Laocoön (mythology)

Laocoön was a Trojan priest of Apollo (in some accounts, Neptune) who, according to Virgil's Aeneid, warned his fellow Trojans against accepting the Trojan Horse offered by the Greeks.

Mythology:

Laocoön is best known for his tragic fate. After either striking the Trojan Horse with a spear to test its hollowness (Virgil's Aeneid) or, in other versions, for violating his vows of celibacy or for profaning the sacred grove of Apollo, he and his two sons, Antiphas and Thymbraeus, were attacked and killed by two enormous sea serpents. The serpents are often depicted as having been sent by Poseidon (Neptune), who favored the Greeks, or by Athena, who was angered by Laocoön's attempt to expose the trick of the Trojan Horse.

Interpretations:

The death of Laocoön was interpreted by the Trojans as a sign that they had angered the gods and that they should bring the Trojan Horse inside the city walls. This decision ultimately led to the fall of Troy. The story of Laocoön is a powerful example of hubris, divine intervention, and the consequences of ignoring warnings.

Artistic Representations:

The most famous artistic representation of Laocoön is the sculpture known as the Laocoön Group, a Hellenistic marble sculpture thought to be a copy of a bronze original. The sculpture depicts Laocoön and his sons struggling against the sea serpents. It is currently housed in the Vatican Museums. The sculpture has been widely influential in art history, inspiring artists and writers for centuries. The intense emotion and dramatic struggle depicted in the sculpture have made it a symbol of human suffering and the power of fate.