Page:History of the seven wise mistresses of Rome.pdf/15

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VI.

The Fourth Mistress's Intercession.

THE fourth Mistress finding the execution again ordered, prevented it by the following story:

In Thrace reigned Queen Hecuba, who was wife and peaceable, but the king of Lycona brought against her a numerous army, and besieged her city; the enemy were several times repulsed by the garrison; but two wicked ministers persuaded the queen to make peace with them, by giving them a large sum of money, and as a ratification thereof, to permit a wooden horse to be brought into the temple of Minerva; to all which she consented. In this horse was placed a thousand men, who, under the direction of these two wicked ministers, in the night, when the inhabitants were rejoicing at the war being over, they issued forth on the inhabitants, killed the innocent Queen and her daughter, burnt the city to ashes, and then taking the two traitors, returned to their own land.