By the G R E E K S. 59 



out of it, and, after an obftinate ftruggle, vanquifhed the Tro- 

 jans, and plundered the town. 



THE abfurdity of all this is too grofs and glaring to need re- 

 futation. VIRGIL faw well the objections to which it is liable, 

 and, to obviate them, has flrained his invention to the utmoft, 

 but in vain. According to him, this horfe was huge as a moun- 

 tain*; and it was necefTary it mould, as it was to contain an 

 army in its belly. It fell to the lot of ULYSSES, MENELAUS, 

 NEOPTOLEMUS, the maker EPEUS, and five other leaders, to en- 

 ter this machine ; which they did, with a body of armed men 

 that filled it. The reft of the Greeks failed to Tenedos, which 

 was in fight f, and there hid% themfelves on the defart more. 

 The Trojans, thinking them gone for good, came down, and 

 confulted about the difpofal of the horfe, as in HOMER. But 

 upon LAOCOON, who oppofed its introduction into the city, be- 

 ing devoured by two ferpents, they put wheels to its feet, and 

 ropes to its neck, and drew it up to the town, through a breach 

 made on purpofe in the wall. The Greeks at Tenedos returned at 

 midnight, having the benefit of a bright moon-mine ; and thofe 

 in the horfe having defcended by means of a rope, opened the 

 gates to them, and the Trojans, being buried in fleep and wine, 

 were eafily maftered. 



EVERY perfon who reads this with the leaft attention muft 

 perceive, that VIRGIL had better have couched the ftory in ge- 

 neral obfcure terms, as HOMER does. By being particular, in- 

 ftead of mending the matter, he makes it worfe ; and there is 

 one ftriking incongruity, into which it is aftonifhing he mould 

 have fallen. Tenedos, he fays, was in fight ; and, no doubt, 

 it was ; for its diftance from the Trojan fhore is but forty ftadia, 

 or five miles ; it was a bright moon-mine, and Troy flood on 

 a hill ; how then could a great army be hid from the Trojans 

 on a defart fhore ? At any rate, it is impoflible, that 1200 fhips 

 could be concealed from them. They muft have feen the fleet 



h 2 at 



* ./Eneid. ii. f In copfpe&u. \ Condunt. 



