Building of Troy
Apollo and Neptune engage with Laomedon to build the walls of Troy for a stipulated sum, which he refuses to pay: for which breach of faith his territories are laid waste by the encroachments of the sea—He is delivered from the rage of a sea monster by the valour of Hercules, whom he in like manner defrauds: the hero is therefore obliged to besiege Troy, and take it by force of arms.
Phoebus, with full revenge, from Tmolus flies, Darts through the air, and cleaves the liquid skies; Near Hellespont he lights, and treads the plains Where great Laomedon sole monarch reigns; Where, built between the two projecting strands, To Panomphaean Jove an altar stands; Here first aspiring thoughts the king employ To found the lofty towers of future Troy. The work, from schemes magnificent begun,
At vast expense, was slowly carried on; Which Phoebus seeing, with the trident god, Who rules the swelling surges with his nod, Assuming each a mortal shape, combine, At a set price, to finish his design. The work was built, the king their price denies, And his injustice backs with perjuries: This Neptune could not brook, but drove the main, A mighty deluge, o’er the Phrygian plain;
’Twas all a sea, the waters of the deep From every vale the copious harvest sweep; The briny billows overflow the soil, Ravage the fields, and mock the ploughman’s toil.
Nor this appeased the god’s revengeful mind, For still a greater plague remains behind; A huge sea monster lodges on the sands, And the king’s daughter for his prey demands. To him, that saved the, damsel, was decreed A set of horses of the sun’s fine breed; But, when Alcides from the rock untied The trembling fair, the ransom was denied. He, in revenge, the new-built walls attack’d,
And the twice-perjured city bravely sack’d. Telamon aided; and, in justice, shared Part of the plunder as his due reward: The princess, rescued late, with all her charms, Hesione, was yielded to his arms: For Peleus, with a goddess bride, was more Proud of his spouse than of his birth before; Grandsons to Jove there might be more than one, But he the goddess had beloved alone.