Thus Priam fell, and with him the last hope of the people of Troy. The city in full possession of their enemies, the palace and citadel sacked and destroyed, and the king slain, they saw that there was nothing now left for which they had any wish to contend.
Æneas's reflections.--He determines to go home.--Æneas is left at last alone.--He goes away.--He sees the princess Helen.--Story of Helen.--Æneas determines to destroy her.--His reflections.--The apparition of Aphrodite.--Her words.--His mother's magical protection.--He reaches his home.--The determination of Anchises.--Creusa's entreaties.--The plan formed for the escape of the family.--The lion's skin.--The household gods.--Creusa.--The whole party proceed towards the gates.--Escape from the city.--Creusa is lost.--Æneas goes back in search of Creusa.--He finds that his house has been burned.--The apparition of Creusa.--Her predictions.--Her farewell to her husband.--Preparations for departure.--Æneas's company increases.--His fleet.--The embarkation.--Map of the wanderings of Æneas.--A dreadful prodigy.--The bleeding myrtle.--Words of the myrtle.--Story of Polydorus.--Æneas leaves Thrace.--His various wanderings.--The attempted settlement at Crete.--Calamities.--Æneas's perplexity.--Advice of Anchises.--Scene at night.--The household deities.--Their address to Æneas.--Effect of this address.--Subsequent adventures.--Danger of shipwreck.--The harpies.--Æneas driven away.--Dangers at Mt. Etna.--The one-eyed giants.--Polyphemus.--Remarks on the story of Æneas.
Æneas, from his station upon the battlements of a neighboring edifice, witnessed the taking of the palace and the death of Priam. He immediately gave up all for lost, and turned his thoughts at once to the sole question of the means of saving himself and his family from impending destruction. He thought of his father, Anchises, who at this time lived with him in the city, and was nearly of the same age as Priam the king, whom he had just seen so cruelly slain. He thought of his wife too, whom he had left at home, and of his little son Ascanius, and he began now to be overwhelmed with the apprehension, that the besiegers had found their way to his dwelling, and were, perhaps, at that very moment plundering and destroying it and perpetrating cruel deeds of violence and outrage upon his wife and family. He determined immediately to hasten home.