The Suspicion of Laocoön

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For ten long years, the great city of Troy had been laid siege to by the Greeks.

Then one morning the Trojans looked out over the deserted shore, and espied a strange offering. It was an immense wooden horse that seemed to have been abandoned. The horse appeared to be a gift that the Greeks had made to their sea-god, Poseidon, in order to ensure the safe return of their fleet. The Greeks had given up the fight! The Trojans cried victory, and wanted to take the wooden horse for their own. It would make a magnificent trophy. Some were suspicious, and said the horse should be burned, but others scoffed at the idea. The bravery of the Trojans must be honoured, and their victory kept alive in memory. A man made his way through the crowd to intervene. He was Laocoön, high priest of the temple of Poseidon, and he warned them: “I fear the Greeks even when bearing gifts.” None would listen to him. Laocoön thrust a spear against the flanks of the horse to further probe its making. The horse sounded hollow, but no-one paid attention. Then they brought a Greek slave, Sinon, who swore that he had been abandoned there as a sacrifice, along with the famous horse. His word confirmed their victory, and the Trojans’ pride was complete. Now they must bring the horse back within the city walls.

Laocoön felt that the horse would bring no good, and decided to make an offering to Poseidon in order to obtain his favour. Assisted by his two sons, he plunged a huge bull into the sacrificial waters. Suddenly, Laocoön saw two monstrous serpents emerge from the sea. The terrible beasts swam over the waves, their eyes blazing. Without pause they sprang upon the priest’s two sons, biting and writhing around them. Laocoön cried out in terror, and attempted to defend his flesh and blood with his spear and the strength of his arms, and the violence of his fists. But the ferocious beasts killed the sons in the blink of an eye, before turning upon the father. With their work done, the serpents slithered to the temple of Athena to take refuge. The Trojans were dumbstruck by this horrible spectacle. What was this dire warning? After some debate, it was concluded that the act was the response of the goddess Athena, who felt the bull should have been sacrificed to her, as was usually the case. Therefore, the wooden horse could be brought to Troy without fear.

The horse was pulled into the city, and the Trojans looked on with pride. A great feast was held to honour their victory over the Greeks. They danced and sang and drank wine. They were happy, and soon were drunk too. When night fell, cunning Odysseus gave the signal to emerge from the horse, and the Greek warriors invaded Troy. The city was pillaged, and devastated. Women were raped, houses burned and soldiers killed. In order to ensure there could be no vengeance, all the male children were slaughtered. Troy had finally fallen; Odysseus’ ruse had borne fruit.

Alan Alfredo Geday