Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-03-12
NUMBER Ii.
1HE TROJAN HORSE.

But nevertheless Troy was to remain
so long as it retained the
Palladium, which. rs We have before
,ail, had been given by Zeus to the
founder of the city, nus. Ulysses. how
{, r, having disguised his person with
miserable clothes and self-inhicted
wounds. introduced himself into the
cltv and found means to carry away tha
Palladium by stealth. He was recog-
niz Il only 10y Helen, who concerted
with him means for the capture OF the
town. 4 final stratagem was resorted
20. At the suggestion of Athcne, Epeius
aud Panopeus constructed hollow
wooden horse, capacious enough to con-
tain 100 men. In this horse the most
eminent Of the Greek heroes concealed
themselves, while the whole Greek army,
having burned their tents and pretended
to give up the siege, sailed away with
thor ships, which they anchored behind
Tcncdos. Ovcrjoyed TO see themselves
finally relieved. the Trojans issued from
the city AMI wondered at the stupendous
hoist, On which WAS written, that
Il was dedicated to Athens by the depart
ing Greeks. They were not long at q
los, what to do with il and the anxious
heroes from within heard their con,ulta-
tions. as we'll ~ the voice OF Helen,
when she pronounced the name Of each
hero. counterfeiting the accent of his
wIte's voice. Some desired to bring II
into the city and dedicate it to the gods;
others advised distrust at the enemy's
legacy. LaocoOn, the priest OF Pose
i,lon, came with his two sons, and, III
his Indignation, thrust his spear against
the horse The sonnd revealed that the
morse was hollow, but at the same mo-
ment LAGOON and one Of his sons per
ished mi,erably, two monstrous serpents
having been sent by Here out of the sea
10 destroy them. The Troians, terrified
.v this spectacle, and persuaded by the
n4,Glio!s counscls of the traitor Simon
who had been expressly lett behind by
The Glecks to give them false infor
lnatio,.--were induced to drag the fatal
! fabric into their city; and, as the gate
WAS not large enough to admit it, they
| even made breach in their OWL wall.
| Tins the horse was introduced into the
A,roplis. and placed in the Agora before
priain's palace. But even now opinions
were divided many demanding that the
horse should be cut in pieces, others ad-
yising that it should be dragged to the
highest point of the Acropolis ami
thrown taence on the rocks below. The
strongest party, however, insisted on its
being dedicated to the gods as a token
of oratitude for their delivcrance
After sunset the Greek fleet returned
to the shore of the plain Of Troy and
awaited the preconcerted signal. While
the Trojans indulged in riotous festivi-
ties Simon kindled the ire-signd and as-
sisted the concealed heroes to open the
secret door in the horses belly, out Of
which they descended. The city was
now assailed from within and without,
and was completely sacked and de-
stroyed, nearly the whole population
being slain. Priam, who had vainly
sought shelter at the altar Of Zens Her
kclos. was killed by NeOptolemus. His
son, Delphobus, who. after the death of
his brother Paris, had become the hus-
band of Helen, was attacked by Ulysses
and Menelaus. he defended his house
desperately, but was finally overcome
and slain. Thue Menelaus at length
won back his wife.-Dr. SohiieDadnn'a
"Uios."