The phrase “Ο Δούρειος Ίππος” (O Doúreios Íppos) in Greek directly translates to “The Wooden Horse”.
It refers to the famous Trojan Horse from Greek mythology, a giant hollow wooden horse constructed by the Greeks during the Trojan War. A select group of Greek soldiers hid inside, and the horse was presented to the Trojans as a supposed gift when the Greek army feigned departure. The unsuspecting Trojans brought the horse inside their city walls. Under the cover of night, the hidden Greeks emerged, opened the city gates, and allowed the rest of the Greek army to enter and conquer Troy, effectively ending the long war.
Today, the term “Trojan Horse” or “Δούρειος Ίππος” is used metaphorically to describe:
A trick or stratagem that causes a target to invite an enemy into a secure place.
In computing, a malicious program that disguises itself as legitimate software to trick users into running it.
The Trojan Horse, or Δούρειος Ίππος in Greek, is a legendary story from the Trojan War, as told in ancient Greek mythology. According to the tale, the Greeks devised a cunning plan to infiltrate the city of Troy, which had been under siege for ten years. They constructed a large wooden horse and hid a select group of their warriors inside it. Pretending to abandon the war, the Greeks left the horse as an offering to the Trojans and sailed away.
The Trojans, believing it was a gift and a symbol of their victory, brought the horse inside their city walls. During the night, the Greek soldiers hidden within the horse emerged, opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army (who had secretly returned), and successfully captured Troy.
The story of the Trojan Horse is often seen as a tale of cunning strategy, deception, and the dangers of misplaced trust. It’s also where we get the modern metaphor of a “Trojan horse”—something that appears beneficial but conceals a hidden threat.”
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