The Story of the Troy: Ilium Revealed Collection

The Gates Have Opened

It’s one thing to know that these walls have stood unbreached through ten years of bitter conflict. It’s another to patrol them on a cold and windy night such as this.

Two more hours and then its back to a warm bed; a thought that keeps me going.

Best I can do is crouch beneath the upper wall and wrap up tight; along the line others do the same. The fire is more smoke than warmth, an illusion of flames to torment the mind.

The Achaeans looked slow today, no fight left in them. Soon they will leave.
After all these years they would finally leave, then Troy can rebuild and recover.

Both sons I lost. Fine lads with good hearts. Foolish boys, but noble hearts. Fallen to Achilles the invincible monster. No revenge to be had there, when Achilles and his men haul their tired oars back home. Soon, let it be soon. Revenge can be sought under different stars.

A noise below at the postern gate. “Who goes there?”, I shout, with no answer.
I climb uneasily to my feet and glance out to the plain beyond the wall.
It is filled with the massed ranks of Achaeans, thousands upon thousands of them!

Below me their columns flow into the the city, a dark and silent snake.
My mind reels at this impossibility. It cannot be. I raise my great horn and wind a deep-throated blast.

“To arms, to arms!

The enemy is amongst us, the gates are open.
Rise Trojans and defend your city.
Fire and despair, fight for your loved ones.
Death is upon us!”