O thou, my country of Troy, no longer shall thou be called the city of the
invincible, such a cloud of Grecians envelops thee, with the spear, with
the spear having destroyed thee. And thou hast been shorn of thy crown of
turrets, and thou hast been discolored by the dismal blackness of smoke;
hapless city, no longer shall I tread my steps in thee.
In the midnight hour I perished, when after the feast sweet sleep is
scattered over the eyes. And my husband, from the song and cheerful
sacrifice retired, was sleeping peacefully in my bed, his spear on its peg,
no more dreaming to behold the naval host of the Greeks treading the
streets of Troy. But I was binding my braided hair with fillets fastened on
the top of mine head, looking into the round polished surface of the golden
mirror, that I might get into my bed prepared for me. On a sudden a
tumultuous cry penetrated the city; and this shout of exhortation was heard
in the streets of Troy, "When indeed, ye sons of Grecians, when, _if not
now_, will ye return to your homes having overthrown the proud citadel of
Ilium!" And having left my dear bed, in a single robe, like a Spartan
virgin, flying for aid to the venerable shrine of Diana, I hapless fled in
vain. And I am dragged, after having seen my husband slain, to the ocean
waves; and casting a distant look back upon my city, after the vessel had
begun her way in her return to Greece, and divided me from the land of
Troy, I wretched fainted through anguish. And consigning to curses Helen,
the sister of the Twin Brothers, and the Idean shepherd, the ruthless
Paris, since his marriage, no marriage, but some Fury's hate hath utterly
destroyed me far from my native land, and hath driven me from my home. Whom
may the ocean refuse ever to bear back again; and may she never reach again
her paternal home.