It fell out that at the last Troy was taken by a stratagem. Now the
stratagem was this: The Greeks made a great Horse of wood, feigning it
to be a peace-offering to the gods, that they might have a safe return
to their homes.
In the belly of this there hid themselves certain of the bravest of the
chiefs, as Menelaüs, and Ulysses, and Thoas the Ætolian, and Machaon,
the great physician, and Pyrrhus, son of Achilles (but Achilles himself
was dead, slain by Paris, Apollo helping, even as he was about to take
the city), and others also, and with them Epeius himself. But the rest
of the people made as if they had departed to their homes; only they
went not further than Tenedos, which was an island near to the coast.
Great joy was there in Troy when it was noised abroad that the men of
Greece had departed. The gates were opened, and the people went forth
to see the plain and the camp. And one said to another, as they went,
“Here they set the battle in array, and there were the tents of the
fierce Achilles, and there lay the ships.” And some stood and marvelled
at the great peace-offering to Minerva, even the Horse of wood. And
Thymœtes, who was one of the elders of the city, was the first who
advised that it should be brought within the walls and set in the
citadel. Now whether he gave this counsel out of a false heart, or
because the gods would have it so, no man knows. But Capys, and others
with him, said that it should be drowned in water, or burned with fire,
or that men should pierce it and see whether there were aught within.
And the people were divided, some crying one thing and some another.
Then came forward the priest Laocoön, and a great company with him,
crying, “What madness is this? Think ye that the men of Greece are
indeed departed, or that there is any profit in their gifts? Surely,
there are armed men in this mighty Horse; or haply they have made it
that they may look down upon our walls. Touch it not, for as for these
men of Greece, I fear them, even though they bring gifts in their
hands.”
And as he spake he cast his great spear at the Horse, so that it
sounded again. But the gods would not that Troy should be saved.
Meanwhile there came certain shepherds, dragging with them one whose
hands were bound behind his back. He had come forth to them, they said,
of his own accord, when they were in the field. And first the young men
gathered about him mocking him, but when he cried aloud, “What place is
left for me, for the Greeks suffer me not to live, and the men of Troy
cry for vengeance upon me?” they rather pitied him, and bade him speak,
and say whence he came and what he had to tell.
Then the man spake, turning to King Priam: “I will speak the truth,
whatever befall me. My name is Sinon, and I deny not that I am a Greek.
Haply thou hast heard the name of Palamedes, whom the Greeks slew, but
now, being dead, lament; and the cause was that, because he counselled
peace, men falsely accused him of treason. Now, of this Palamedes I was
a poor kinsman, and followed him to Troy. And when he was dead, through
the false witness of Ulysses, I lived in great grief and trouble, nor
could I hold my peace, but sware that if ever I came back to Argos I
would avenge me of him that had done this deed. Then did Ulysses seek
occasion against me, whispering evil things, nor rested till at the
last, Calchas the soothsayer helping him--but what profit it that I
should tell these things? For doubtless ye hold one Greek to be even
as another. Wherefore slay me, and doubtless ye will do a pleasure to
Ulysses and the sons of Atreus.”
Then they bade him tell on, and he said,--
“Often would the Greeks have fled to their homes, being weary of the
war, but still the stormy sea hindered them. And when this Horse that
ye see had been built, most of all did the dreadful thunder roll from
the one end of the heaven to the other. Then the Greeks sent one
who should inquire of Apollo; and Apollo answered them thus: ‘Men
of Greece, even as ye appeased the winds with blood when ye came to
Troy, so must ye appease them with blood now that ye would go from
thence.’ Then did men tremble to think on whom the doom should fall,
and Ulysses, with much clamor, drew forth Calchas the soothsayer
into the midst, and bade him say who it was that the gods would
have as a sacrifice. Then did many forebode evil for me. Ten days
did the soothsayer keep silence, saying that he would not give any
man to death. But then, for in truth the two had planned the matter
beforehand, he spake, appointing me to die. And to this thing they all
agreed, each being glad to turn to another that which he feared for
himself. But when the day was come, and all things were ready, the
salted meal for the sacrifice and the garlands, lo! I burst my bonds
and fled, and hid myself in the sedges of a pool, waiting till they
should have set sail, if haply that might be. But never shall I see
country, or father, or children again. For doubtless on these will they
take vengeance for my flight. Only do thou, O king, have pity on me,
who have suffered many things, not having harmed any man.”
And King Priam had pity on him, and bade them loose his bonds, saying,
“Whoever thou art, forget now thy country. Henceforth thou art one of
us. But tell me true: why made they this huge Horse? Who contrived it?
What seek they by it,--to please the gods or to further their siege?”
Then said Sinon, and as he spake he stretched his hands to the sky,
“I call you to witness, ye everlasting fires of heaven, that with
good right I now break my oath of fealty and reveal the secrets of my
countrymen. Listen then, O king. All our hope has ever been in the help
of Minerva. But, from the day when Diomed and Ulysses dared, having
bloody hands, to snatch her image from her holy place in Troy, her
face was turned from us. Well do I remember how the eyes of the image,
well-nigh before they had set it in the camp, blazed with wrath, and
how the salt sweat stood upon its limbs, aye, and how it thrice leapt
from the ground, shaking shield and spear. Then Calchas told us that we
must cross the seas again, and seek at home fresh omens for our war.
And this, indeed, they are doing even now, and will return anon. Also
the soothsayer said, ‘Meanwhile ye must make the likeness of a Horse,
to be a peace-offering to Minerva. And take heed that ye make it huge
of bulk, so that the men of Troy may not receive it into their gates,
nor bring it within their walls, and get safety for themselves thereby.
For if,’ he said, ‘the men of Troy harm this image at all, they shall
surely perish; but if they bring it into their city, then shall Asia
lay siege hereafter to the city of Pelops, and our children shall
suffer the doom which we would fain have brought on Troy.’”
These words wrought much on the men of Troy, and as they pondered on
them, lo! the gods sent another marvel to deceive them. For while
Laocoön, the priest of Neptune was slaying a bull at the altar of
his god, there came two serpents across the sea from Tenedos, whose
heads and necks, whereon were thick manes of hair, were high above the
waves, and many scaly coils trailed behind in the waters. And when they
reached the land they still sped forward. Their eyes were red as blood
and blazed with fire, and their forked tongues hissed loud for rage.
Then all the men of Troy grew pale with fear and fled away, but these
turned not aside this way or that, seeking Laocoön where he stood.
And first they wrapped themselves about his little sons, one serpent
about each, and began to devour them. And when the father would have
given help to his children, having a sword in his hand, they seized
upon himself, and bound him fast with their folds. Twice they compassed
about his body, and twice his neck, lifting their heads far above him.
And all the while he strove to tear them away with his hands, his
priest’s garlands dripping with blood. Nor did he cease to cry horribly
aloud, even as a bull bellows when after an ill stroke of the axe it
flees from the altar. But when their work was done, the two glided to
the citadel of Minerva, and hid themselves beneath the feet and the
shield of the goddess. And men said one to another, “Lo! the priest
Laocoön has been judged according to his deeds; for he cast his spear
against this holy thing, and now the gods have slain him.” Then all
cried out together that the Horse of wood must be drawn to the citadel.
Whereupon they opened the Scæan Gate, and pulled down the wall that
was thereby, and put rollers under the feet of the Horse, and joined
ropes thereto. So, in much joy, they drew it into the city, youths and
maidens singing about it the while, and laying their hands to the ropes
with great gladness. And yet there wanted not signs and tokens of evil
to come. Four times it halted on the threshold of the gate, and men
might have heard a clashing of arms within. Cassandra also opened her
mouth, prophesying evil: but no man heeded her, for that was ever the
doom upon her, not to be believed speaking truth. So the men of Troy
drew the Horse into the city. And that night they kept a feast to all
the gods with great joy, not knowing that the last day of the great
city had come.
But when night was now fully come, and the men of Troy lay asleep, lo!
from the ship of King Agamemnon there rose up a flame for a signal to
the Greeks; and these straightway manned their ships, and made across
the sea from Tenedos, there being a great calm, and the moon also
giving them light. Sinon likewise opened a secret door that was in the
great Horse, and the chiefs issued forth therefrom, and opened the
gates of the city, slaying those that kept watch.
Meanwhile there came a vision to Æneas, who now, Hector being dead, was
the chief hope and stay of the men of Troy. It was Hector’s self that
he seemed to see, but not such as he had seen him coming back rejoicing
with the arms of Achilles, or setting fire to the ships, but even as
he lay after that Achilles dragged him at his chariot wheels, covered
with dust and blood, his feet swollen and pierced through with thongs.
To him said Æneas, not knowing what he said, “Why hast thou tarried
so long? Much have we suffered waiting for thee! And what grief hath
marked thy face? and whence these wounds?”
But to this the spirit answered nothing, but said, groaning the while,
“Fly, son of Venus, fly, and save thee from these flames. The enemy is
in the walls, and Troy hath utterly perished. If any hand could have
saved our city, this hand had done so. Thou art now the hope of Troy.
Take then her gods, and flee with them for company, seeking the city
that thou shalt one day build across the sea.”
And now the alarm of battle came nearer and nearer, and Æneas, waking
from sleep, climbed upon the roof, and looked on the city. As a
shepherd stands, and sees a fierce flame sweeping before the south wind
over the cornfields or a flood rushing down from the mountains, so he
stood. And as he looked, the great palace of Deïphobus sank down in
the fire, and the house of Ucalegon, that was hard by, blazed forth,
till the sea by Sigeüm shone with the light. Then, scarce knowing what
he sought, he girded on his armor, thinking, perchance, that he might
yet win some place of vantage, or, at the least, might avenge himself
on the enemy, or find honor in his death. But as he passed from out of
his house there met him Panthus, the priest of Apollo that was on the
citadel, who cried to him, “O Æneas, the glory is departed from Troy,
and the Greeks have the mastery in the city; for armed men are coming
forth from the great Horse of wood, and thousands also swarm in at the
gates, which Sinon hath treacherously opened.” And as he spake others
came up under the light of the moon, as Hypanis, and Dymas, and young
Corœbus, who had but newly come to Troy, seeking Cassandra to be his
wife. To whom Æneas spake:
“If ye are minded, my brethren, to follow me to the death, come on.
For how things fare this night ye see. The gods who were the stay of
this city have departed from it; nor is aught remaining to which we may
bring succor. Yet can we die as brave men in battle. And haply he that
counts his life to be lost may yet save it.” Then, even as ravening
wolves hasten through the mist seeking for prey, so they went through
the city, doing dreadful deeds. And for a while the men of Greece fled
before them.
First of all there met them Androgeos with a great company following
him, who, thinking them to be friends, said, “Haste, comrades, why are
ye so late? We are spoiling this city of Troy, and ye are but newly
come from the ships.” But forthwith, for they answered him not as he
had looked for, he knew that he had fallen among enemies. Then even
as one who treads upon a snake unawares among thorns, and flies from
it when it rises angrily against him with swelling neck, so Androgeos
would have fled. But the men of Troy rushed on, and seeing that they
knew all the place, and that great fear was upon the Greeks, slew many
men. Then said Corœbus, “We have good luck in this matter, my friends.
Come now, let us change our shields, and put upon us the armor of these
Greeks. For whether we deal with our enemy by craft or by force, who
will ask?” Then he took to himself the helmet and shield of Androgeos,
and also girded the sword upon him. In like manner did the others, and
thus going disguised among the Greeks slew many, so that some again
fled to the ships and some were fain to climb into the Horse of wood.
But lo! men came dragging by the hair from the temple of Minerva the
virgin Cassandra, whom when Corœbus beheld, and how she lifted up her
eyes to heaven (but as for her hands, they were bound with iron), he
endured not the sight, but threw himself upon those that dragged her,
the others following him. Then did a grievous mischance befall them,
for the men of Troy that stood upon the roof of the temple cast spears
against them, judging them to be enemies. The Greeks also, being wroth
that the virgin should be taken from them, fought the more fiercely,
and many who had before been put to flight in the city came against
them, and prevailed, being indeed many against few. Then first of all
fell Corœbus, being slain by Peneleus the Bœotian, and Rhipeus also,
the most righteous of all the sons of Troy. But the gods dealt not with
him after his righteousness. Hypanis also was slain and Dymas, and
Panthus escaped not for all that more than other men he feared the gods
and was also the priest of Apollo.
Then was Æneas severed from the rest, having with him two only, Iphitus
and Pelias, Iphitus being an old man and Pelias sorely wounded by
Ulysses. And these, hearing a great shouting, hastened to the palace
of King Priam, where the battle was fiercer than in any place beside.
For some of the Greeks were seeking to climb the walls, laying ladders
thereto, whereon they stood, holding forth their shields with their
left hands, and with their right grasping the roofs. And the men of
Troy, on the other hand, being in the last extremity, tore down the
battlements and the gilded beams wherewith the men of old had adorned
the palace. Then Æneas, knowing of a secret door whereby the unhappy
Andromaché in past days had been wont to enter, bringing her son
Astyanax to his grandfather, climbed on to the roof, and joined himself
to those that fought therefrom. Now upon this roof there was a tower,
whence all Troy could be seen and the camp of the Greeks and the ships.
This the men of Troy loosened from its foundations with bars of iron,
and thrust it over, so that it fell upon the enemy, slaying many of
them. But not the less did others press forward, casting the while
stones and javelins and all that came to their hands.
Meanwhile others sought to break down the gates of the palace, Pyrrhus,
son of Achilles, being foremost among them, clad in shining armor
of bronze. Like to a serpent was he, which sleeps indeed during the
winter, but in the spring comes forth into the light, full fed on evil
herbs, and, having cast his skin and renewed his youth, lifts his head
into the light of the sun and hisses with forked tongue. And with
Pyrrhus were tall Periphas, and Automedon, who had been armor-bearer to
his father Achilles, and following them the youth of Scyros, which was
the kingdom of his grandfather Lycomedes. With a great battle-axe he
hewed through the doors, breaking down also the door-posts, though they
were plated with bronze, making, as it were, a great window, through
which a man might see the palace within, the hall of King Priam and of
the kings who had reigned aforetime in Troy. But when they that were
within perceived it, there arose a great cry of women wailing aloud
and clinging to the doors and kissing them. But ever Pyrrhus pressed
on, fierce and strong as ever was his father Achilles, nor could aught
stand against him, either the doors or they that guarded them. Then, as
a river bursts its banks and overflows the plain, so did the sons of
Greece rush into the palace.
But old Priam, when he saw the enemy in his hall, girded on him his
armor, which now by reason of old age he had long laid aside, and
took a spear in his hand, and would have gone against the adversary,
only Queen Hecuba called to him from where she sat. For she and her
daughters had fled to the great altar of the household gods, and sat
crowded about it like unto doves that are driven by a storm. Now the
altar stood in an open court that was in the midst of the palace, with
a great bay-tree above it. So when she saw Priam, how he had girded
himself with armor as a youth, she cried to him and said, “What hath
bewitched thee, that thou girdest thyself with armor? It is not the
sword that shall help us this day; no, not though my own Hector were
here, but rather the gods and their altars. Come hither to us, for here
thou wilt be safe, or at the least wilt die with us.”
So she made the old man sit down in the midst. But lo! there came
flying through the palace, Polites, his son, wounded to death by the
spear of Pyrrhus, and Pyrrhus close behind him. And he, even as he came
into the sight of his father and his mother, fell dead upon the ground.
But when King Priam saw it he contained not himself, but cried aloud,
“Now may the gods, if there be any justice in heaven, recompense thee
for this wickedness, seeing that thou hast not spared to slay the son
before his father’s eyes. Great Achilles, whom thou falsely callest thy
sire, did not thus to Priam, though he was an enemy, but reverenced
right and truth, and gave the body of Hector for burial, and sent me
back to my city.”
And as he spake the old man cast a spear, but aimless and without
force, and that pierced not even the boss of the shield. Then said the
son of Achilles, “Go thou and tell my father of his unworthy son and
all these evil deeds. And that thou mayest tell him, die!” And as he
spake he caught in his left hand the old man’s white hair, and dragged
him, slipping the while in the blood of his own son, to the altar, and
then, lifting his sword high for a blow, drave it to the hilt in the
old man’s side. So King Priam, who had ruled mightily over many peoples
and countries in the land of Asia, was slain that night, having first
seen Troy burning about him, and his citadel laid even with the ground.
So was his carcase cast out upon the earth, headless, and without a
name.