Thursday 18 June 2015

Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

With Greece approaching Grexit, the phrase "Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes" came to mind unbidden.  This is the Trojan priest Laocoon's advice in the Aeneid: "I fear the Greeks, even bearing gifts." 

More fully Laocoon actually says: "Equō nē crēdite, Teucrī! Quidquid id est, timeō Danaōs et dōna ferentīs", which translates as: "Do not trust the horse, Trojans.  Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even bearing gifts."

Note that in the phrase "equo ne credite", equo is in the dative.

Wikipedia has a short article which gives more information about the quotation timeo Danaos.


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