ULY. Heard’st thou, O Diomede, the sound of arms,
Or in these ears did empty murmurs ring?
DIO. No; but the steely trappings which are linked
To yonder chariots, rattled, and I too
With vain alarm was seized, till I perceived
The coursers, who their clanging harness shook.
ULY. Beware, lest in this gloom of night thou stumble
Upon the sentinels.
DIO. Though in the dark
We tread, I with such caution will direct
My steps as not to err.
ULY. But, should’st thou wake them,
Thou know’st the watchword of their host.
DIO. I know
It is Apollo; this I heard from Dolon.
ULY. Ha! I perceive our foes have left these chambers.
DIO. Here, Dolon told us, is the tent of Hector:
’Gainst him I wield this javelin.
ULY. What hath happened?
Is the whole squadron too elsewhere removed?
DIO. Perchance they too ’gainst us may have contrived
Some stratagem.
ULY. For Hector now is brave
Since he hath conquered.
DIO. How shall we proceed?
For in this chamber him we cannot find,
And all our hopes are vanished.
ULY. To the fleet
Let us in haste return: for him some god
Protects, and crowns him with triumphant wreaths:
We must not strive ’gainst Fortune’s dread behests.
DIO. Then to Æneas will we go, or Paris
That Phrygian most abhorred, and with our swords
Lop off their heads.
ULY. But how, in darkness wrapt,
Canst thou direct thy passage through the troops,
To slay them without danger?
DIO. Yet ’twere base,
Back to the Grecian fleet should we return,
No fresh exploit performing ’gainst the foe.
ULY. What means this language? hast thou not performed
A great exploit? have we not slain the spy
Who to our navy went, and are not these
The spoils of Dolon? how canst thou expect
To spread a general havoc through their troops?
Comply; let us retire: may Fortune speed
Our progress homeward.