THE TROJAN HORSE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Central to the story of the Trojan War, the Wooden Horse, or Trojan Horse, was ultimately the ruse that brought about the end of the conflict, with success for the Achaean force over the people of Troy.
The concept of the Trojan Horse lives on today, with the name living on in terms of computer malware, although both the original Trojan Horse and the modern day variant are based on trouble hidden inside a seemingly innocuous item.
The concept of the Trojan Horse lives on today, with the name living on in terms of computer malware, although both the original Trojan Horse and the modern day variant are based on trouble hidden inside a seemingly innocuous item.
Ancient Sources for the Trojan Horse
Today, the main source for the Trojan War is the Iliad by the Greek poet Homer, but this epic poem ends prior to the events linked with the Trojan Horse, although Homer does make mention of the Wooden Horse in the Odyssey.
The Iliad and the Odyssey are the only two surviving complete works from the “Epic Cycle”, and the lost works Little Iliad (attributed to Lesches) and Iliou Persis (Arctinus) are more likely to have dealt with the Trojan Horse. Despite this details of the Wooden Horse can be garnered from other ancient sources, including Virgil’s Aeneid.
The Iliad and the Odyssey are the only two surviving complete works from the “Epic Cycle”, and the lost works Little Iliad (attributed to Lesches) and Iliou Persis (Arctinus) are more likely to have dealt with the Trojan Horse. Despite this details of the Wooden Horse can be garnered from other ancient sources, including Virgil’s Aeneid.
Prelude to the Wooden Horse
Before the Trojan Horse, war had dragged on between the Achaean forces of Agamemnon and the defenders of Troy for ten years, and whilst cities allied to Troy had fallen to the Achaeans, the walls of Troy still held firm.
Despite both sides losing their greatest warriors, Achilles on the Greek side, and Hector, on the Trojan, neither side could gain a decisive advantage.
Prophecies were made, by Calchas and later Helenus, about how Troy could fall, but even with the bow and arrows of Heracles, the son of Achilles, and the stolen Palladium in the Achaean camp, still Troy held firm.
Despite both sides losing their greatest warriors, Achilles on the Greek side, and Hector, on the Trojan, neither side could gain a decisive advantage.
Prophecies were made, by Calchas and later Helenus, about how Troy could fall, but even with the bow and arrows of Heracles, the son of Achilles, and the stolen Palladium in the Achaean camp, still Troy held firm.
The Trojan Horse is Built
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The likes of Neoptolemus and Philoctetes were keen to continue fighting, but both were relatively new to the battlefield, for the other battle weary Achaean heroes, it was decided that now was the time for subterfuge rather than conflict.
Thus the idea of the Wooden Horse was put forward. Surviving sources give credit to either Odysseus, under the guidance of the goddess Athena, or to the seer Helenus, for the concept of the Trojan Horse. The idea being that a large wooden horse would be constructed of sufficient size that a number of heroes could hide inside it, and then some method of enticing the Trojans to take the horse inside Troy must be devised. With the idea in place, design and construction was given over to Epeius, son of Panopeus, whilst Ajax the Lesser assisted. Wood was cut from Mount Ida, and for three days the Achaeans toiled to craft a horse like structure upon wheels. Then touches including hooves of bronze and a bridle of ivory and bronze were added to make the Wooden Horse more elegant. The people of Troy saw the Wooden Horse being built, but they failed to see the hidden compartment inside the horse’s belly, or the ladder inside, or indeed the holes in the horse’s mouth which allowed air into the hidden section. |
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Building of the Trojan Horse -
Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (1727–1804) - PD-art-100
Heroes Within the Trojan Horse
With the Trojan Horse constructed a number of the Achaean heroes secreted themselves into the hidden compartment.
Ancient sources state that anywhere between 23 and 50 Achaean heroes were to be found in the belly of the Wooden Horse, with the Byzantine poet John Tzetes suggesting 23 heroes, whilst 50 names appear in the Bibliotheca.
Later on it was common to name 40 heroes as being inside the Trojan Horse. The most famous of these heroes were perhaps –
Ancient sources state that anywhere between 23 and 50 Achaean heroes were to be found in the belly of the Wooden Horse, with the Byzantine poet John Tzetes suggesting 23 heroes, whilst 50 names appear in the Bibliotheca.
Later on it was common to name 40 heroes as being inside the Trojan Horse. The most famous of these heroes were perhaps –
- Odysseus – King of Ithaca, inheritor of the armour of Achilles, and the most cunning of all the Achaean heroes.
- Ajax the Lesser – King of Locris, and known for his speed of foot, and his skill with the spear.
- Calchas – the Achaean seer, whose prophecies and counsel Agamemnon relied heavily upon throughout the war, or at least until the arrival in the Greek camp of Helenus.
- Diomedes – King of Argos, named the greatest of the Achaean heroes following the death of Achilles and even went as far as injuring Ares and Aphrodite.
- Idomeneus – King of Crete, hero who defended against Hector, and killed 20 Trojan heroes.
- Menelaus – King of Sparta, husband of Helen, and brother of Agamemnon.
- Neoptolemus – son of Achilles, who according to a prophecy had to fight at Troy in order for the Achaeans to be victorious.
- Philoctetes – Son of Poeas, and the owner of Heracles bow and arrows, late comer to the fighting but highly skilled with the bow.
- Teucer – Son of Telamon and another noted archer in the Achaean ranks.
List of Greeks Within the Wooden Horse
| Acamas | Idomenus | |
| Agapenor | Iphidamas | |
| Ajax the Lesser | Leonteus | |
| Amphidamas | Machaon | |
| Amphimachus | Meges | |
| Anticlus | Menelaus | |
| Antimachus | Menetheus | |
| Antiphates | Meriones | |
| Calchas | Neoptlemus | |
| Cyanippus | Odysseus | |
| Demophon | Peneleus | |
| Diomedes | Philoctetes | |
| Echion | Podalirius | |
| Epeius | Polypoetes | |
| Eumelus | Sthenelus | |
| Euryalus | Teucer | |
| Eurydamas | Thalpius | |
| Eurymachus | Thersander | |
| Euryplyus | Thaos | |
| Ialmenus | Thrasymedes |
The Intrigue Begins
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With heroes hidden inside the Wooden Horse, the rest of the Achaean army now burnt their camp, boarded their ships, and set sail, giving the appearance that they were abandoning the battlefield and war. The Achaean’s of course had not sailed far, perhaps only as far as Tenedos, and were now awaiting the signal to return.
The next morning, the Trojans saw that their enemies were no longer camped outside their city, and all that remained of the Achaean presence was a large Wooden Horse. |
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All was thus far going as planned for the Achaeans but still they needed the Trojans to take the Wooden Horse inside of Troy to allow a successful conclusion to the plan.
The Story of Sinon
It had thus been decided that a Greek hero must stay behind to try and convince the Trojans to move the Wooden Horse from where it had been built; and this Achaean hero proved to be Sinon, son of Aesimus.
Sinon was of course captured by the Trojans, and now he commenced to tell his “tale”. Sinon would tell his Trojan captors how he had fled the Achaean camp when he had learnt that he was to be sacrificed to allow for fair winds for the Achaean fleet, just as Iphigenia had been ten years before.
This tale gave a plausible reason for Sinon’s presence and thus Sinon continued with his story, telling the Trojans that the Wooden Horse had been built as a monument to the goddess Athena. Sinon also told the Trojans that the Wooden Horse had been built on such a large scale to ensure that it would not fit through the main gate of Troy, thus preventing the Trojans taking the horse, and gaining the blessing of Athena from it. This part of the tale was of course meant to convince the Trojans to move the Wooden Horse.
The majority of the Trojans who listened to the words of Sinon believed them, but there were doubters too.
Sinon was of course captured by the Trojans, and now he commenced to tell his “tale”. Sinon would tell his Trojan captors how he had fled the Achaean camp when he had learnt that he was to be sacrificed to allow for fair winds for the Achaean fleet, just as Iphigenia had been ten years before.
This tale gave a plausible reason for Sinon’s presence and thus Sinon continued with his story, telling the Trojans that the Wooden Horse had been built as a monument to the goddess Athena. Sinon also told the Trojans that the Wooden Horse had been built on such a large scale to ensure that it would not fit through the main gate of Troy, thus preventing the Trojans taking the horse, and gaining the blessing of Athena from it. This part of the tale was of course meant to convince the Trojans to move the Wooden Horse.
The majority of the Trojans who listened to the words of Sinon believed them, but there were doubters too.
The Procession of the Trojan Horse in Troy - Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (1727–1804) - PD-art-100
Laocoon and Cassandra Doubt the Trojan Horse
The first of these doubters was Laocoon, a priest of Apollo within Troy, who Virgil had utter the immortal words “I fear the Greeks, even when bringing gifts”, and the priest even went as far as attempting to hit the flank of the Trojan Horse with his spear. Before Laocoon could cause harm to the plan of the Achaeans, Poseidon who was allied to the Greeks, sent forth sea serpents who strangled Laocoon and his sons.
Cassandra, the seer daughter of King Priam, also warned of the dangers of bringing the Wooden Horse into Troy, but Cassandra was cursed to always prophesise correctly but never to be believed.
Sinon’s were thus believed, and the Achaean was given his freedom by King Priam, and allowed to wander around Troy, whilst the Trojans planned on how to get the Wooden Horse into Troy.
Eventually, the Trojans knocked through part of the wall surrounding the Scaean Gate, but in doing so damaged part of the Tomb of Laomedon, thus nullifying a prophecy that said Troy would never fall if Laomedon’s tomb remained intact.
Cassandra, the seer daughter of King Priam, also warned of the dangers of bringing the Wooden Horse into Troy, but Cassandra was cursed to always prophesise correctly but never to be believed.
Sinon’s were thus believed, and the Achaean was given his freedom by King Priam, and allowed to wander around Troy, whilst the Trojans planned on how to get the Wooden Horse into Troy.
Eventually, the Trojans knocked through part of the wall surrounding the Scaean Gate, but in doing so damaged part of the Tomb of Laomedon, thus nullifying a prophecy that said Troy would never fall if Laomedon’s tomb remained intact.
Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts - Copy after Henri Motte - PD-life-70
Helen and the Trojan Horse
Once the Trojan Horse was inside Troy, a massive celebration was undertaken by the whole city, and yet the heroes inside the Wooden Horse still had one more danger to overcome. Somehow Helen saw the Wooden Horse for what it was, and walking around it, Helen would imitate the voices of the women married to the Achaean heroes inside. Helen’s purpose in doing so is oft debated, but it is generally considered that she was displaying her own cleverness, rather than aiding the Trojans. In any case, despite hearing the voices of their wives, not one of the hidden Achaeans responded to the call.
HEROES EXIT The Trojan HorseAs night fell, the celebrations in Troy continued, until the majority of the population of Troy were in a drunken stupor. Then, either Sinon from the outside, or Epeius within, unlocked the hatch to the belly of the Trojan Horse, and deployed the ladder; and one-by-one the Achaean heroes within descended Troy.
At the same time, a signal light was lit, either by Sinon or Helen, recalling the Achaean fleet from its anchorage at Tenedos. Some of the Achaean heroes made their way to the gates of Troy, and silently opened them up, before guarding them to prevent their closure again; and whilst these men awaited the return of the rest of the Achaean army. Other heroes previously hidden with the Trojan Horse, now started to kill the slumbering Trojan heroes and soldiers. This killing soon turned into a slaughter, and eventually it was said there was but one male survivor of Troy, Aeneas; whilst many of the Trojan Women had become prizes of war. Thus the Trojan Horse had helped to achieve what ten years of fighting could not, the fall of the mighty city of Troy. |
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View of the Fire of Troy - Johann Georg Trautmann (1713-1769) - PD-art-100
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