ENEAS begins the tale. The Greeks, discouraged, had withdrawn to Tenedos, leaving the wooden horse, in which chosen warriors were hidden (vv. 1-39). Laocoön in vain, protests against receiving it within the walls: meanwhile Sinon, pretending to have fled from the Greeks, is received in confidence by Priam, whom he persuades that the horse is a sacred offering to Minerva (40-198). Laocoon and his sons are destroyed by two monstrous serpents: the horse is brought with rejoicing into the city, and at night Sinon sets free the Grecian chiefs (199-267). The ghost of Hector appears to Æneas, and warns him to flee. The city is seen in flames: Æneas and his companions take arms (268-369). Victorious encounter with a party of Greeks: a disastrous conflict follows, and they come to Priam's palace (370-452). Defence and storming of the palace: the fate of Priam, slain by Pyrrhus, while vainly attempting to protect his son (453-558). Æneas returns to his own house first meeting Helen, whom Venus warns him not to slay -and beholds in a vision the divinities who preside at the destruction of Troy (559-663). Anchises at first refuses to fly, but is encouraged by a divine omen (634-704). Æneas, bearing his father, and attended by his wife Creüsa, and his son, seeks escape; but, confused by a sudden alarm, loses Creusa on the way (705-751). He seeks her in vain at

his palace, which is now filled with the armed enemy; but she meets him in a vision and comforts him by assurance of her own deliverance from hostile hands. At dawn, he finds a numerous company escaped from the city, with whom he seeks the shelter of Mount Ida (752-804).

Æneas begins his Story.

ONTICUERE omnes, intentique ora tenebant.

Co

Inde toro pater Aeneas sic orsus ab alto: Infandum, regina, iubes renovare dolorem, Troianas ut opes et lamentabile regnum eruerint Danai; quaeque ipse miserrima vidi, et quorum pars magna fui. Quis talia fando Myrmidonum Dolopumve aut duri miles Ulixi temperet a lacrimis? Et iam nox umida caelo praecipitat, suadentque cadentia sidera somnos. Sed si tantus amor casus cognoscere nostros et breviter Troiae supremum audire laborem, quamquam animus meminisse horret, luctuque refugit, incipiam.

The Trojan Horse.

Fracti bello fatisque repulsi

ductores Danaum, tot iam labentibus annis, instar montis equum divina Palladis arte aedificant, sectaque intexunt abiete costas: votum pro reditu simulant; ea fama vagatur. Huc delecta virum sortiti corpora furtim includunt caeco lateri, penitusque cavernas ingentis uterumque armato milite complent.

Est in conspectu Tenedos, notissima fama insula, dives opum, Priami dum regna manebant, nunc tantum sinus et statio male fida carinis : huc se provecti deserto in litore condunt. Nos abiisse rati et vento petiisse Mycenas: ergo omnis longo solvit se Teucria luctu;

panduntur portae; iuvat ire et Dorica castra
desertosque videre locos litusque relictum.
Hic Dolopum manus, hic saevus tendebat Achilles;
classibus hic locus; hic acie certare solebant.
Pars stupet innuptae donum exitiale Minervae,
et molem mirantur equi; primusque Thymoetes

THE TROJAN HORSE.

duci intra muros hortatur et arce locari,
sive dolo, seu iam Troiae sic fata ferebant.
At Capys, et quorum melior sententia menti,
aut pelago Danaum insidias suspectaque dona
praecipitare iubent, subiectisque urere flammis,
aut terebrare cavas uteri et temptare latebras.
Scinditur incertum studia in contraria volgus.

Warning of Laocoön.

Primus ibi ante omnis, magna comitante caterva, Laocoön ardens summa decurrit ab arce,

et procul: O miseri, quae tanta insania, cives?

Creditis avectos hostis? Aut ulla putatis

dona carere dolis Danaum? Sic notus Ulixes?
aut hoc inclusi ligno occultantur Achivi,

aut haec in nostros fabricata est machina muros
inspectura domos venturaque desuper urbi,
aut aliquis latet error; equo ne credite, Teucri.
Quicquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis.'.
Sic fatus, validis ingentem viribus hastam
in latus inque feri curvam compagibus alvum
contorsit stetit illa tremens, uteroque recusso
insonuere cavae gemitumque dedere cavernae.
Et, si fata deum, si mens non laeva fuisset,
impulerat ferro Argolicas foedare latebras,
Troiaque, nunc stares, Priamique arx alta, maneres.

The Perjured Sinon.

Ecce, manus iuvenem interea post terga revinctum pastores magno ad regem clamore trahebant Dardanidae, qui se ignotum venientibus ultro, hoc ipsum ut strueret Troiamque aperiret Achivis, obtulerat, fidens animi atque in utrumque paratus, seu versare dolos, seu certae occumbere morti. Undique visendi studio Troiana iuventus circumfusa ruit, certantque inludere capto. Accipe nunc Danaum insidias, et crimine ab uno disce omnes.

Namque ut conspectu in medio turbatus, inermis constitit atque oculis Phrygia agmina circumspexit : 'Heu, quae nunc tellus' inquit 'quae me aequora possunt accipere? Aut quid iam misero mihi denique restat, cui neque apud Danaos usquam locus, et super ipsi Dardanidae infensi poenas cum sanguine poscunt?' Quo gemitu conversi animi, compressus et omnis impetus.

Hortamur fari; quo sanguine cretus,

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quidve ferat, memoret, quae sit fiducia capto.
[Ille haec, deposita tandem formidine, fatur:]

Sinon's Wily Story.

'Cuncta equidem tibi, rex, fuerit quodcumque, fatebor vera, inquit; neque me Argolica de gente negabo: hoc primum; nec, si miserum Fortuna Sinonem finxit, vanum etiam mendacemque improba. finget. Fando aliquod si forte tuas pervenit ad auris Belidae nomen Palamedis et incluta fama gloria, quem falsa sub proditione Pelasgi insontem infando indicio, quia bella vetabat, demisere neci, nunc cassum lumine lugent. Illi me comitem et consanguinitate propinquum pauper in arma pater primis huc misit ab annis, dum stabat regno incolumis regumque vigebat consiliis, et nos aliquod nomenque decusque gessimus. Invidia postquam pellacis Ulixihaud ignota loquor superis concessit ab oris, adflictus vitam in tenebris luctuque trahebam, et casum insontis mecum indignabar amici. Nec tacui demens, et me, fors si qua tulisset, si patrios umquam remeassem victor ad Argos, promisi ultorem, et verbis odia aspera movi. Hinc mihi prima mali labes, hinc semper Ulixes criminibus terrere novis, hinc spargere voces in volgum ambiguas, et quaerere conscius arma. Nec requievit enim, donec, Calchante ministro sed quid ego haec autem nequiquam ingrata revolvo? Quidve moror, si omnis uno ordine habetis Achivos, idque audire sat est? Iamdudum sumite poenas; hoc Ithacus velit, et magno mercentur Atridae.'

Tum vero ardemus scitari et quaerere causas, ignari scelerum tantorum artisque Pelasgae.

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