The Trojan Horse on This Day in History

This day in history: The traditional date for the Greeks entering Troy using the Trojan Horse is on this day in 1184 BC. In a nutshell, the story goes as follows: After war with the walled city of Troy for ten years, the Greeks built a huge, hollow wooden horse and secretly filled it with armed warriors, and presented it to the Trojans as a gift for the Athena the goddess, and the Trojans took the horse inside the city's walls. During the night, the armed Greeks slipped out of the wooden horse and captured and then burned the city.

The Trojan Horse has since become a metaphor for "A person or thing intended to undermine or destroy from within." Examples of this are: "A Wolf in sheep's clothing." A Fifth Column (A fifth column is any group of people who undermine a larger group.) A Poisoned Apple (a la Snow White). A Sleeper Cell. A Manchurian Candidate. A Mole, and a Poisoned Chalice (a term applied to a thing or situation which appears to be good when it is received or experienced by someone, but then is found to be bad.) There is even an example from the Bible. An "angel of light" describes someone who appears good but means to do wrong: "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14 RSV

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