THE STORY OF ÆNEAS

I. THE FALL OF TROY

The Greeks besieged the city of Troy for nearly ten years. They could not take it because the walls were so high and strong - some said that they had been built by the hands of gods but they kept the 5 Trojans inside. This had not always been so. There had been a time when the Trojans had gone out and fought with their enemies on the plain, sometimes they had beaten them in battle, and once they had very nearly burnt their ships. But this was all changed. 10 They had lost some of the bravest of their chiefs, such

as Hector, the best of the sons of Priam, and Paris, the great archer, and many great princes who had come from the countries round about to help them.

We can easily believe then that Priam, King of Troy, 15 and his people were very glad to hear one day that the

Greeks had gone home. Two Trojans, who had left the city two weeks or so before on a message from King Priam to one of his allies, came back saying that they had gone to the camp of the Greeks and had found it 20 empty, and that there were no ships to be seen. Every one who was not too ill or too old to move about made all the haste they could to get out of the city. The

gates were opened wide for the first time during ten years; and men, women, men, women, and children hurried out to see the plain where so many battles had been fought, and the camp in which the enemy had lived, and the place where the ships had been dragged up on the s shore. As you may suppose, those who had fought in the battles had a great deal to say about what they had done and what they had seen.

There were many things to see, but the strangest one of all was a great Horse of Wood, which was stand-10 ing not far from the walls of the city. No one was quite sure what it was, or what it meant. One man said: "It is a very curious thing. Let us drag it into the city that it may be a monument of all that we have suffered for the last ten years." Others said: 15 "Not so; we had better burn it, or drag it down to the sea that the water may cover it, or cut it open to see whether there is anything inside."

Of these no one was more vehement than Laocoön, priest of Neptune. "Take heed what you do, men 20 of Troy," he cried. "Who knows whether the Greeks have really gone away? It may be that there are armed men inside this Horse; it may be that it has been made so big to overtop the walls of the city. Anyhow I am afraid of these Greeks, even when they give us gifts.”25 And as he spoke, he threw the spear which he had in his hand at the Horse of Wood, and struck it on the

side. A great rattling sound was heard, and the Trojans, if they had not been very blind and foolish, might have known that there was something wrong.

While the dispute was going on, some shepherds 5 came up, bringing with them a man whose hands were bound behind his back. He said that his name was Sinon, and he pretended to the Trojans that he had escaped from the Greeks, who had intended him for a sacrifice to appease the gods that they might have safe 10 return to their homes.

Then King Priam had pity on him and bade them unbind his hands, saying, "Forget your own people; from to-day you are one of us. But tell us why the Greeks made this great Horse of Wood."

15 Sinon lifted his hands and said, "Know, then, O King Priam, the Horse of Wood is a peace offering to Minerva. The Greeks have made it so large in order that the Trojans may not receive it into their gates. For once within the walls of Troy, the image will 20 bring safety to the city and woe to the Greeks."

This was the tale that Sinon told, and the Trojans believed it. Nor is this to be wondered at, because the gods themselves took part in deceiving them. For while Laocoön, the priest of Neptune, the same that 25 had thrown his spear at the Horse, was sacrificing a bull on the altar of his god, two great serpents came across the sea from a certain island that was near.

All the Trojans saw them come, with their heads raised high above the water, as is the way of snakes to swim. And when they reached the land they came on straight to the city. Their eyes were red with blood, and blazed like fire, and they made a dreadful 5 hissing with their tongues. The Trojans grew pale with fear, and fled. But the serpents did not turn this way or that, but came straight to the altar at which Laocoön stood, with his two sons by him. And one serpent laid hold on one of the boys, and the other 10 on the other, and they began to devour the childrenThen the father picked up a sword, and tried to help his sons, but the serpents caught hold of him, and wound their foils round him. Twice did they wind themselves round his body and his neck, and their 15 heads stood high above his head. And he still tried as hard as he could to tear them away with his hands, and the garlands which he bore, being a priest, dripped with blood. And when the serpents had done their work, and both the priest and his sons were dead, then 20 they glided to the hill on which stood the Temple of Minerva, and hid themselves under the feet of the image. When the Trojans saw this, they said to themselves: "Now, Laocoön has suffered the due reward of his deeds, for he threw the spear at the holy 25 thing which belongs to the goddess, and now he is dead and his sons with him."

Then they all cried out together that the Horse of Wood should be drawn into the citadel. So they opened the great gate of the city, pulling down part of the wall that there might be more room, and they 5 put rollers under the feet of the Horse, and they fastened ropes to it. Then they drew it into the city, boys

and girls laying hold of the ropes, and singing songs with great joy. And every one thought it a great thing if he could put his hand to a rope. But there 10 was not wanting signs of evil to come. Four times did the Horse halt as they dragged it, before it passed through the gate, and each time there might have been heard a great clashing of arms within. Also Cassandra