Aeneid

thenceforth, I say, the courage of the Greeks

ebbed utterly away; their strength was Iost,

and favoring Pallas all her grace withdrew.

No dubious sign she gave. Scarce had they set

her statue in our camp, when glittering flame

flashed from the staring eyes; from all its limbs

salt sweat ran forth; three times (O wondrous tale!)

it gave a sudden skyward leap, and made

prodigious trembling of her lance and shield.

The prophet Calchas bade us straightway take

swift flight across the sea; for fate had willed

the Trojan citadel should never fall

by Grecian arm, till once more they obtain

new oracles at Argos, and restore

that god the round ships hurried o'er the sea.

Now in Mycenae, whither they are fled,

new help of heaven they find, and forge anew

the means of war. Back hither o'er the waves

they suddenly will come. So Calchas gave

the meaning of the god. Warned thus, they reared

in place of Pallas, desecrated shrine

yon image of the horse, to expiate

the woeful sacrilege. Calchas ordained

that they should build a thing of monstrous size

of jointed beams, and rear it heavenward,

so might it never pass your gates, nor come

inside your walls, nor anywise restore

unto the Trojans their lost help divine.

For had your hands Minerva's gift profaned,

a ruin horrible—O, may the gods

bring it on Calchas rather!—would have come

on Priam's throne and all the Phrygian power.

But if your hands should lift the holy thing

to your own citadel, then Asia's host

would hurl aggression upon Pelops' land,

and all that curse on our own nation fall.”

Thus Sinon's guile and practiced perjury

our doubt dispelled. His stratagems and tears

wrought victory where neither Tydeus' son,

nor mountain-bred Achilles could prevail,

nor ten years' war, nor fleets a thousand strong.

But now a vaster spectacle of fear

burst over us, to vex our startled souls.

Laocoon, that day by cast of lot

priest unto Neptune, was in act to slay

a huge bull at the god's appointed fane.

Lo! o'er the tranquil deep from Tenedos

appeared a pair (I shudder as I tell)

of vastly coiling serpents, side by side,

stretching along the waves, and to the shore

taking swift course; their necks were lifted high,

their gory dragon-crests o'ertopped the waves;

all else, half seen, trailed low along the sea;

while with loud cleavage of the foaming brine

their monstrous backs wound forward fold on fold.

Soon they made land; the furious bright eyes

glowed with ensanguined fire; their quivering tongues

lapped hungrily the hissing, gruesome jaws.

All terror-pale we fled. Unswerving then

the monsters to Laocoon made way.

First round the tender limbs of his two sons

each dragon coiled, and on the shrinking flesh

fixed fast and fed. Then seized they on the sire,

who flew to aid, a javelin in his hand,

embracing close in bondage serpentine

twice round the waist; and twice in scaly grasp

around his neck, and o'er him grimly peered

with lifted head and crest; he, all the while,

his holy fillet fouled with venomous blood,

tore at his fetters with a desperate hand,

and lifted up such agonizing voice,

as when a bull, death-wounded, seeks to flee

the sacrificial altar, and thrusts back

from his doomed head the ill-aimed, glancing blade.

then swiftly writhed the dragon-pair away

unto the templed height, and in the shrine

of cruel Pallas sure asylum found

beneath the goddess' feet and orbed shield.

Such trembling horror as we ne'er had known

seized now on every heart. “ Of his vast guilt

Laocoon,” they say, “receives reward;

for he with most abominable spear

did strike and violate that blessed wood.

Yon statue to the temple! Ask the grace

of glorious Pallas!” So the people cried

in general acclaim.Ourselves did make

a breach within our walls and opened wide

the ramparts of our city. One and all

were girded for the task. Smooth-gliding wheels

were 'neath its feet; great ropes stretched round its neck,

till o'er our walls the fatal engine climbed,

pregnant with men-at-arms. On every side

fair youths and maidens made a festal song,

and hauled the ropes with merry heart and gay.

So on and up it rolled, a tower of doom,

and in proud menace through our Forum moved.

O Ilium, my country, where abode

the gods of all my sires! O glorious walls

of Dardan's sons! before your gates it passed,

four times it stopped and dreadful clash of arms