LAOCOÖN (Trojan priest)
Figure of myth · son of Acoetes in Greek mythology, a trojan priest
On the day of the event, he hurried down from the citadel to address the Trojan people with indignation.3 He declared the wooden horse to be a deadly fraud devised by Achaean leaders, confirming Cassandra's claim that it contained armed men.1,4 He urged the Trojans to burn the horse to check for hidden threats inside.4,5 He threw a heavy javelin at the side of the wooden horse, causing a loud rumbling sound inside.3 The Trojans refused to listen to his warning.5
Accounts differ on the deity who sent the serpents, with some naming Apollo and others Athena.6,5 The serpents coiled around and killed his two sons first, leaving Laocoön unable to save them.2,5 The serpents then seized Laocoön, binding his waist and neck tightly.2
He attempted to fight the snakes while holding a javelin.2 He died screaming in agony like a wounded bull.2 His death served as a portent that alarmed Aeneas's followers.7
The people claimed he was punished for striking the wooden horse with a spear.2 Laocoön wept over the empty tomb built for his dead sons.5
