The fatal present to the flames designed, Or to the watery deep; at least to bore The hollow sides, and hidden frauds explore. The giddy vulgar, as their fancies guide, With noise say nothing, and in parts divide. Laocoön, followed by a numerous crowd, Ran from the fort, and cried, from far, aloud:-- "O wretched countrymen! what fury reigns? What more than madness has possessed your brains? Think you the Grecians from your coasts are gone? And are Ulysses' arts no better known? This hollow fabric either must inclose, Within its blind recess, our secret foes; Or 'tis an engine raised above the town, To o'erlook the walls, and then to batter down. Somewhat is sure designed, by fraud or force-- Trust not their presents, nor admit the horse." Thus having said, against the steed he threw His forceful spear, which, hissing as it flew, Pierced through the yielding planks of jointed wood, And trembling in the hollow belly stood. The sides, transpierced, return a rattling sound, And groans of Greeks inclosed come issuing through the wound. And, had not heaven the fall of Troy designed, } Or had not men been fated to be blind, } Enough was said and done to inspire a better mind. } Then had our lances pierced the treacherous wood, And Ilian towers and Priam's empire stood. Meantime, with shouts, the Trojan shepherds bring A captive Greek in bands, before the king-- Taken, to take--who made himself their prey, To impose on their belief, and Troy betray; Fixed 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 disguised; Behold a nation in a man comprised. Trembling the miscreant stood; unarmed and bound, He stared, and rolled his hagard eyes around, Then said, "Alas! what earth remains, what sea Is open to receive unhappy me? What fate a wretched fugitive attends, Scorned by my foes, abandoned by my friends?" He said, and sighed, and cast a rueful eye; Our pity kindles, and our passions die. We cheer the youth to make his own defence, 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 dismissed, 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. Though plunged by Fortune's power in misery, 'Tis not in Fortune's power to make me lie. If any chance has hither brought the name Of Palamedes, not unknown to fame, Who suffered from the malice of the times, Accused and sentenced for pretended crimes, Because the fatal wars he would prevent; Whose death the wretched Greeks too late lament-- Me, then a boy, my father, poor and bare }