Let us die, and rush on their
encircling
weapons.
Virgil - Aeneid
what
stronghold are we to occupy? " Scarcely had I said so, when groaning he
thus returns: "The crowning day is come, the irreversible time of the
Dardanian land. No more are we a Trojan people; Ilium and the great
glory of the Teucrians is no more. Angry Jupiter hath cast all into the
scale of Argos. The Grecians are lords of the burning [328-362]town.
The horse, standing high amid the city, pours forth armed men, and Sinon
scatters fire, insolent in victory. Some are at the wide-flung gates,
all the thousands that ever came from populous Mycenae. Others have
beset the narrow streets with lowered weapons; edge and glittering point
of steel stand drawn, ready for the slaughter; scarcely at the entry do
the guards of the gates essay battle, and hold out in the blind fight. "
'Heaven's will thus declared by the son of Othrys drives me amid flames
and arms, where the baleful Fury calls, and tumult of shouting rises up.
Rhipeus and Epytus, most mighty in arms, join company with me; Hypanis
and Dymas meet us in the moonlight and attach themselves to our side,
and young Coroebus son of Mygdon. In those days it was he had come to
Troy, fired with mad passion for Cassandra, and bore a son's aid to
Priam and the Phrygians: hapless, that he listened not to his raving
bride's counsels. . . . Seeing them close-ranked and daring for battle,
I therewith began thus: "Men, hearts of supreme and useless bravery, if
your desire be fixed to follow one who dares the utmost; you see what is
the fortune of our state: all the gods by whom this empire was upheld
have gone forth, abandoning shrine and altar; your aid comes to a
burning city.
Let us die, and rush on their encircling weapons. The
conquered have one safety, to hope for none. "
'So their spirit is heightened to fury. Then, like wolves ravening in a
black fog, whom mad malice of hunger hath driven blindly forth, and
their cubs left behind await with throats unslaked; through the weapons
of the enemy we march to certain death, and hold our way straight into
the town. Night's sheltering shadow flutters dark around us. Who may
unfold in speech that night's horror and death-agony, or measure its
woes in weeping? The [363-397]ancient city falls with her long years of
sovereignty; corpses lie stretched stiff all about the streets and
houses and awful courts of the gods. Nor do Teucrians alone pay forfeit
of their blood; once and again valour returns even in conquered hearts,
and the victorious Grecians fall. Everywhere is cruel agony, everywhere
terror, and the sight of death at every turn.
'First, with a great troop of Grecians attending him, Androgeus meets
us, taking us in ignorance for an allied band, and opens on us with
friendly words: "Hasten, my men; why idly linger so late? others plunder
and harry the burning citadel; are you but now on your march from the
tall ships? " He spoke, and immediately (for no answer of any assurance
was offered) knew he was fallen among the foe. In amazement, he checked
foot and voice; even as one who struggling through rough briers hath
trodden a snake on the ground unwarned, and suddenly shrinks fluttering
back as it rises in anger and puffs its green throat out; even thus
Androgeus drew away, startled at the sight. We rush in and encircle them
with serried arms, and cut them down dispersedly in their ignorance of
the ground and seizure of panic. Fortune speeds our first labour. And
here Coroebus, flushed with success and spirit, cries: "O comrades,
follow me where fortune points before us the path of safety, and shews
her favour.
stronghold are we to occupy? " Scarcely had I said so, when groaning he
thus returns: "The crowning day is come, the irreversible time of the
Dardanian land. No more are we a Trojan people; Ilium and the great
glory of the Teucrians is no more. Angry Jupiter hath cast all into the
scale of Argos. The Grecians are lords of the burning [328-362]town.
The horse, standing high amid the city, pours forth armed men, and Sinon
scatters fire, insolent in victory. Some are at the wide-flung gates,
all the thousands that ever came from populous Mycenae. Others have
beset the narrow streets with lowered weapons; edge and glittering point
of steel stand drawn, ready for the slaughter; scarcely at the entry do
the guards of the gates essay battle, and hold out in the blind fight. "
'Heaven's will thus declared by the son of Othrys drives me amid flames
and arms, where the baleful Fury calls, and tumult of shouting rises up.
Rhipeus and Epytus, most mighty in arms, join company with me; Hypanis
and Dymas meet us in the moonlight and attach themselves to our side,
and young Coroebus son of Mygdon. In those days it was he had come to
Troy, fired with mad passion for Cassandra, and bore a son's aid to
Priam and the Phrygians: hapless, that he listened not to his raving
bride's counsels. . . . Seeing them close-ranked and daring for battle,
I therewith began thus: "Men, hearts of supreme and useless bravery, if
your desire be fixed to follow one who dares the utmost; you see what is
the fortune of our state: all the gods by whom this empire was upheld
have gone forth, abandoning shrine and altar; your aid comes to a
burning city.
Let us die, and rush on their encircling weapons. The
conquered have one safety, to hope for none. "
'So their spirit is heightened to fury. Then, like wolves ravening in a
black fog, whom mad malice of hunger hath driven blindly forth, and
their cubs left behind await with throats unslaked; through the weapons
of the enemy we march to certain death, and hold our way straight into
the town. Night's sheltering shadow flutters dark around us. Who may
unfold in speech that night's horror and death-agony, or measure its
woes in weeping? The [363-397]ancient city falls with her long years of
sovereignty; corpses lie stretched stiff all about the streets and
houses and awful courts of the gods. Nor do Teucrians alone pay forfeit
of their blood; once and again valour returns even in conquered hearts,
and the victorious Grecians fall. Everywhere is cruel agony, everywhere
terror, and the sight of death at every turn.
'First, with a great troop of Grecians attending him, Androgeus meets
us, taking us in ignorance for an allied band, and opens on us with
friendly words: "Hasten, my men; why idly linger so late? others plunder
and harry the burning citadel; are you but now on your march from the
tall ships? " He spoke, and immediately (for no answer of any assurance
was offered) knew he was fallen among the foe. In amazement, he checked
foot and voice; even as one who struggling through rough briers hath
trodden a snake on the ground unwarned, and suddenly shrinks fluttering
back as it rises in anger and puffs its green throat out; even thus
Androgeus drew away, startled at the sight. We rush in and encircle them
with serried arms, and cut them down dispersedly in their ignorance of
the ground and seizure of panic. Fortune speeds our first labour. And
here Coroebus, flushed with success and spirit, cries: "O comrades,
follow me where fortune points before us the path of safety, and shews
her favour.
