Page:The Aeneid of Virgil JOHN CONINGTON 1917 V2.pdf/67

 years. Open fly the gates; what pleasure to go and see the Dorian camp, and the places deserted, and the shore forsaken! Yes, here were the troops of the Dolopes; here the tent of that savage Achilles; here the ships were drawn up; here they used to set the battle in array. Some of  5 us are standing agaze at the fatal offering to the virgin goddess, and wondering at the hugeness of the horse; and Thymœtes takes the lead, urging to have it dragged within the walls, and lodged in the citadel, either with treasonable intent, or that the fate of Troy had begun to  10 set that way. But Capys, and the men of saner judgment, bid us send this snare of the Danaans, this suspicious present, headlong into the sea, or light a fire under and burn it; or, if not that, to pierce and probe that hollow womb that might hide so much. The populace, unstable as  15 ever, divides off into opposite factions.

"Throwing himself before all, with a great crowd at his back, Laocoon,[o] all on fire, comes running down the steep of the citadel, crying in the distance, 'What strange madness is this, my unhappy countrymen? Think you  20 that the enemy has sailed off, or that a Danaan could ever make a present that had no treachery in it? Is this your knowledge of Ulysses? Either the Achæans are shut up and hiding in this piece of wood, or it is an engine framed against our walls, to command the houses and come down   25 on the city from above, or there is some other secret trick. Men of Troy, put no faith in the horse. Whatever it be, I fear a Greek even with a gift in his hand.' With these words he hurled a mighty spear with all his force against the beast's side, the jointed arch of its belly. It lodged,   30 and stood quivering; the womb shook again, and an echo and a groan rang hollow from its caverns; and, then, had but heaven's destiny and man's judgment been unwarped, he had led us to carry sword and havoc into the Argive lurking-place, and Troy would now be standing,  35 and thou, Priam's tall fortress, still in being.

"Meanwhile, see! some Dardan shepherds are dragging with loud shouts before the king a young man with his