Bronze horse on wheels, probably inspired by the Homeric epics, c. 580 BC, National Archaeological Museum of Athens
The ancient Greek hero Odysseus used the cunning of the wooden horse,
in whose belly the strongest besiegers of Troy were hiding, decided the 10-year Trojan War.
Trojan War.
The warnings of the Trojan priest of Apollo, Laocoon, went unheeded:
"Whatever it is, I fear the Danaans, even if they give gifts."
For us, the Trojan horse has come to symbolise a means of smuggling in undesirables - think of malware on your PC and gifts that should only be enjoyed with caution.
