

    Or fraud lurks³⁰ somewhere to destroy：

    Mistrust， mistrust it， men of Troy！

    Whate'er it be， a Greek I fear，

    Though presents in his hand he bear.'

    He spoke³¹， and with his arm's full force

    Straight at the belly³² of the horse

    His mighty³³ spear he cast：

    Quivering it stood： the sharp rebound³⁴

    Shook the huge monster： and a sound

    Through all its caverns passed.

    And then， had fate our weal designed

    Nor given us a perverted³⁵ mind，

    Then had he moved us to deface

    The Greeks' accursed lurking-place，

    And Troy had been abiding³⁶ still，

    And Priam's tower yet crowned the hill.

    Now Dardan swains before the king

    With clamorous³⁷ demonstration³⁸ bring，

    His hands fast bound， a youth unknown，

    Across their casual pathway thrown

    By cunning purpose of his own，

    If so his simulated speech

    For Greece the walls of Troy might breach³⁹，

    Nerved by strong courage to defy

    The worst， and gain his end or die.

    The curious Trojans round him flock，

    With rival zeal a foe to mock.

    Now listen while my tongue declares

    The tale you ask of Danaan snares⁴⁰，

    And gather from a single charge

    Their catalogue of crimes at large.

    There as he stands， confused， unarmed，

    Like helpless innocence⁴¹ alarmed，

    His wistful eyes on all sides throws，

    And sees that all around are foes⁴².

    'What land，' he cries， 'what sea is left，

    To hold a wretch²⁶ of country reft，

    Driven out from Greece while savage⁴³ Troy

    Demands my blood with clamorous joy？'

    That anguish⁴⁴ put our rage to flight，

    And stayed each hand in act to smite⁴⁵：

    We bid him name and race declare，

    And say why Troy her prize should spare.

    Then by degrees he laid aside

    His fear， and presently replied：

    'Truth， gracious king， is all I speak，

    And first I own my nation Greek：

    No； Sinon may be Fortune's slave；

    She shall not make him liar⁴⁶ or knave⁴⁷.

    If haply to your ears e'er came

    Belidan Palamedes' name，

    Borne by the tearful voice of Fame，

    Whom erst， by false impeachment⁴⁸ sped，

    Maligned⁴⁹ because for peace he pled，

    Greece gave to death， now mourns him dead，-

    His kinsman⁵⁰ I， while yet a boy，

    Sent by a needy⁵¹ sire to Troy.

    While he yet stood in kingly state，

    'Mid brother kings in council great，

    I too had power： but when he died，

    By false Ulysses' spite belied

    （The tale is known）， from that proud height

    I sank to wretchedness and night，

    And brooded in my dolorous gloom

    On that my guiltless kinsman's doom

    Not all in silence； no， I swore，

    Should