LITMIR.BIZ

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      T’ impose on their belief, and Troy betray;

      Fix’d on his aim, and obstinately bent

      To die undaunted, or to circumvent.

      About the captive, tides of Trojans flow;

      All press to see, and some insult the foe.

      Now hear how well the Greeks their wiles disguis’d;

      Behold a nation in a man compris’d.

      Trembling the miscreant stood, unarm’d and bound;

      He star’d, and roll’d his haggard eyes around,

      Then said: ‘Alas! what earth remains, what sea

      Is open to receive unhappy me?

      What fate a wretched fugitive attends,

      Scorn’d by my foes, abandon’d by my friends?’

      He said, and sigh’d, and cast a rueful eye:

      Our pity kindles, and our passions die.

      We cheer youth to make his own defense,

      And freely tell us what he was, and whence:

      What news he could impart, we long to know,

      And what to credit from a captive foe.

      “His fear at length dismiss’d, he said: ‘Whate’er

      My fate ordains, my words shall be sincere:

      I neither can nor dare my birth disclaim;

      Greece is my country, Sinon is my name.

      Tho’ plung’d by Fortune’s pow’r in misery,

      ’Tis not in Fortune’s pow’r to make me lie.

      If any chance has hither brought the name

      Of Palamedes, not unknown to fame,

      Who suffer’d from the malice of the times,

      Accus’d and sentenc’d for pretended crimes,

      Because these fatal wars he would prevent;

      Whose death the wretched Greeks too late lament—

      Me, then a boy, my father, poor and bare

      Of other means, committed to his care,

      His kinsman and companion in the war.

      While Fortune favor’d, while his arms support

      The cause, and rul’d the counsels, of the court,

      I made some figure there; nor was my name

      Obscure, nor I without my share of fame.

      But when Ulysses, with fallacious arts,

      Had made impression in the people’s hearts,

      And forg’d a treason in my patron’s name

      (I speak of things too far divulg’d by fame),

      My kinsman fell. Then I, without support,

      In private mourn’d his loss, and left the court.

      Mad as I was, I could not bear his fate

      With silent grief, but loudly blam’d the state,

      And curs’d the direful author of my woes.

      ’Twas told again; and hence my ruin rose.

      I threaten’d, if indulgent Heav’n once more

      Would land me safely on my native shore,

      His death with double vengeance to restore.

      This mov’d the murderer’s hate; and soon ensued

      Th’ effects of malice from a man so proud.

      Ambiguous rumors thro’ the camp he spread,

      And sought, by treason, my devoted head;

      New crimes invented; left unturn’d no stone,

      To make my guilt appear, and hide his own;

      Till Calchas was by force and threat’ning wrought-

      But why—why dwell I on that anxious thought?

      If on my nation just revenge you seek,

      And ’tis t’appear a foe, t’appear a Greek;

      Already you my name and country know;

      Assuage your thirst of blood, and strike the blow:

      My death will both the kingly brothers please,

      And set insatiate Ithacus at ease.’

      This fair unfinish’d tale, these broken starts,

      Rais’d expectations in our longing hearts:

      Unknowing as we were in Grecian arts.

      His former trembling once again renew’d,

      With acted fear, the villain thus pursued:

      “‘Long had the Grecians (tir’d with fruitless care,

      And wearied with an unsuccessful war)

      Resolv’d to raise the siege, and leave the town;

      And, had the gods permitted, they had gone;

      But oft the wintry seas and southern winds

      Withstood their passage home, and chang’d their minds.

      Portents and prodigies their souls amaz’d;

      But most, when this stupendous pile was rais’d:

      Then flaming meteors, hung in air, were seen,

      And thunders rattled thro’ a sky serene.

      Dismay’d, and fearful of some dire event,

      Eurypylus t’ enquire their fate was sent.

      He from the gods this dreadful answer brought:

      “O Grecians, when the Trojan shores you sought,

      Your passage with a virgin’s blood was bought:

      So must your safe return be bought again,

      And Grecian blood once more atone the main.”

      The spreading rumor round the people ran;

      All fear’d, and each believ’d himself the man.

      Ulysses took th’ advantage of their fright;

      Call’d Calchas, and produc’d in open sight:

      Then bade him name the wretch, ordain’d by fate

      The public victim, to redeem the state.

      Already some presag’d the dire event,

      And saw what sacrifice Ulysses meant.

      For twice five days the good old seer withstood

      Th’ intended treason, and was dumb to blood,

      Till, tir’d, with endless clamors and pursuit

      Of Ithacus, he stood no longer mute;

      But, as it was agreed, pronounc’d that I

      Was destin’d by the wrathful gods to die.

      All prais’d the sentence, pleas’d the storm should fall

      On one alone, whose fury threaten’d all.

      The dismal day was come; the priests prepare

      Their leaven’d cakes, and fillets for my hair.

      I follow’d nature’s laws, and must avow

      I broke my bonds and fled the fatal blow.

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