TROJAN HORSE (wooden stratagem of the Trojan War)

Odysseus devised the plan and proposed it to Epeus, convincing fifty of the bravest warriors to hide inside, though some sources claim three thousand entered instead.³ The Greeks placed their finest warriors inside the wooden horse, where the leaders of the Achaeans were ambushed around Menelaus, while the remaining Greek soldiers burned their tents and sailed away at night.^5,6,3 The Greek fleet was ordered to wait off Tenedos before returning the next night.³

A woman circled the structure three times, patting its exterior and imitating the voices of the wives of the men inside.^7,5 She called out the names of the chiefs hiding inside, causing the men to weep silently upon hearing their wives' names.^7,5 Odysseus prevented Anticlus from answering by covering his mouth, and Athena removed the woman from the scene, saving the men inside.⁷

Odysseus used a stratagem to bring the horse into Troy's fort, and the Trojans debated whether to throw it down rocks, burn it, or dedicate it to Athena.^2,8 They ultimately chose to dedicate the object to the goddess and dragged it into their city walls.^8,6 The Trojans celebrated their victory after bringing the wooden horse inside, unaware of the hidden army within.^6,1,2

During the final battle, the object stood within the city walls as the hidden warriors emerged to attack the Trojans and storm the city.⁸ The Trojans were destined to suffer death and destruction because of the hidden warriors, and future generations will tell stories about the horse.^7,1 The Argives later sent a bronze replica of the wooden horse to Delphi, and Sacadas the Argive provided a list of the people hidden inside.^9,10