He spake. The other, wise in guile and Greekish treachery, Both palms of his from bonds new-freed raised toward the stars above, And, 'O eternal fires!' he cried, 'O might that none may move, Bear witness now! ye altar-stones, ye wicked swords I fled, Ye holy fillets of the G.o.ds bound round my fore-doomed head, That I all hallowed Greekish rites may break and do aright, That I may hate the men and bring all hidden things to light If aught lie hid; nor am I held by laws my country gave!

But thou, O Troy, abide by troth, and well thy saviour save, 160 If truth I bear thee, if great things for great I pay thee o'er!

'All hope the Danaans had, all trust for speeding on the war On Pallas' aid was ever set: yet came a day no less When G.o.dless Diomed and he, well-spring of wickedness, Ulysses, brake the holy place that they by stealth might gain The fate-fulfilled Palladium, when, all the burg-guards slain, They caught the holy image up, and durst their b.l.o.o.d.y hands Lay on the awful G.o.ddess there and touch her holy bands: The flood-tide of the Danaan hope ebbed from that very day; Might failed them, and the G.o.ddess-maid turned all her heart away: 170 Token whereof Tritonia gave by portent none might doubt: Scarce was the image set in camp when suddenly flashed out Fierce fire from staring eyes of her, and salt sweat oozed and fell O'er all her limbs, and she from earth, O wonderful to tell!

Leapt thrice, still holding in her hand the quivering spear and shield: Then Calchas bade us turn to flight across the wavy field, Singing how ruin of Pergamos the Argive steel shall lack, Till Argos give the signs again, and we the G.o.d bring back In hollow of the curved keel across the tumbling main.

And this is why they sought their home, Mycenae's land, again, 180 And there they dight them arms and G.o.d, and presently unwares Will be on you across the sea--Calchas such doom declares.

So warned hereby for G.o.dhead's hurt, in stolen Palladium's stead, Atonement for their heavy guilt, this horse they fashioned.

But him indeed did Calchas bid to pile so mountain-high With such a might of mingled beams, and lead up to the sky, Lest it within the gates should come, or mid the walls, and lest Beneath their ancient Pallas-faith the people safe should rest.

For if upon Minerva's gift ye lay a G.o.dless hand, Then mighty ruin (and would to G.o.d before his face might stand 190 That ruin instead) on Priam's might, and Phrygian folk shall fall.

But if your hands shall lead it up within the city wall, Then Asia, free and willing it, to Pelops' house shall come With mighty war; and that same fate our sons shall follow home.'

Caught by such snares and crafty guile of Sinon the forsworn, By lies and lies, and tears forced forth there were we overborne; We, whom Tydides might not tame, nor Larissaean king Achilles; nor the thousand ships, and ten years' wearying.

But now another, greater hap, a very birth of fear, Was thrust before us wretched ones, our sightless hearts to stir. 200 Laoc.o.o.n, chosen out by lot for mighty Neptune's priest, Would sacrifice a mighty bull at altars of the feast; When lo, away from Tenedos, o'er quiet of the main (I tremble in the tale) we see huge coils of serpents twain Breasting the sea, and side by side swift making for the sh.o.r.e; Whose fronts amid the flood were strained, and high their crests upbore Blood-red above the waves, the rest swept o'er the sea behind, And all the unmeasured backs of them coil upon coil they wind, While sends the sea great sound of foam. And now the meads they gained, The burning eyes with flecks of blood and streaks of fire are stained, Their mouths with hisses all fulfilled are licked by flickering tongue. 211 Bloodless we flee the sight, but they fare steadfastly along Unto Laoc.o.o.n; and first each serpent round doth reach One little body of his sons, and knitting each to each, And winding round and round about, the unhappy body gnaws: And then himself, as sword in hand anigh for help he draws, They seize and bind about in coils most huge, and presently Are folded twice about his midst, twice round his neck they tie Their scaly backs, and hang above with head and toppling mane, While he both striveth with his hands to rend their folds atwain, 220 His fillets covered o'er with blood and venom black and fell, And starward sendeth forth withal a cry most horrible, The roaring of a wounded bull who flees the altar-horn And shaketh from his crest away the axe unhandy borne.

But fleeing to the shrines on high do those two serpents glide, And reach the hard Tritonia's house, and therewithin they hide Beneath the G.o.ddess' very feet and orbed shield of dread; Then through our quaking hearts indeed afresh the terror spread, And all men say Laoc.o.o.n hath paid but worthily For guilt of his, and hurt of steel upon the holy tree, 230 When that unhappy wicked spear against its flank he threw.

They cry to lead the image on to holy house and due, And Pallas' G.o.dhead to adore.

We break adown our rampart walls and bare the very town: All gird themselves unto the work, set wheels that it may glide Beneath his feet, about his neck the hempen bond is tied To warp it on: up o'er the walls so climbs the fateful thing Fruitful of arms; and boys about and unwed maidens sing The holy songs, and deem it joy hand on the ropes to lay.

It enters; through the city's midst it wends its evil way. 240 --O land! O Ilium, house of G.o.ds! O glorious walls of war!

O Dardan walls!--four times amidst the threshold of our door It stood: four times with sound of arms the belly of it rung; But heedless, maddened hearts and blind, hard on the ropes we hung, Nor but amidst the holy burg the monster's feet we stay.

And then Ca.s.sandra oped her mouth to tell the fateful day,-- Her mouth that by the G.o.ds' own doom the Teucrians ne'er might trow.

Then on this day that was our last we bear the joyous bough, Poor wretches! through the town to deck each G.o.dhead's holy place.

Meanwhile the heavens are faring round, night falls on ocean's face, 250 Enwrapping in her mighty shade all earthly things and sky, And all the guile of Myrmidons: silent the Teucrians lie Through all the town, and Sleep her arms o'er wearied bodies slips.

And now the Argive host comes forth upon its ordered ships From Tenedos, all hushed amid the kind moon's silent ways, Seeking the well-known strand, when forth there breaks the bale-fire's blaze On the king's deck: and Sinon, kept by G.o.ds' unequal fate, For Danaans hid in horse's womb undoes the piny gate In stealthy wise: them now the horse, laid open to the air, Gives forth again, and glad from out the hollow wood they fare; 260 Thessandrus, Sthenelus, the dukes, and dire Ulysses pa.s.s; Slipped down along a hanging rope, Thoas and Acamas, Peleian Neoptolemus, and Machaon the first, And Menelaus, and the man who forged the guile accursed, Epeos. Through the city sunk in sleep and wine they break, Slain are the guards, at gates all oped their fellows in they take, Till all their bands confederate are met at last in one.

It was the time when that first peace of sick men hath begun, By very gift of G.o.d o'er all in sweetest wise to creep, When Hector comes before mine eyes amid the dreams of sleep, 270 Most sorrowful to see he was, and weeping plenteous flood, And e'en as torn behind the car, black with the dust and blood, His feet all swollen with the thong that pierced them through and through.

Woe worth the while for what he was! How changed from him we knew!

The Hector come from out the fight in arms Achilles lost, The Hector that on Danaan decks the Phrygian firebrands tost.

Foul was his beard, and all his hair was matted up with gore, And on his body were the wounds, the many wounds he bore Around his Troy. I seemed in sleep, I weeping e'en as he, To speak unto the hero first in voice of misery: 280

'O Light of Troy, most faithful hope of all the Teucrian men, What stay hath held thee back so long? from what sh.o.r.e com'st thou then, Long-looked-for Hector? that at last, so many died away, Such toil of city, toil of men, we see thy face today, We so forewearied? What hath fouled in such an evil wise Thy cheerful face? what mean these hurts thou showest to mine eyes?'

Nought: nor my questions void and vain one moment turned his speech; Who from the inmost of his heart a heavy groan did reach: 'O G.o.ddess-born, flee forth,' he said, 'and s.n.a.t.c.h thee from the fire!

The foeman hath the walls, and Troy is down from topmost spire. 290 For Priam and for country now enough. If any hand Might have kept Pergamos, held up by mine it yet should stand.

Her holy things and household G.o.ds Troy gives in charge to thee; Take these as fellows of thy fate: go forth the walls to see, The great walls thou shalt build, when thou the sea hast wandered o'er.'

He spake, and from the inner shrine forth in his hands he bore Great Vesta, and the holy bands, and fire that never dies.

Meanwhile the city's turmoiled woe was wrought in diverse wise, And though my father's house aback apart from all was set, And hedged about with many trees, clearer and clearer yet 300 The sounds grew on us, ever swelled the weapons' dread and din.

I shake off sleep and forthwithal climb up aloft and win To topmost roof: with ears p.r.i.c.ked up I stand to hearken all.

As when before the furious South the driven flame doth fall Among the corn: or like as when the hill-flood rolls in haste To waste the fields and acres glad, the oxen's toil to waste, Tearing the headlong woods along, while high upon a stone The unready shepherd stands amazed, and hears the sound come on.

Then was their faith made manifest, then Danaan guile lay bare; Dephobus' wide house e'en now, o'ertopped by Vulcan's flare, Shows forth its fall; Ucalegon's is burning by its side: 310 The narrow seas Sigaeum guards gleam litten far and wide.

The shout of men ariseth now, and blaring of the horn, And mad, I catch my weapons up though idly they be borne; But burned my heart to gather folk for battle, and set forth Upon the burg in fellowship; for fury and great wrath Thrust on my heart: to die in arms, it seemed a good reward.

But lo, now Panthus newly slipped from 'neath the Achean sword, Panthus the son of Othrys, priest of Phoebus' house on high; His holy things and vanquished G.o.ds, his little lad thereby 320 He drags, and as a madman runs, to gain our doorway set.

'Panthus, how fares it at the worst? what stronghold keep we yet?'

Scarce had I said, when from his mouth a groan and answer fares:

'Troy's latest day has come on us, a tide no struggling wears: Time was, the Trojans were; time was, and Ilium stood; time was, And glory of the Teucrian folk! Jove biddeth all to pa.s.s To Argos now: in Troy afire the Danaans now are lords; The horse high set amidst the town pours forth a flood of swords, And Sinon, of the victors now, the flame is driving home High mocking: by the open gates another sort is come, 330 As many thousands as ere flocked from great Mycenae yet: Others with weapons ready dight the narrow ways beset, And ban all pa.s.sage; point and edge are glittering drawn and bare Ready for death: and scarcely now the first few gatewards dare The battle, and blind game of Mars a little while debate.'

Spurred by such speech of Othrys' son, and force of G.o.dhead great, Mid fire and steel I follow on as grim Erinnys shows, Where call the cries, where calls the shout that ever heavenward goes, Rhipeus therewith, and Epytus the mighty under shield, Dymas and Hypanis withal their fellowship now yield; 340 Met by the moon they join my side with young Coroebus; he The son of Mygdon, at that tide in Troy-town chanced to be; Drawn thither by Ca.s.sandra's love that burned within his heart.

So he to Priam service gave, and helped the Phrygian part: Unhappy! that the warning word of his G.o.d-maddened love He might not hearken on that day.

Now when I see them gathered so to dare the battle's pain, Thus I begin: 'O fellows fair, O hardy hearts in vain!

If now ye long to follow me who dares the utterance And certain end, ye see indeed what wise our matters chance. 350 The G.o.ds, who in the other days our lordship mighty made, Are gone from altar and from shrine: a town of flames ye aid.

Fall on a very midst the fire and die in press of war!

One hope there is for vanquished men, to cherish hope no more.'

Therewith the fury of their minds I feed, and thence away, As ravening wolves by night and cloud their bellies' l.u.s.t obey, That bitter-sharp is driving on, the while their whelps at home Dry-jawed await them, so by steel, by crowd of foes we come Into the very death; we hold the city's midmost street, Black night-tide's wings with hollow shade about our goings meet. 360

O ruin and death of that ill night, what tongue may set it forth!

Or who may pay the debt of tears that agony was worth!

The ancient city overthrown, lord for so many a year, The many bodies of the slain, that, moveless, everywhere Lie in the street, in houses lie, lie round the holy doors Of G.o.ds. But not alone that night the blood of Teucrians pours, For whiles the valour comes again in vanquished hearts to bide, And conquering Danaans fall and die: grim grief on every side, And fear on every side there is, and many-faced is death.

Androgeus, whom a mighty band of Danaans followeth, 370 First falleth on the road of us, and, deeming us to be His fellow-folk, in friendly words he speaketh presently:

'Haste on, O men! what sloth is this delayeth so your ways?

While others hand and haul away in Pergamos ablaze; What! fellows, from the lofty ships come ye but even now?'

But with the word, no answer had wherein at all to trow, He felt him fallen amid the foe, and taken in the snare; Then foot and voice aback he drew, and stood amazed there, As one who through the thicket thrusts, and unawares doth tread Upon a snake, and starts aback with sudden rush of dread 380 From gathering anger of the thing and swelling neck of blue: So, quaking at the sight of us, Androgeus backward drew.

But we fall on with serried arms and round their rout we crowd, And fell them knowing nought the place, and with all terror cowed: So sweet the breath of fortune was on our first handicraft.

But with good-hap and hardihood Coroebus' spirit laughed; 'Come, fellows, follow up,' he cries, 'the way that fortune shows This first of times, and where belike a little kind she grows.

Change we our shields, and do on us the tokens of the Greeks; Whether with fraud or force he play what man of foeman seeks, 390 Yea, these themselves shall give us arms.'

He spake, and forth did bear Androgeus' high-crested helm and shield emblazoned fair, And did it on, and Argive sword he girt unto his thigh: So Rhipeus did, and Dymas did, and all did joyously, And each man wholly armed himself with plunder newly won.

Then mingled with the Greeks we fare, and no G.o.d helps us on, And many a battle there we join amid the eyeless night, And many a Danaan send adown to Orcus from the light: Some fled away unto the ships, some to the safe sea-sh.o.r.e, 399 Or smitten with the coward's dread climbed the great horse once more And there they lie all close within the well-known womb of wood.

Alas! what skills it man to trust in G.o.ds compelled to good?

For lo, Ca.s.sandra, Priam's maid, with hair cast all about, From Pallas' house and innermost of holy place dragged out, And straining with her burning eyes in vain to heaven aloft; Her eyes, for they in bonds had bound her tender palms and soft.

Nought bore Coroebus' maddened mind to see that show go by, And in the middle of their host he flung himself to die, And all we follow and fall on with points together set.

And first from that high temple-top great overthrow we get 410 From weapons of our friends, and thence doth hapless death arise From error of the Greekish crests and armour's Greekish guise; Then crying out for taken maid, fulfilled thereat with wrath, The gathered Greeks fall in on us: comes keenest Ajax forth; The sons of Atreus, all the host of Dolopes are there:-- As whiles, the knit whirl broken up, the winds together bear And strive, the West wind and the South, the East wind glad and free With Eastland steeds; sore groan the woods; and Nereus stirs the sea From lowest deeps, and trident shakes, and foams upon the wave:-- They even to whom by night and cloud great overthrow we gave, 420 Through craft of ours, and drave about through all the town that while, Now show themselves, and know our shields and weapons worn for guile The first of all; our mouths unmeet for Greekish speech they tell Then o'er us sweeps the mult.i.tude; and first Coroebus fell By Peneleus before the Maid who ever in the fight Prevaileth most; fell Rhipeus there, the heedfullest of right Of all among the Teucrian folk, the justest man of men; The G.o.ds deemed otherwise. Dymas and Hypanis died then, Shot through by friends, and not a whit availed to cover thee, O Panthus, thine Apollo's bands or plenteous piety. 430 Ashes of Ilium, ye last flames where my beloved ones burned, Bear witness mid your overthrow my face was never turned From Danaan steel and Danaan deed! if fate had willed it so That I should fall, I earned my wage.

Borne thence away, we go Pelias and Iphitus and I; but Iphitus was spent By eld, and by Ulysses' hurt half halting Pelias went.

So unto Priam's house we come, called by the clamour there, Where such a mighty battle was as though none otherwhere Yet burned: as though none others fell in all the town beside.

There all unbridled Mars we saw, the Danaans driving wide 440 Against the house; with shield-roofs' rush the doors thereof beset.

The ladders cling unto the walls, men by the door-posts get Some foothold up; with shielded left they meet the weapons' rain, While on the battlements above grip with the right they gain.

The Dardans on the other side pluck roof and pinnacle From off the house; with such-like shot they now, beholding well The end anigh, all death at hand, make ready for the play: And gilded beams, the pomp and joy of fathers pa.s.sed away.

They roll adown, and other some with naked point and edge The nether doorways of the place in close arrayment hedge. 450 Blazed up our hearts again to aid this palace of a king, To stead their toil, to vanquished men a little help to bring.

A door there was, a secret pa.s.s into the common way Of all King Priam's houses there, that at the backward lay As one goes by: in other days, while yet the lordship was, Hapless Andromache thereby unto the twain would pa.s.s Alone, or leading to the king Astyanax her boy.

And thereby now I gain the tower, whence wretched men of Troy In helpless wise from out their hands were casting darts aloof.

There was a tower, a sheer hight down, builded from highest roof 460 Up toward the stars; whence we were wont on Troy to look adown, And thence away the Danaan ships, the Achaean tented town.

Against the highest stage hereof the steel about we bear, Just where the joints do somewhat give: this from its roots we tear, And heave it up and over wall, whose toppling at the last Bears crash and ruin, and wide away the Danaans are down cast Beneath its fall: but more come on: nor drift of stones doth lack, Nor doth all kind of weapon-shot at any while grow slack.

Lo, Pyrrhus in the very porch forth to the door doth pa.s.s Exulting; bright with glittering points and flashing of the bra.s.s; 470 --E'en as a snake to daylight come, on evil herbage fed, Who, swollen, 'neath the chilly soil hath had his winter bed, And now, his ancient armour doffed, and sleek with youth new found, With front upreared his slippery back he coileth o'er the ground Up 'neath the sun; his three-cleft tongue within his mouth gleams clear:-- And with him Periphas the huge, Achilles' charioteer, Now shield-bearer Automedon and all the Scyrian host Closed on the walls and on the roof the blazing firebrands tost.

Pyrrhus in forefront of them all catches a mighty bill, Beats in the hardened door, and tears perforce from hinge and sill 480 The brazen leaves; a beam hewn through, wide gaped the oak hard knit Into a great-mouthed window there, and through the midst of it May men behold the inner house; the long halls open lie; Bared is the heart of Priam's home, the place of kings gone by; And close against the very door all armed men they see.

That inner house indeed was mazed with wail and misery, The inmost chambers of the place an echoing hubbub hold Of women's cries, whose clamour smites the far-off stars of gold, And through the house so mighty great the fearful mothers stray, And wind their arms about the doors, and kisses on them lay. 490