To shore advancing, now the waves appear
All fire; unwonted ratlings fill the air.
The ocean trembles at their dreadful hiss;
All are amaz'd: When in a Trojan dress;
And holy wreaths their sacred temples bind,
Laocoon's sons were by the snakes entwin'd:
Now t'wards heaven their little hands are thrown
Each for his brother, not himself does moan,
And prays to save his ruin by his own.
Both dye at last, thro' fear each other shou'd,
And to give death a greater pomp, the good
Laocoon to their rescue vainly run,
Now gorg'd with death, they drag him on the ground
Up to the altar, where devoted lies
The priest himself, a panting sacrifice.
Thus with his blood the temple they prophane;
Losing their gods; Troy's ruin thus began:
Now the bright taper of the night appears,
Gayly attended with a train of stars:
When midst the Trojans, dead in sleep and wine,
The Grecians execute their dire design:
When from the open'd caverns of the horse,
Like a large flood, their hidden troops did gush;
And now deliver'd, leave their horse and fear,
With the same wanton motions colts appear:
When from the plow, and heavy collar freed,
They shake their rising crests, and try their speed.
Their swords they brandish, and their shields they rear,
And fix their helmets, then begin the war:
A party here o' th' drunken Trojans light,
And send them snoring to eternal night;
Another there now made their altars smoke,
And against Troy, Troy's guardian gods invoke.
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