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ABOUT THE TROJAN HORSE |
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Still seeking to gain entrance into Troy,
clever Odysseus (some say with the aid of Athena) ordered a large wooden
horse to be built. Its insides were to be hollow so that soldiers could
hide within it. Once the statue had been built by the artist Epeius, a number of the Greek warriors, along with Odysseus, climbed inside. The rest of the Greek fleet sailed away, so as to deceive the Trojans. One man, Sinon, was left behind. When the Trojans came to marvel at the huge creation, Sinon pretended to be angry with the Greeks, stating that they had deserted him. He assured the Trojans that the wooden horse was safe and would bring luck to the Trojans. Only two people, Laocoon and Cassandra, spoke out against the horse, but they were ignored. The Trojans celebrated what they thought was their victory, and dragged the wooden horse into Troy. That night, after most of Troy was asleep or in a drunken stupor, Sinon let the Greek warriors out from the horse, and they slaughtered the Trojans. Priam was killed as he huddled by Zeus' altar
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The Fall of TroyEXTRACTS OF THE BOOK XII
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(...) These laid the axe unto the forest-pines, And hewed the great trees: to their smiting rang The echoing glens. On those far-stretching hills All bare of undergrowth the high peaks rose: Open their glades were, not, as in time past, Haunted of beasts: there dry the tree-trunks rose Wooing the winds. Even these the Achaeans hewed With axes, and in haste they bare them down From those shagged mountain heights to Hellespont's shores. Strained with a strenuous spirit at the work Young men and mules; and all the people toiled Each at his task obeying Epeius's hest. For with the keen steel some were hewing beams, Some measuring planks, and some with axes lopped Branches away from trunks as yet unsawn: Each wrought his several work. Epeius first Fashioned the feet of that great Horse of Wood: The belly next he shaped, and over this Moulded the back and the great loins behind, The throat in front, and ridged the towering neck With waving mane: the crested head he wrought, The streaming tail, the ears, the lucent eyes -- All that of lifelike horses have. So grew Like a live thing that more than human work, For a God gave to a man that wondrous craft. And in three days, by Pallas's decree, Finished was all. Rejoiced thereat the host Of Argos, marvelling how the wood expressed Mettle, and speed of foot -- yea, seemed to neigh. Godlike Epeius then uplifted hands To Pallas, and for that huge Horse he prayed: "Hear, great-souled Goddess: bless thine Horse and me!" He spake: Athena rich in counsel heard, And made his work a marvel to all men Which saw, or heard its fame in days to be. .(...) Into that cavernous Horse Achilles' son First entered, strong Menelaus followed then, Odysseus, Sthenelus, godlike Diomede, Philoctetes and Menestheus, Anticlus, Thoas and Polypoetes golden-haired, Aias, Eurypylus, godlike Thrasymede, Idomeneus, Meriones, far-famous twain, Podaleirius of spears, Eurymachus, Teucer the godlike, fierce Ialmenus, Thalpius, Antimachus, Leonteus staunch, Eumelus, and Euryalus fair as a God, Amphimachus, Demophoon, Agapenor, Akamas, Meges stalwart Phyleus' son -- Yea, more, even all their chiefest, entered in, So many as that carven Horse could hold. Godlike Epeius last of all passed in, The fashioner of the Horse; in his breast lay The secret of the opening of its doors And of their closing: therefore last of all He entered, and he drew the ladders up Whereby they clomb: then made he all secure, And set himself beside the bolt. So all In silence sat 'twixt victory and death. (...) But nigh the foe were they in the Horse, and now Looked they for death, and now to smite the town; And on their hopes and fears uprose the dawn. (...) Then gathered all, And o'er that huge Horse hastily cast a rope, And made it fast above; for under its feet Smooth wooden rollers had Epeius laid, That, dragged by Trojan hands, it might glide on Into their fortress. One and all they haled With multitudinous tug and strain, as when Down to the sea young men sore-labouring drag A ship; hard-crushed the stubborn rollers groan, As, sliding with weird shrieks, the keel descends Into the sea-surge; so that host with toil Dragged up unto their city their own doom, Epeius' work. With great festoons of flowers They hung it, and their own heads did they wreathe, While answering each other pealed the flutes. Grimly Enyo laughed, seeing the end Of that dire war; Hera rejoiced on high; Glad was Athena. When the Trojans came Unto their city, brake they down the walls, Their city's coronal, that the Horse of Death Might be led in. Troy's daughters greeted it With shouts of salutation; marvelling all Gazed at the mighty work where lurked their doom. |
