344
VIRGIL's
Æn. II.
An Empire from its old Foundations rent, 5
And ev'ry Woe the Trojans underwent:
A Peopl'd City made a Desart Place;
All that I saw, and part of which I was:
Not ev'n the hardest of our Foes cou'd hear,
Nor stern Ulysses tell without a Tear. 10
And now the latter Watch of wasting Night,
And setting Stars to kindly Rest invite.
But since you take such Int'rest in our Woe,
And Troy's disast'rous end desire to know:
I will restrain my Tears, and briefly tell 15
What in our last and fatal Night befel.
By Destiny compell'd, and in Despair,
The Greeks grew weary of the tedious War:
And by Minerva's Aid a Fabrick rear'd,
Which like a Steed of monstrous height appear'd; 20
The Sides were plank'd with Pine, they feign'd it made
For their Return, and this the Vow they paid.
Thus they pretend, but in the hollow Side,
Selected Numbers of their Souldiers hide:
With inward Arms the dire Machine they load, 25
And Iron Bowels stuff the dark Abode.
In sight of Troy lies Tenedos, an Isle,
(While Fortune did on Priam's Empire smile)
Renown'd for Wealth, but since a faithless Bay,
Where Ships expos'd to Wind and Weather lay. 30
There was their Fleet conceal'd: We thought for Greece
Their Sails were hoisted, and our Fears release.
And ev'ry Woe the Trojans underwent:
A Peopl'd City made a Desart Place;
All that I saw, and part of which I was:
Not ev'n the hardest of our Foes cou'd hear,
Nor stern Ulysses tell without a Tear. 10
And now the latter Watch of wasting Night,
And setting Stars to kindly Rest invite.
But since you take such Int'rest in our Woe,
And Troy's disast'rous end desire to know:
I will restrain my Tears, and briefly tell 15
What in our last and fatal Night befel.
By Destiny compell'd, and in Despair,
The Greeks grew weary of the tedious War:
And by Minerva's Aid a Fabrick rear'd,
Which like a Steed of monstrous height appear'd; 20
The Sides were plank'd with Pine, they feign'd it made
For their Return, and this the Vow they paid.
Thus they pretend, but in the hollow Side,
Selected Numbers of their Souldiers hide:
With inward Arms the dire Machine they load, 25
And Iron Bowels stuff the dark Abode.
In sight of Troy lies Tenedos, an Isle,
(While Fortune did on Priam's Empire smile)
Renown'd for Wealth, but since a faithless Bay,
Where Ships expos'd to Wind and Weather lay. 30
There was their Fleet conceal'd: We thought for Greece
Their Sails were hoisted, and our Fears release.
