The Fall of Troy [90]
mansions of the Blest, Clothed her in shape of a maiden tender-fleshed, And came to ships and host. Over the head Of brave Epeius stood she in his dream, And bade him build a Horse of tree: herself Would labour in his labour, and herself Stand by his side, to the work enkindling him. Hearing the Goddess' word, with a glad laugh Leapt he from careless sleep: right well he knew The Immortal One celestial. Now his heart Could hold no thought beside; his mind was fixed Upon the wondrous work, and through his soul Marched marshalled each device of craftsmanship.
When rose the dawn, and thrust back kindly night To Erebus, and through the firmament streamed Glad glory, then Epeius told his dream To eager Argives -- all he saw and heard; And hearkening joyed they with exceeding joy. Straightway to tall-tressed Ida's leafy glades The sons of Atreus sent swift messengers. 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.
But while the Danaans o'er Epeius' work Joyed, and their routed foes within the walls Tarried, and shrank from death and pitiless doom, Then, when imperious Zeus far from the Gods Had gone to Ocean's streams and Tethys' caves, Strife rose between the Immortals: heart with heart Was set at variance. Riding on the blasts Of winds, from heaven to earth they swooped: the air Crashed round them. Lighting down by Xanthus' stream Arrayed they stood against each other, these For the Achaeans, for the Trojans those; And all their souls were thrilled with lust of war: There gathered too the Lords of the wide Sea. These in their wrath were eager to destroy The Horse of Guile and all the ships, and those Fair Ilium. But all-contriving Fate Held them therefrom, and turned their hearts to strife Against each other. Ares to the fray Rose first, and on Athena rushed. Thereat Fell each on other: clashed around their limbs The golden arms celestial as they charged. Round them the wide sea thundered, the dark earth Quaked 'neath immortal feet. Rang from them all Far-pealing battle-shouts; that awful cry Rolled up to the broad-arching heaven, and down Even to Hades' fathomless abyss: Trembled the Titans there in depths of gloom. Ida's long ridges sighed, sobbed clamorous streams Of ever-flowing rivers, groaned ravines Far-furrowed, Argive ships, and Priam's towers. Yet men feared not, for naught they knew of all That strife, by Heaven's decree. Then her high peaks The Gods' hands wrenched from Ida's crest, and hurled Against each other: but like crumbling sands Shivered they fell round those invincible
When rose the dawn, and thrust back kindly night To Erebus, and through the firmament streamed Glad glory, then Epeius told his dream To eager Argives -- all he saw and heard; And hearkening joyed they with exceeding joy. Straightway to tall-tressed Ida's leafy glades The sons of Atreus sent swift messengers. 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.
But while the Danaans o'er Epeius' work Joyed, and their routed foes within the walls Tarried, and shrank from death and pitiless doom, Then, when imperious Zeus far from the Gods Had gone to Ocean's streams and Tethys' caves, Strife rose between the Immortals: heart with heart Was set at variance. Riding on the blasts Of winds, from heaven to earth they swooped: the air Crashed round them. Lighting down by Xanthus' stream Arrayed they stood against each other, these For the Achaeans, for the Trojans those; And all their souls were thrilled with lust of war: There gathered too the Lords of the wide Sea. These in their wrath were eager to destroy The Horse of Guile and all the ships, and those Fair Ilium. But all-contriving Fate Held them therefrom, and turned their hearts to strife Against each other. Ares to the fray Rose first, and on Athena rushed. Thereat Fell each on other: clashed around their limbs The golden arms celestial as they charged. Round them the wide sea thundered, the dark earth Quaked 'neath immortal feet. Rang from them all Far-pealing battle-shouts; that awful cry Rolled up to the broad-arching heaven, and down Even to Hades' fathomless abyss: Trembled the Titans there in depths of gloom. Ida's long ridges sighed, sobbed clamorous streams Of ever-flowing rivers, groaned ravines Far-furrowed, Argive ships, and Priam's towers. Yet men feared not, for naught they knew of all That strife, by Heaven's decree. Then her high peaks The Gods' hands wrenched from Ida's crest, and hurled Against each other: but like crumbling sands Shivered they fell round those invincible