They all become silent and intent were holding their faces; Then father Aeneas began from

his tall couch thus: Queen, you order (me) to renew unspeakable pain, How the Trojan resources and lamentable kingdom The Greeks overthrow, and which most miserable things I myself saw And of which I was a great part. Who by speaking such things Of the Myrmidons or of the Dolopes or what soldier of harsh Ulysses Could control from tears? And now dewy night And falls from the sky and the falling stars advise dreams. But if you have so great a love to know our misfortunes And to hear the final labors of Troy briefly, Although my mind shudders to remember and flees from grief I shall begin. Broken by war and repelled by the fates The leaders of the Greeks with so many years now gliding by The likeness of the mountain, a horse, with the divine skill of Pallas They build, and they cover the ribs with cut pine; They pretend prayer on behalf of their return (home); this rumor spreads. To this place having drawn by lot the chosen bodies of men secretly They enclose into the blind side and huge caverns And the belly deeply with an armed soldiery they fill. Tenedos is in sight, an island most known in fame, Rich in wealth while the kingdoms of Priam were remaining, Now (it was) only a bay and an anchorage unsafe for keeps: To here they hide themselves having been carried on the shore having been deserted; We though (they) had gone and had sough Mycenae with the wind. Thus all Troy frees itself from long grief; They gates are opened, it pleases (us) to go and to see the Greek camp And the deserted places and the shore left behind: Here the band of Dolopes, here fierce Achilles was aiming; Here (was) the place with ships, here in a battle line they were accustomed to fight. A part is dazed at the fatal gift of unwed Minerva And they admire the mass of the horse; and first Thymoetes Urges (it) to be led within the walls and to be placed on the citadel, Whether because of a trick or now thus the fates of Troy were carrying. But Capys, and those whose mind had a better counsel, whether the Greek snare in the sea and the suspected gift They order us to throw and to burn with flames having been placed under, Or to pierce and to examine the hollow caverns of the belly. The uncertain crowd is split in opposing desires. First there before all with a great accompanying crowd Laocoon burning hastens from the top of the citadel, And far off (shouts): O wretched citizens, what madness is so great? Do you (pl) believe the enemies have been carried away? Or do you (pl) suppose That gifts of the Greeks are free from tricks? Thus is Ulysses known?

Either the Greeks are hiding here concealed by the wood, Or this machine has been was built to use against our walls, About to look in on our homes and about to come on the city from above, Or some trick lurks; do not trust the horse, Trojans. Whatever it is, I fear Greeks even bearing gifts. Thus having said he hurled the huge spear with mighty force into the side of the creature and into the curved belly with fastenings. It stands quivering, and with the belly having been struck The hollow caverns resounded and gave a groan. And, if the fates of the gods, if my mind had not been unlucky, It would have driven us to defile the Greek hiding places with iron (the sword), And now Troy would stand, and (you), high tower of Priam would remain.