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Rh Who dared to harm with impious steel

Those planks of consecrated deal.

'The image to its fane!' they cry:

'So soothe the offended deity.'

Each in the labour claims his share:

The walls are breached, the town laid bare:

Wheels 'neath its feet are fixed to glide,

And round its neck stout ropes are tied:

So climbs our wall that shape of doom,

With battle quickening in its womb,

While youths and maidens sing glad songs,

And joy to touch the harness thongs.

It comes, and, glancing terror down,

Sweeps through the bosom of the town.

O Ilium, city of my love!

O warlike home of powers above!

Four times 'twas on the threshold stayed:

Four times the armour clashed and brayed.

Yet on we press with passion blind,

All forethought blotted from our mind,

Till the dread monster we install

Within the temple's tower-built wall.

E'en then Cassandra's prescient voice

Forewarned us of our fatal choice,

That prescient voice, which Heaven decreed

No son of Troy should hear and heed.

We, careless souls, the city through,

With festal boughs the fanes bestrew,

And in such revelry employ

The last, last day should shine on Troy.

Meantime Heaven shifts from light to gloom,

And night ascends from Ocean's womb,

Involving in her shadow broad

Earth, sky, and Myrmidonian fraud: