_Æn._ At which the frantic queen leaped on his face, And in his eyelids hanging by the nails, A little while prolonged her husband's life. At last, the soldiers pull'd her by the heels, And swung her howling in the empty air, Which sent an echo to the wounded king: 250 Whereat he lifted up his bed-rid limbs, And would have grappled with Achilles' son, Forgetting both his want of strength and hands; Which he disdaining, whisk'd his sword about, And with the wind thereof the king fell down;[473] Then from the navel to the throat at once He ripp'd old Priam; at whose latter gasp Jove's marble statue gan to bend the brow, As loathing Pyrrhus for this wicked act. Yet he, undaunted, took his father's flag, 260 And dipped it in the old king's chill-cold blood, And then in triumph ran into the streets, Through which he could not pass for slaughter'd men; So, leaning on his sword, he stood stone-still, Viewing the fire wherewith rich Ilion burnt. By this, I got my father on my back, This young boy in mine arms, and by the hand Led fair Creusa, my belovèd wife; When thou, Achates, with thy sword mad'st way, And we were round environed with the Greeks: 270 O, there I lost my wife! and, had not we Fought manfully, I had not told this tale. Yet manhood would not serve; of force we fled; And, as we went unto our ships, thou know'st We saw Cassandra sprawling in the streets, Whom Ajax ravished in Diana's fane,[474] Her cheeks swollen with sighs, her hair all rent; Whom I took up to bear unto our ships; But suddenly the Grecians followed us, And I, alas, was forced to let her lie! 280 Then got we to our ships, and, being aboard, Polyxena cried out, "Æneas, stay! The Greeks pursue me; stay, and take me in!" Moved with her voice, I leap'd into the sea, Thinking to bear her on my back aboard, For all our ships were launched into the deep, And, as I swom, she, standing on the shore, Was by the cruel Myrmidons surprised, And, after that, by[475] Pyrrhus sacrificed. _Dido._ I die with melting ruth; Æneas, leave.[476] 290 _Anna._ O, what became of agèd Hecuba? _Iar._ How got Æneas to the fleet again? _Dido._ But how scaped Helen, she that caus'd this war? _Æn._ Achates, speak; sorrow hath tir'd me quite. _Ach._ What happen'd to the queen we cannot show; We hear they led her captive into Greece: As for Æneas, he swom quickly back; And Helena betrayed Deiphobus, Her lover, after Alexander died, And so was reconciled to Menelaus. 300