Aeneid 2.1-56

Everyone became silent and intently held their mouths; then father Aeneas from the high couch thus began to speak, “You order me to renew unspeakable grief, queen, how the Danaans rooted up the Trojan wealth and pitiable kingdom, and what most wretched things I saw and a great part of which I was. Who of the Myrmidons or the Dolopians or a soldier of hard Ulysses in telling such things might restrain (themselves) from tears? And now humid night plunges from the sky and the falling stars persuade sleep. But if there is such passion to learn of our misfortunes and briefly hear the last labor of Troy, although the mind shudders to remember and flees from the grief, I will begin.

(13) Broken by war and driven back by the fates, the leaders of the Danaans, with so many years already slipping by, build a horse like a mountain by the divine art of Pallas and weave ribs with cut fir-wood; they pretend (it is) a vow for their return; this rumor roams. Here in the gloomy flank they secretly shut in the select bodies of men, having drawn lots, and fill the huge caverns and the belly with an army. Tenedos is in site, an island most famous by reputation while the riches of power and the kingdom of Priam remained, now only a bay and a anchorage for ships, hardly trusted for ships; carried forth to this place they hide themselves on the deserted shore; we thought that they had left and had sought Mycenas by the wind.

(26) Therefore all Teucria frees itself from long grief. The gates are opened; it pleases to go and see the Doric camp and the deserted places and the abandoned shore: here (was) the band of the Dolopians, here savage Achilles held; here the place for the ships, here they were accustomed to strive in the battle line. Part were astounded at the deadly gift for unwed Minerva and wonder at the mass of the horse; first Thymoetes urges that it be lead between the walls and placed on the citadel, whether by a trick or now thus the fates of Troy were leading. But Capys, and (those) whose mind held a better thought, order either that (we) hurl down the treachery of the Danaans to the sea and (we) burn the suspected gifts with flames placed under or that (we) bore through and try the hidden hollows of the belly. The uncertain crowd is split in contrary factions.

(40) First then before all, with a great crowd attending, ardent Laocoon runs from the top of the citadel and (shouts) from afar, “O wretched citizens, what is this so geat madness? Do you believe that the enemies have sailed away? Or do you think that any gifts of the Danaans lack tricks? Thus is Ulysses known? Either Achaeans lie hidden, enclosed in this wood, or this is a siege engine built against our walls, about to observe our homes and come over the city, or some other trick lies hidden; do not trust the horse, Teucrians. Whatever it is, I fear the Danaans, even bearing gifts.” Thus having spoken, he twisted his huge spear with powerful strength into the side and into the belly curved with joins of iron. That stood quivering, with the belly having been struck the hollow caverns sounded and gave a groan. And, if the fates of the gods, if their mind had not been unfavorable, he would have driven (us) to pollute the Argive hiding-places with the sword and Troy would now stand, you, lofty citadel of Priam, would remain.