Catch phrases Trojan horse meaning. Greek gift

Greek mythology and history have given the world a huge number of quotations and wise examples. The Trojan horse is one of the main symbols and lessons of the history of this state. It is so popular that one of the most dangerous programs that penetrate the system under the guise of a harmless program was named after it.

What does Trojan horse mean?

The legend that tells what it means Trojan horse, reports the cunning of enemies and the naive trust of their victims. One of several authors who described it was the ancient Roman poet Virgil, who created the Aeneid about the life wanderings of Aeneas from Troy. It was he who called a cunning military installation a horse that allowed a small handful of people to defeat the brave and smart warriors. In the Aeneid, the story of the Trojan horse is described in several ways:

1. The Trojan prince Paris himself provoked the enemy into decisive action by stealing his wife, the beautiful Helen, from the king of the Danaites.
2. The Danaans were angered by the military defense of the opponents, which they could not cope with, no matter what tricks they resorted to.
3. King Menelaus had to receive a blessing to create a horse from the god Apollo, bringing him bloody sacrifices.
4. For the attack involving the horse were selected best warriors who fell into the books of historians and are ready to give their lives for their country.
5. The men had to patiently wait in the statue for several days, so as not to arouse suspicion among the workers who were dismantling the wall for the passage of the horse.

Trojan horse - myth or reality?

Some historians say that the wooden structure is absolutely real. They include Homer, the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Modern scholars disagree with him and Virgil: they believe that trade disputes between the two states could be the reason for the war. The myth of the Trojan horse was considered an absolute fiction, coinciding with the artistic fantasy of two ancient Greeks, until the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in the 19th century received permission to excavate under Mount Hisarlik, which then belonged to Ottoman Empire. Heinrich's research yielded stunning results:

1. On the territory of Homeric Troy in ancient times there were eight cities that succeeded each other after conquests, illnesses and wars.
2. The remains of the buildings of Troy itself were under a layer of seven later settlements;
3. Among them, they found the Skeian Gate, into which a Trojan horse rode, the throne of King Priam and his palace, as well as the tower of Helen.
4. Homer's words were confirmed that the kings in Troy lived a little better than ordinary peasants because of the laws of equality.

The myth of the Trojan horse

Archaeologists who do not support Schliemann's point of view consider the very cause of the war to be a myth. After the theft of Helen, her husband Agamemnon decided to punish Paris. Having connected his army with the army of his brother, he went to Troy and laid siege to it. After many months, Agamemnon realized that she was impregnable. The city, which fell victim to the Trojan horse, was taken by deceit: having installed a wooden statue allegedly donated in front of the gate, the Achaeans got into boats and pretended to be sailing away from Troy. “Beware of the Danaans who bring gifts!” the priest of the city of Lakoont exclaimed at the sight of the horse, but no one attached any importance to his words.

What did a Trojan horse look like?

To make the inhabitants of Troy believe in the good intentions of the donors, it was not enough just to make an animal figure from the boards. The wooden Trojan horse was preceded by the official visit of Agamemnon's ambassadors to the palace of Troy, during which they said that they wanted to atone for their sins and realized that the city was guarded by the goddess Athena. The condition for achieving peace on their part was a request to accept a gift: they promised that while the Trojan horse was standing in Troy, no one would dare to attack it. Appearance statues can be described as follows:

1. The height of the structure is about 8 meters, and the width is about 3.
2. At least 50 people were required to roll it over logs greased for ease of movement.
3. The material for the construction was dogwood trees from the sacred grove of Apollo.
4. On the right side of the horse was left the inscription "This gift was left by the Danaans leaving with defeat."

Who Invented the Trojan Horse?

The very concept of "Trojan horse" as a military method came to mind the hero of the "Iliad" Odysseus. The most cunning of all the leaders of the Danaans, he never submitted to Agamemnon, but was respected by him for his numerous victories. The drawing of a horse with a hollow belly, in which warriors could easily accommodate, Odysseus developed for three days. Later, he gave it to the one who built the Trojan horse - the fist warrior and builder Epeus.

Everyone knows the myth of the Trojan horse. The meaning of the expression "Trojan horse" is a huge statue of a horse made of wood by the Hellenes under the guidance of the cunning leader Odysseus. He came up with a brilliant idea to build a horse to capture Troy. Today this name has become a household name. Today, a Trojan horse is a name given to something seemingly harmless that can later cause harm.

History says that for a long time the Greeks could not take Troy by force. Despite the mighty army, the Trojans were clearly closer to victory than the Greeks. However, the Trojans did not know how cunning and smart Odysseus was, who was not used to losing.

AT antique period warriors often fought over the fair sex. This is what happened in the war between the Greeks and the Trojans. The military conflict was provoked by the fact that the Trojan prince stole the king's wife and took her away from Sparta. The angry husband Menelaus, who was greatly insulted, decided to gather the army of Achaea and go to Troy. The Trojans, in turn, distinguished themselves by their excellent defensive ability, thanks to which the Greeks had no choice but to come up with a cunning plan to take Troy. Having erected a huge statue in the form of a maple horse, they wrote on it that they were leaving Troy, and the horse was left as a gift to Pallas Athena. At the same time, the most powerful warriors of the Achaeans were sitting inside the horse and were waiting for the offensive. The Trojans were surprised by such a strange structure. After reading the inscription on the horse, they were sure that they had won the war, since the Achaeans retreated. If the Trojans had listened to the wise priest Laocoont, who said that horror lurks in the horse, so you need to beware of it, then the Greeks would not have been able to capture Troy so easily and almost without loss. The Trojans believed that the possession of such a structure would make Troy invincible. Underestimating their opponent, the Trojans dragged the Trojan horse to the temple of Pallas Athena and left several guards to guard this majestic statue. At night, mighty warriors got out of the wooden structure and laid guard. Entering Troy, they quickly defeated the Trojans and captured the city. The cunning and resourcefulness of Odysseus brought the Greeks a worthy victory in the war against a strong enemy.

Many people are interested in the story of the Trojan horse to this day. Myth and giant statue The horse is described in Homer's poem The Iliad. There is a lot of controversy over whether the Trojan horse actually existed, or whether it was Homer's invention. Many are alarmed by the fact that there were one hundred thousand soldiers on the ships on which the Greeks sailed. For so many people, you need a giant ship, and more than one. Also, most likely, Homer invented snakes that unexpectedly crawled out of the sea when Laocoont threw a spear at a horse. Some believe that the horse is an allegory for unusual military cunning. There is also an opinion that the Greeks entered Troy through underground passage, and at the entrance they saw the image of a horse. But basically everyone is inclined to believe that in fact there was a huge defensive tower made in the form of a horse, since, based on history, it is known that wars repeatedly built unusual siege structures. Historians believe that the tower actually existed, but it is unlikely that it was covered with horseskins, as indicated in some books. The Greeks had horses, but not in such numbers that a huge statue could be covered with their skins.

Thanks to phraseological units, you can perfectly express thoughts in any language. Especially when we are talking about the modern Russian language, where there are a lot of phraseological units. Metaphorical language plays a big role in our language. So the speech will be bright and rich, understandable, that is, in pictures, explaining complex concepts. True, it is often necessary to first explain the meaning of a particular metaphor, and then use it in a conversation.

We are talking about such a phraseological unit as a Trojan horse, the meaning of which is not clear to everyone because of the mythical roots that go far into the past. The concept is associated with the Trojan War. Although in many ways that story is considered a myth, Troy actually existed, and the war with the Greeks was going on.

Before understanding the meaning of the Trojan horse, you need to know a little about Troy. Everyone quarreled over beautiful Elena who was the wife of Menelaus. He and Paris argued because the latter had seduced Helen and she was ready to set sail with him. It is for this reason that the war broke out.

True, the city of Troy was well fortified. So the war went on for a long time. The Greeks, meanwhile, ravaged the nearby cities. Odysseus thought for a long time how to capture the city. But Troy was physically invincible. Then the idea comes to his mind to build a huge wooden horse.

The Trojans were interested in watching how the Greeks built the horse. At that time, the Greeks start a rumor that the horse is able to protect against Greek raids. Hence the meaning catchphrase. When they talk about a Trojan horse, they mean a gift presented with the purpose of deception.

Interestingly, the Trojans, who wanted protection from the Greeks, believed that the Trojan horse could help them. Therefore, they even decide to bring the horse into the city. When the priest of the goddess Athena came, he said that such a gift was a ransom for many years of bloodshed. After that, according to legend, two sea serpents dragged this priest and his children into the sea. The Trojans considered this turn of events to be a sign and therefore rolled the horse into the city.

This horse is not just a legend. He really existed. So says history and archeology. If you do not understand the essence of the legend, then the meaning of the phraseological unit will not be understood. So let's see what happened next when the horse was in the city.

At night, warriors emerged from the cavity of the horse. They quickly destroyed the guards at the gate, removed the bolt and let the Greek army into the city. The people did not even resist, as everyone was fast asleep after the holiday the day before. Although some Trojans tried to save the king, Neoptol managed to cut the wooden door with an ax to get into the king's bedroom and kill him. So the Trojan War was over.

How many people were in the Trojan horse is still not known. Some historians report that up to 50 warriors. Others talk about a figure of 20 or 23. But the point is different. In fact, hiding in the cavity of the gift, the Greeks managed to capture Troy by deceit. Since the Trojan horse, presented as a gift, did not arouse suspicion in anyone, causing the death of all the inhabitants of the city.

AT modern language the Trojan horse is understood as an allegory of military cunning. It was once used by the Achaeans. And it has been used well. Now we just talk about a Trojan horse when we want to point out a flattering gift that carries deception. In other words, such a gift does not bode well.

In general, the horse was a symbol in ancient times, meaning birth and death. It was created by the Achaeans from spruce branches. The cavity has always been empty. So they talked about the fact that something new had appeared in the world. Because of the Trojan horse, the city perished, that is, death came to the inhabitants of Troy, but at the same time he contributed to the birth of a new world for the peoples.

So, for example, on the other side mediterranean sea migration began. In other words, barbarians and Dorians set off from the north to the Balkans. This state of affairs led to the destruction of the ancient Mycenaean settlements. Later, Greece is reborn, which crushes all these tribes under itself.

What does the Trojan horse mean today? We pronounce this expression automatically. It has been a household name for many centuries. With this phrase, we stipulate gifts if they are given with the aim of deceiving a person or even killing him. Why was the horse chosen? It remains a mystery. But one thing is clear. The Trojans had to be surprised to believe in the sincerity of the Greeks. And also that they accept this gift, forgetting about the danger.

The Trojan horse was presented, not as a gift from the Greeks, but as a gift from above from the gods, whom the Trojans firmly believed. And this action played a big role. Since the sacred gifts were not previously neglected. After all, otherwise God may be offended, then there will be no protection in wars.

The modern interpretation, speaking of a Trojan horse, is a malicious program, in other words a virus that hackers have created and are spreading throughout the computer world via the Internet. The action of this virus, like that of a Trojan horse, is the same. It masquerades as harmless applications that a careless user can run. Be that as it may, no matter how we say it, the Trojan horse always carries something bad in itself.

Greek gift. Trojan horse

The expression is used in the meaning: insidious gifts that bring with them death for those who receive them. Originated from Greek legends about the Trojan War. The Danaans, after a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, resorted to a trick: they built a huge wooden horse, left it at the walls of Troy, and pretended to swim away from the coast of the Troad. The priest Laocoön, seeing this horse and knowing the tricks of the Danaans, exclaimed: "Whatever it is, I am afraid of the Danaans, even those who bring gifts!" But the Trojans, not listening to the warnings of Laocoon and the prophetess Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. At night, the Danaans, who hid inside the horse, went out, killed the guards, opened the city gates, let in their comrades who returned on ships, and thus captured Troy ("Odyssey" by Homer, "Aeneid" by Virgil). Virgil's half-line "I'm afraid of the Danaans, even those who bring gifts", often quoted in Latin: "Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes", has become a proverb. From here arose the expression "Trojan horse", used in the meaning: a secret, insidious plan.

Dictionary winged words . Plutex. 2004

See what "Gifts of the Danes. Trojan horse" is in other dictionaries:

Greek gift. Trojan horse The expression is used in the meaning: insidious gifts that bring death for those who receive them. Originated from Greek legends about the Trojan War. The Danaans, after a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, resorted to ... ...

Trojan horse

Greek gift- wing. sl. Greek gift. Trojan horse The expression is used in the meaning: insidious gifts that bring death for those who receive them. Originated from Greek legends about the Trojan War. The Danaans, after a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, ... ... Universal optional practical dictionary I. Mostitsky

Allegorically: a cunning trap; insidious, secret plan. See I'm afraid of the Danes, even those who bring gifts. encyclopedic Dictionary winged words and expressions. Moscow: Locky Press. Vadim Serov. 2003 ... Dictionary of winged words and expressions

This is an article on ancient mythology. By malware computer programs see Trojans Trojan horse made for the movie "Troy" ... Wikipedia

Greek gift- only pl., sustainable combination, bookstore Insidious gifts that bring death to those who receive them. Etymology: From the Greek Danaoi ‘Danaans’. Encyclopedic commentary: Danans are the name of the most ancient Greek tribes that inhabited the region ... ... Popular dictionary of the Russian language

GREEK GIFT- An expression used in the meaning of gifts, which should be feared, because they are fraught with death for the one who received them. Originated from the legendary tales of the Trojan War. The Danaans (Greeks), in order to penetrate into the besieged Troy, built a huge ... ... Glossary of political terms

Trojan horse- This famous military stratagem, by which the Greeks sent a group of people hidden in a hollow wooden horse to Troy, was part of the cycle of Trojan sagas known to Homer, although nothing is said about this in the Iliad. Its builder Epey ... ... ancient world. Dictionary reference.

TROJAN HORSE Dictionary-reference to Ancient Greece and Rome, according to mythology

TROJAN HORSE- This famous military stratagem, by which the Greeks sent a group of people hidden in a hollow wooden horse to Troy, was part of the cycle of Trojan sagas known to Homer, although the Iliad does not say anything about it. Its builder Epey ... ... List of ancient Greek names

What is the meaning in modern world has the expression "Trojan horse"?

The meaning of this expression has not changed over the centuries, but today the scope of this expression has changed. This term refers to programs that enter your computer without your knowledge. The goals of such programs are different, but the definition is the same - it's a Trojan.

In the modern world, the expression Trojan horse is not used very often, but if it is used, then in cases of an insidious, evil, secret plan that entails the betrayal of a person you trust. Now more often they use the expression trojan, which is called a computer virus.

In the modern world, thousands of people in the world will learn for themselves what the old expression Trojan horse means. Our century without computers is unthinkable, but there are useful programs, and there are harmful ones. A Trojan is a malicious virus that destroys the work done, spoiling the computer. A Trojan is a computer virus that sneaks into a computer like a Trojan horse in Troy.

The expression Trojan horse came to us from ancient Greek mythology, when the Danaans, retreating from the besieged Troy, left a wooden horse near the walls, on the side of which there was an inscription:

Wise people, in particular, the priest Loakoont and the prophetess Cassandra, warned the Trojans about the deceit of the Danaans, however, they were deaf to calls not to trust the donors and dragged the horse inside the city. At night, the soldiers hiding there crawled out of it, killed the guards and let the Greeks into Troy, who returned back on the ships - so Troy was defeated.

Today, Trojans are a type of malicious virus programs that penetrate a computer inside other, safe programs, archives.

At all times, the story of the Trojan horse will be a household name, cautionary tale meaning the same thing. And although now this expression is rarely used, the fishing of enemies has not become less because of this. If the enemy is cunning and does meanness, then this means the Trojan horse.

Everyone knows the story of the Trojan horse. This expression is also used today when they mean something that may seem useful and necessary, but in the end, on the contrary, is harmful. An example is a Trojan virus that is downloaded with free programs.

For a computer, this means a malicious program that sends its owner (or hacker) data about you and your computer. The mishandled Cossack is still that snitch!

With the advent of computerization in our society, the expression Trojan horse2 has acquired a completely different meaning than it was in ancient Greek myths and legends. Now this word is called a computer virus that affects your PC. Sometimes they say even more abbreviated Trojan.

The Trojan horse is a wooden horse, with the construction of which is associated final battle Trojan War. Nowadays, people associate this expression with the Trojan virus, with which people fight in their own way so that it does not harm.

In the 21st century, the analogue of the expression Trojan horse can be called such as: setup, gift with a surprise, stingy, meanness. The value of this expression has not changed. It's all the same stone in the bosom and a knife in the back.

From the history. When inside the gift, the warriors of the giver hid a large wooden horse. Which seems to have secretly opened the gate for the entrance of the main army.

This case has not been forgotten even now, and is applied to the arrival of some things, more often gifts, when inside it is a filling that is harmful to the recipient. For example, downloaded good thing from the Internet, and inside there was a Trojan (an abbreviated version of the Trojan horse). This Trojan starts harming a kind and trusting user.

I also heard that the Ukrainians called the Russian humanitarian cargo a Trojan horse. That the Russian military can be hidden in them in order to sneak into the territory of Ukraine on the sly.