Aeneid Book 2, lines 250-267

The Trojan horse opens

With the help of their spy, Sinon, the Greeks spring their trap and gain entry to Troy.

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“Vertitur interea caelum et ruit oceano nox,
involvens umbra magna terramque polumque
Myrmidonumque dolos; fusi per moenia Teucri
conticuere, sopor fessos complectitur artus:
et iam Argiva phalanx instructis navibus ibat
a Tenedo tacitae per amica silentia lunae
litora nota petens, flammas cum regia puppis
extulerat, fatisque deum defensus iniquis
inclusos utero Danaos et pinea furtim
laxat claustra Sinon. illos patefactus ad auras
reddit equus, laetique cavo se robore promunt
Thessandrus Sthenelusque duces, et dirus Ulixes,
demissum lapsi per funem, Acamasque, Thoasque,
Pelidesque Neoptolemus, primusque Machaon,
et Menelaus, et ipse doli fabricator Epeos.
invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam;
caeduntur vigiles, portisque patentibus omnis
accipiunt socios atque agmina conscia iungunt.”

“Meanwhile, the heavens turned and night rose from the ocean, wrapping the earth and the heavens –and the tricks of the Greeks – deep in darkness. Lying throughout the town, the Trojans had fallen silent as sleep embraced their tired limbs. And now, after the King’s ship had hoisted a beacon, the Greek force with its ships in array was sailing from Tenedos through the friendly quiet of the silent moon, heading again for the shores it knew so well – and Sinon, protected by the unjust fates of the Gods, secretly loosed both the wooden bars and the Greeks shut inside. Opened, the horse returned them to the air, and out from the hollow timbers, dropping down a lowered rope, gladly came Acamas and Thoas, Achilles’ son Neoptolemus, with Machaon in the lead, and Menelaus, and Epeos himself, the builder of the trap. They fell on a city buried in sleep and wine; the sentries were cut down, and, with the gates thrown open, they welcomed in all their comrades and formed their battle lines as planned.”

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