Then said another of the elders, “Nor indeed did the wrath of the goddess tarry.  For when the army was gathered together in Aulis she caused that the winds blew ever from the north and hindered the ships from their voyage, so that the men were pinched with hunger and wasted with disease.  Then said Calchas, the soothsayer, ’This is the thing whereof I spake:  the goddess asketh the sacrifice that thou knowest of.’  But when the kings heard this, they wept, and smote with their sceptres upon the ground.  And King Agamemnon said, ’How shall I do this thing, and slay my own daughter, even Iphigenia, who is the joy and beauty of my dwelling?  Yet it were base to be false to them that have trusted me to be their leader in this war.  Therefore the Gods shall have their will.’  Thus he hardened his heart to the evil work; nor did the chiefs have pity on her for all that she was young and fair exceedingly.  So when the priests had ended their prayers, her father bade the ministers take her as she lay with her robes about her, and lift her up on the altar, even as men lift a kid which they slay for sacrifice, putting a bridle upon her lips, that she should not cry aloud.  Then she let fall to the earth her saffron veil, being fair to see as a very lovely picture, and smote all that stood by with a look exceeding piteous:  yea, and would fain have spoken to them, for often had they heard her voice when she sang in the guest-hall of her father.  But of the end what need to speak?  Who knoweth it not?  For indeed the counsels of Calchas were fulfilled.”

While they talked these things one to another the Queen Clytaemnestra came forth from the palace, and they asked her, “Hast thou heard good news, O Queen, that thou biddest them burn incense on the altars?”

“Good news, indeed,” she said, “for the Greeks have taken the great city of Troy.”

And when they doubted if this could be so, and would know when the thing had happened, and how she had heard it so speedily, she set the matter forth to them, as the king had ordered it.  “For first,” she said, “they made a great fire on Mount Ida, which is over Troy; and from Ida the light passed to the island of Lemnos, and from Lemnos to the mountain of Athos.  But Athos sent it on southward across the sea, on a path of gold like the sunshine, even to Makistus in Euboea, and Makistus to Messapius, and Messapius, kindling a great pile of heath, sent it, bright as is the moon, across the plain of the Asopus to the cliffs of Cithaeron.  And from Cithaeron it travelled, brighter than before, by the lake Gorgopis to the hill of AEgiplanctus, which looketh down upon the Saronic gulf, and hence to Arachneues, which is hard by the city.  Thus hath the King sent the tidings to me.”

“Tell us more,” said the old man, “for we can scarcely believe this thing.”

“Of a truth,” said the Queen, “this day the Greeks possess the city of Troy, wherein, I trow, are many things which ill agree.  For women are making lamentation for husbands and brothers slain with the sword, while the conquerors feast and live softly, being quit of hunger and cold and watchings.  Only let them do honour to the gods of the city, nor lay hands greedy of gain on that which is holy.  So shall they have a safe return.  But if they anger the Gods, haply there shall come upon them the vengeance of them that are slain.”