Of course, in our age of information technology, the word "Trojan" automatically pulls somewhere in the field of computer technology and terrible viruses. However, not only a virus can be a trojan. The expression "Trojan horse" is now not so common, but it is still familiar to many people, and even got a second life in the name of a computer virus. What does the expression “Trojan horse” mean?
In order to understand this issue, we turn to the mythology of ancient Greece. The Greeks were masters of inventing fascinating myths telling about the life of gods and people, about epic battles and beautiful princesses. Oddly enough, the Trojan horse - the phraseology is quite famous - is associated with battles, and with the princess, and with great heroes. So, for those who are unfamiliar with this myth, a little history. This will help to understand what is meant when they say “Trojan horse”. The meaning of the expression in a nutshell is a gift with a trick, something that, although it seems harmless, can destroy everyone and everything.
As always in history, the cause of the Trojan War was a woman, and not a simple woman, but the beautiful Elena, the wife of Tsar Sparta Menelaus. But first things first.
At one of the feasts of the gods, the ever-offended goddess of discord threw an apple with the inscription "The most beautiful of the goddesses" Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. To decide which of the goddesses deserves fruit, it was ordered to Paris, the son of King of Troy. Each wanted to get an apple and wipe the nose of her rivals, and the goddesses, as they could, bowed Paris to their side.
Hera promised to make him a great king, Athena - a commander, and Aphrodite promised him a beautiful woman as his wife. It is not difficult to guess that the apple had left Aphrodite. It was with her help that Paris abducted Elena. But nothing just happens, and the angry Menelaus went to save his wife, naturally, throwing a cry to the great heroes. Those agreed to help. How is the Trojan horse related to all this? It is very strongly connected with events, and now you will understand why. The German archaeologist Schliemann discovered the remains of Troy, and analysis of the foundation of the city showed that it was surrounded by a huge impregnable wall. However, this is fully consistent with what Homer described in the Illiad.
Negotiations to return Elena peacefully failed. From this begins the well-known Trojan War. According to Homer, the gods also participated in this war. Angry Hera and Athena were on the side of the Achaeans, and Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis and Ares (in order to somehow level the forces) helped the Trojans.
They helped well, as the siege dragged on for a long 10 years. Even though the spear of Athena was stolen from Troy, it was impossible to take the city by attack. Then the ingenious Odyssey came up with one of the most brilliant ideas. If it is impossible to enter the city by force, it is necessary to make sure that the Trojans themselves open the gates. Odysseus began to spend a lot of time in the company of the best carpenter, and in the end they had a plan. Having disassembled part of the boats, the Achaeans built a huge hollow horse inside. It was decided that the best warriors would be placed in the horse’s womb, and the horse itself would be presented with a “surprise” as a gift to the Trojans. The rest of the army will pretend to be returning to their homeland. No sooner said than done. The Trojans believed and brought the horse into the fortress. And at night, Odysseus and the rest of the heroes came out of it and burned the city.
Therefore, it was precisely with Homer's light hand that the expression “Trojan horse” acquired the meaning “gift with a dirty trick, something that, although it seems harmless, can destroy everyone and everything.”
