him, die!" And as he spoke, he drove his sword, up to the very hilt, into the old man's body.

So died King Priam, after he had seen Troy burning about him and his palace spoiled, Priam who had 5 once ruled over many cities and peoples of Asia.

THE STORY OF ENEAS (Concluded)

II. THE ESCAPE OF ENEAS

Æneas from his place on the roof saw all these things, for they were done in the open court that was in the middle of the palace. He saw them, indeed, but he could give no help, being but one against many. 10 But the sight of the old man lying dead made him think of his own father, and so of his wife Creüsa, and of his little son Ascanius, and how he had left them at home alone and without defense.

As he thought to himself: "Shall I not return to 15 them, for here I can do nothing?" he turned his eyes and saw Helen in the temple of Vesta. She was sitting by the altar, hoping to be safe in the holy place. She was greatly afraid, fearing the Trojans, upon whom she had brought ruin, and her husband whom 20 she had deceived. When Eneas saw her he was full of rage; and he said to himself: "Shall this wicked woman go safe to Sparta? Shall she see again her home and her children, taking, it may be, women

of Troy to be her handmaidens? Shall Troy be burnt and King Priam be slain, and she, who is the cause of all this trouble, come to no harm? It shall not be; I myself will kill her. There is no glory in such a deed; who can get honor from the death of a5 woman? Nevertheless, I shall be taking vengeance for my kinsfolk and my countrymen."

But while he thought these things in his heart, there appeared to him his mother, Venus, in such a shape as he had never seen her before, not like a woman 10 of the earth, but tall and fair, as the gods who dwell in Heaven see her. Venus said to him: "What means this rage, my son? Have you no thought for me? Have you forgotten your old father Anchises, and your wife, and your little son? Surely the fire had 15 burnt them up long ago, if I had not cared for them, and preserved them. And as for Helen, why are you angry with her? It is not she, it is not Paris, that has brought this great city of Troy to ruin; it is the anger of the gods. See now; I will take away the 20 mist that is over your eyes. Look there; see how Neptune, god of the sea, is overthrowing the walls with his three-forked spear, and is rooting up the city from its foundations! See there, again, how Juno stands in the great gate of the city, with a spear in 25. her hand, and great hosts of Greeks from the ships! See how Minerva sits upon the citadel, with a storm

cloud round her, and her awful shield upon her arm! See how Father Jupiter stirs up the enemies of Troy! Fly, my son; I will be with you, and will not leave you till you reach your father's house." When she 5 had so spoken she vanished into the night.

Then Æneas looked, as his mother bade him, and saw the dreadful forms of gods, and how they were destroying the city, and all the place seemed, as he looked, to be sinking down into the fire. Just as an 10 oak in the mountains, at which the woodmen cut with their axes, bows its head, with its branches shaking round about it, till at last, after bearing many blows, it falls at once, and crashes down the side of the mountain, so Troy seemed to fall. When he had seen this,

His mother was by his

15 he turned to go to his home. side, though he could not see her, and he passed through the flames, and was not hurt, nor did the spear of the enemy wound him.

When he got to his home, he thought first of the 20 old man, his father, and said to him: "Come now, let me carry you away from this city, to a safe place among the hills." But Anchises would not go. He did not wish to live in some strange country when Troy had been destroyed. "No," he said, “do you, 25 who are strong and who have many days to live, fly. I will stay. If the gods had wished me to live, they would have preserved this place for me. It is enough

for me, yea, more than enough, that already I have seen the city taken, and lived. Say good-by to me, therefore, as you would say good-by to a dying man. Death I will find myself, or, at least, the enemy will find it for me, when they come. Already I have lived 5 too long."

So Anchises spoke, nor could they persuade him to change his mind, though his son, and his son's wife, and even the little child Ascanius begged him with many tears. When Eneas saw that he could not 10 change the old man's purpose, he was minded to go back to the battle and die. But his wife Creüsa threw herself on the ground and caught his feet. She held out to him the child Ascanius, and cried: "If you are going back to the battle that you may die there, 15 then take your wife and child with you. For why should we live when you are dead? But if you have any hope that arms may help us, stay here, and guard your father and your wife and your son."

While she was speaking there happened a most won-20 derful thing. A fire was seen to shine upon the head of the child, Ascanius, to play round his long curls, and to sparkle on his forehead. His father and his mother saw it, and were astonished. At first they thought that it was real fire, and would have fetched 25 water with which to put it out. But when the old man Anchises, who was wise in such matters, saw it,

he was very glad, for he knew that this was no common fire, but a token that the child was dear to the gods. He looked up to heaven, and cried: "O, Father Jupiter, if thou hearest prayer at all, hear me now, and 5 give us a sign." While he was speaking, there was heard a great clap of thunder on the left hand, and a star was seen to shoot through the skies, leaving a long trail of light behind it, passing over the city, till it was hidden behind the woods of Ida. When the old 10 man saw this he rose from the place where he was sitting, and bowed his head, and said: "I will make no more delay; lead on, and I will follow; O gods of my country, save my house, and my grandson. This sign came from you."

15 Then said Æneas, for the fire was coming nearer, and the light growing brighter, and the heat more fierce: "Climb, dear Father, on my shoulders; I will carry you, nor shall I be tired by the weight. We will be saved, or we will perish together. The little 20 Ascanius shall go with me, and my wife shall follow behind, but not too near." Then he turned to the servants, and said: "Men of my house, listen to me. You know that as one goes out of the city, there is a tomb and a temple of Ceres in a lonely place, with an 25 old cypress tree close by. That is the place where we will meet. Each by different ways, not all together, that we may not be seen by the enemy. And do you,