Your walls ascend, assisted by your force, A league 'gainst Greece all Asia shall contract; Our sons then suff'ring what their sires would act.' Thus by his fraud and our own faith o'ercome, 190 A feigned tear destroys us, against whom Tydides nor Achilles could prevail, Nor ten years' conflict, nor a thousand sail. This seconded by a most sad portent, Which credit to the first imposture lent; Laocoon, Neptune's priest, upon the day Devoted to that god, a bull did slay; When two prodigious serpents were descried, Whose circling strokes the sea's smooth face divide; Above the deep they raise their scaly crests, 200 And stem the flood with their erected breasts, Their winding tails advance and steer their course, And 'gainst the shore the breaking billows force. Now landing, from their brandish'd tongues there came A dreadful hiss, and from their eyes a flame. Amazed we fly, directly in a line Laocoon they pursue, and first entwine (Each preying upon one) his tender sons; Then him, who armed to their rescue runs, They seized, and with entangling folds embraced, 210 His neck twice compassing, and twice his waist: Their pois'nous knots he strives to break and tear, While slime and blood his sacred wreaths besmear; Then loudly roars, as when th'enraged bull From th'altar flies, and from his wounded skull Shakes the huge axe; the conqu'ring serpents fly To cruel Pallas' altar, and there lie Under her feet, within her shield's extent. 218 We, in our fears, conclude this fate was sent Justly on him, who struck the sacred oak With his accursed lance. Then to invoke The goddess, and let in the fatal horse, We all consent.