arms in which Aurora's son had come to battle; now what Diomede's steeds were like; now how great was Achilles. 'Or rather, gentle guest,' cries she, 'tell us the story from the very first-all about the stratagems of the Danaans, and the sad fate of your country, and your own wanderings—for 'this is now the seventh summer that is wafting you a wanderer still over every land and wave.'

BOOK II.

EVERY tongue was hushed, and every eye fixed intently, when, from his high couch, father Æneas began thus:

'Too cruel to be told, great queen, is the sorrow you bid me revive-how the power of Troy and its empire met with piteous overthrow from the Danaans-the heartrending sights which my own eyes saw, and the scenes where I had a large part to play. Who, in such recital-he he of the Myrmidons or the Dolopes, or a soldier of ruthless Ulysses' band-would refrain from tears? And now, too, night is rushing in dews down the steep of heaven, and the setting stars counsel repose. Still, if so great be your longing to acquaint yourself with our disasters, and hear the brief tale of Troy's last agony, though my mind shudders at the remembrance, and starts back in sudden anguish, I will essay the task.

'Broken by war and foiled by destiny, the chiefs of the Danaans, now that the flying years were numbering so many, build a horse of mountain size, by the inspiration of Pallas' skill, and interlace its ribs with planks of fir. A vow for their safe journey home is the pretext: such the fame that spreads. In this they secretly enclose chosen men of sinew, picked out by lot, in the depth of its sides, and fill every corner of those mighty caverns, the belly of the monster, with armed warriors.

'In sight of Troy lies Tenedos, an island of wide-spread renown, powerful and rich while Priam's empire yet was,

now a mere bay, a treacherous roadstead for ships.

Thus far they sail out, and hide themselves on the forsaken coast. We thought them gone off with a fair wind for Mycena. And so all Trojan land shakes off the agony of years. Open fly the gates; what pleasure to go and see the Dorian camp, and the places deserted, and the shore forsaken! Yes, here were the troops of the Dolopes; here the tent of that savage Achilles; here the ships were drawn up; here they used to set the battle in array. Some of us are standing agaze at the fatal offering to the virgin goddess, and wondering at the hugeness of the horse; and Thymotes takes the lead, urging to have it dragged within the walls, and lodged in the citadel, either with treasonable intent, or that the fate of Troy had begun to set that way. But Capys, and the men of saner judgment, bid us send this snare of the Danaans, this suspicious present, headlong into the sea, or light a fire under and burn it; or, if not that, tó pierce and probe that hollow womb that might hide so much. The populace, unstable as ever, divides off into opposite factions.

'Throwing himself before all, with a great crowd at his back, Laocoon, all on fire, comes running down the steep of the citadel, crying in the distance, "What strange madness is this, my unhappy countrymen? Think you that the enemy has sailed off, or that a Danaan could ever make a present that had no treachery in it? Is this your knowledge of Ulysses? Either the Achæans are shut up and hiding in this piece of wood, or it is an engine framed against our walls, to command the houses and come down on the city from above, or there is some other secret trick. Men of Troy, put no faith in the horse. Whatever it be, I fear a Greek even with a gift in his hand." With these words he hurled a mighty spear with all his force against the beast's side, the jointed arch of its belly. It lodged, and stood quivering; the

womb shook again, and an echo and a groan rang hollow from its caverns; and then, had but heaven's destiny and man's judgment been unwarped, he had led us to carry sword and havoc into the Argive lurking-place, and Troy would now be standing, and thou, Priam's tall fortress, still in being.

'Meanwhile, see! some Dardan shepherds are dragging with loud shouts before the king a young man with his hands tied behind him, who had thrown himself, a stranger, across their way, to compass this very thing, and thus let the Achæans into Troy-bold of heart, and ready for either issue, either to play off his stratagem, or to meet inevitable death. From all sides, in eager curiosity, the Trojan youth come streaming round, vying in their insults to the prisoner. Now then, listen to the tale of Danaan fraud, and from one act of guilt learn what the whole nation is. There as he stood, with all eyes bent on him, bewildered, defenceless, and looked round on the Phrygian bands, "Alas!" he cries, "where is there a spot of earth or sea that will give me shelter now? or what last resource is left for a wretch like me-one who has no place among the Danaans to hide my head-while the children of Dardanus no less are in arms against me, crying for bloody vengeance?" At that piteous cry our mood was changed, and every outrage checked. We encourage him to speak-to tell us what his parentage is; what his business; what he has to rest on as a prisoner. "All, my lord, shall be avowed to you truly, whatever be the issue. I will not deny that I am an Argive by nation; this to begin with. Nor if Fortune has made a miserable man out of Sinon, shall her base schooling make him deceiver and liar as well. If haply in talk your ears ever caught the name of Palamedes, of the house of Belus, and his wide-spread renown-his, whom under false accusation, an innocent man, charged by the blackest calumny, all because his voice was against the war, the Pelasgians

sent down to death, and now, when he is laid in darkness, lament him too late-know that it was as his comrade and near kinsman I was sent by a needy father to a soldier's life in earliest youth. While he stood with his royal state unimpaired, an honoured member of the kingly council, I, too, enjoyed my measure of name and dignity; but after the jealousy of false Ulysses-you know the tale-removed him from this upper cline-dashed from my height, I dragged on life in darkness and sorrow, and vented to my own heart my rage at the disaster of my innocent friend. Nor did I keep silence-madman that I was! No, if ever the chance were given me—if ever I came back with glory to my native Argos-I vowed myself his avenger, and my words stirred up bitter enmity. From that time my ruin began; from that time Ulysses was ever threatening me with some new charge, ever scattering abroad words of mystery, and looking for allies to plot with. Nor did he rest till by Calchas' agency-but why recall this unwelcome story with no end to gain? Why waste your time, if you hold all Achæans alike, and to hear that is to hear enough? Take the vengeance you should have taken long ago. It is just what would please the Ithacan, and earn a large reward from the sons of Atreus !"

'This makes us burn, indeed, to explore and inquire into the reason of his tale, not knowing that crime could be so monstrous, and Pelasgian art so cunning. He resumes, in faltering tones, spoken from his false heart :

"Often have the Danaans designed to turn their back on Troy and accomplish a retreat, and abandon the war that had wearied them so long; and would they had done it! As often has the fierce inclemency of the deep barred their purpose, and the south wind frightened them from sailing. Especially, when this horse was set up at last, a compacted mass of maple planks, the thunder of the storm-clouds was