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The Trojan Horse is a well-known Greek myth. However, the actual background is still unknown to this day.
Trojan Horse: The Myth Behind It
The term “Trojan horse” originates from a Greek myth.
- After waging war against the Trojans for ten years, the Greeks finally attempted to capture the city of Troy using a ruse.
- They built a giant wooden horse, which was sent to the Trojans as a gift from the goddess Athena. The Trojans accepted the gift and brought the wooden horse into the city.
- During the night, however, Greek soldiers crawled out of the belly of the horse, where they had been hiding. They opened the city gates for the soldiers waiting outside and captured Troy.
- Some myths claim that it was Odysseus who had the idea of building a wooden horse to gain access to Troy.
Historical background of the myth
Researchers are still studying the origins of the myth today and wondering about its historical background.
- The conquest of Troy must have taken place in the Bronze Age, between approximately 3000 and 800 BC. This is rather unlikely. However, a real background to the myth is more likely.
- The myth goes back to oral traditions, which were later written down, for example by the philosopher Homer. His text is considered the oldest text in which the myth of the Trojan Horse is mentioned.
- Researchers assume that the Trojan Horse could be a metaphor for another siege weapon, such as a wooden battering ram.
- It is also conceivable that it was a ship rather than a horse. Ships were called wooden horses at that time, and Poseidon, the god of the sea, is also the god of horses.
Modern meaning of the Trojan horse
The term Trojan horse is still used today, albeit metaphorically.
- The term Trojan horse is used when a harmless-looking object is used as a cover for an actual attack.
- In IT, for example, Trojan horses—or Trojans for short—are known as malicious programs such as viruses that you have to combat with antivirus programs.
- In the visual arts, there are countless depictions of the giant wooden horse outside the gates of Troy. In literature, it serves as a symbol of betrayal and human hubris—from Virgil to Shakespeare to modern authors.
- The scene also appears regularly in film, for example in adaptations such as Troy, in which the story is staged in an epic and visually stunning way. Its fascination lies in the fact that it condenses human weaknesses—trust, pride, gullibility—into a memorable narrative.
