Trojan Horse
| By : Ajit Hari Sahu ( Posted on :28 Aug, 2005 ) | Total Views : 365 | Previous | Next |
It happened hundreds of years ago. Greece and Troy were at war. The Greeks had come in their ships to attack Troy. For ten long years, they besieged Troy but the Trojans would not surrender. There were strong and high walls around the city of Troy. No enemy could enter the city when the gates were closed. The Greeks made several attempts to break down the walls and the gates but failed each time.
But now, Greek soldiers had become home - sick. They longed to go back to their homes across the sea to see their near and dear ones. But though they were tired and weary of war, they could not go back to Greece till Troy fell. Their main aim in waging the war with the Trojans was to recover Helen, the beautiful wife of Greek General Menelaus, who had run away with the Trojan Prince Paris. The Trojans had refused to send her back to Greece.
One day the Greek generals met in a council to decide their future course of action. Several Greek princes and warriors addressed the council. "We have been here for ten years," said Ulysses, a veteran Greek leader. "We have been here for ten years," said Ulysses, a veteran Greek leader. "We have already lost many of our gallant soldiers in our attempt to enter Troy. We have no hopes of taking the city by force. We must conquer it by deceit. Nothing is unfair in war."
Then Ulysses explained to them a clever plan that he had in mind to achieve their objective. All the members of the council were impressed by this plan and decided to put it into action.
The Trojan Horse.Accordingly, the Greeks built a huge wooden horse. The horse was placed on a large platform with wheels underneath. A few of the bravest Greek warriors including Ulysses hid themselves in the hollow stomach of the horse. They securely closed the opening in the lower part of the wooden horse. The rest of the Greeks set fire to their tents and sailed away to a nearby island, not far from the city of Troy.
When the Trojans saw clouds of smoke rising from the Greek tents, with neither the Greek soldiers nor their ships in the sight, they could not believe their eyes. But soon surprise changed to Jubilation when word went round the Trojan camp that many people had seen the Greeks sailing away. The Trojans thought that Greeks were tired of the war and had no longer the energy and zest to fight. When they opened the gates and came out, they could only see the wooden horse left behind by the Greeks. They thought it was the idol of some Greek God.
They gazed at the gigantic horse in admiration and excitement and soon dragged it into the city of Troy. The capture of wooden horse was, to them, a symbol of their victory over the Greeks. They began to celebrate their success with feasting and merry - making. "The danger is over, at last. We can sleep in peace now," they said to one another. Late at night, they went to sleep.
At the dead of night, when the Trojan were fast asleep, the Greek warriors who were inside the stomach of the horse came out quietly. They opened the gates of the city for other Greeks to enter. The Greek ships which had pretended to sail away, now turned back quickly in response to the signal from their leaders inside Troy. Soon, thousands of Greek soldiers rushed into the city. They killed thousands of Trojans men, women and children. They burnt their houses and looted the city. Even before the Trojans were fully awake, their magnificent city was in ruins. Before they could realize what was happening, Troy was in the hands of Greeks.
Thus, the Greeks succeeded in punishing the Trojans for dishonorable act of refusing to hand over Helen to them. The architect of their great victory was brainy and wily leader Ulysses who brought the long-drawn war to close by a masterstroke of cunning and foul play.
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