Ulysses could ask him for no gift that he would
not gladly give; so they embraced, and both armed themselves and went up
into the horse. With them were all the chiefs except Nestor, whom they
would not allow to come, and Agamemnon, who, as chief general, had to
command the army. They swathed themselves and their arms in soft silks,
that they might not ring and clash, when the Trojans, if they were so
foolish, dragged the horse up into their town, and there they sat in the
dark waiting. Meanwhile, the army burned their huts and launched their
ships, and with oars and sails made their way to the back of the isle of
Tenedos.

THE END OF TROY AND THE SAVING OF HELEN

From the walls the Trojans saw the black smoke go up thick into the sky,
and the whole fleet of the Greeks sailing out to sea. Never were men so
glad, and they armed themselves for fear of an ambush, and went
cautiously, sending forth scouts in front of them, down to the seashore.
Here they found the huts burned down and the camp deserted, and some of
the scouts also caught Sinon, who had hid himself in a place where he was
likely to be found. They rushed on him with fierce cries, and bound his
hands with a rope, and kicked and dragged him along to the place where
Priam and the princes were wondering at the great horse of tree. Sinon
looked round upon them, while some were saying that he ought to be
tortured with fire to make him tell all the truth about the horse. The
chiefs in the horse must have trembled for fear lest torture should wring
the truth out of Sinon, for then the Trojans would simply burn the
machine and them within it.

But Sinon said: "Miserable man that I am, whom the Greeks hate and the
Trojans are eager to slay!" When the Trojans heard that the Greeks hated
him, they were curious, and asked who he was, and how he came to be
there. "I will tell you all, oh King!" he answered Priam. "I was a
friend and squire of an unhappy chief, Palamedes, whom the wicked Ulysses
hated and slew secretly one day, when he found him alone, fishing in the
sea. I was angry, and in my folly I did not hide my anger, and my words
came to the ears of Ulysses. From that hour he sought occasion to slay
me. Then Calchas--" here he stopped, saying: "But why tell a long tale?
If you hate all Greeks alike, then slay me; this is what Agamemnon and
Ulysses desire; Menelaus would thank you for my head."

The Trojans were now more curious than before. T