Trojan Horse
A deceptive strategy that disguises a threat as a gift, causing the target to willingly let danger inside their defenses. Named after the legendary Greek siege tactic.
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Origin
Ancient Greek sources placed the stratagem within the Trojan War myth. Homer referenced the wooden horse three times in the Odyssey (c. 8th century BC), crediting Odysseus as its architect, though he never told the story in full. The most detailed surviving account appeared centuries later in Book II of Virgil's Aeneid (19 BC), where the spy Sinon convinces the Trojans to bring the horse inside their walls.
Updated February 22, 2026