Often while watching a movie or news you can hear the famous phrase: "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts."The value, however, this sentence is not clear.Who are the Greeks even when and why to fear because of their gifts?The fact that the expression has more than one thousand years, and because modern man and misunderstood the meaning.However, to understand the meaning of the phrase, it is enough to recall ancient legends.
Myth of Troy and the Greeks even when the very gift
modern man of the existence of the once majestic Troy, the Greeks even when their "gifts" has learned from Homer "Iliad."However, the expression "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" can still be found in the works of other Greek poet - Virgil.Both of them retell the same myth of the siege and capture of the city of Troy.The legend is so instructive that phrase out of it simply could not be a cruise.
So what happened in this ancient Greece, which to this day on this event remember?In the 13th century BC between the Greeks even when (the ancient Greeks, leading descended from the mythical king of Danae) and Teucer (inhabitants of Troy and Hittite) war broke out.All because of the love of the young beautiful Helen to Paris, that he had stolen the king Menelaus Greeks bearing.Tom had no choice but to go to war against Troy.According to the myth, the siege of the ancient city lasted more than a year, but the people stood firm defense.That all changed when the Greeks even when decided to go to the trick.
So, one morning, the Trojans saw that the Greeks even when not.They also noticed he had left a present besieging beautiful statue horse.They decided that the opponent admitted defeat and admired the courage and steadfastness of Troy unconquered.The statue was so big that I had to open the gate and dismantle part of the fortress wall to bring it to the city.Nobody suspected anything but a priest Lakoona.It was he who, according to myth, and said as a warning: "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts."Nobody listened, and night hiding inside the horse opened the gates of Greeks bearing his tribesmen.So majestic Troy fell.
And what does it all mean?
passed since then more than one thousand years, but at different times, you could hear those words.And not only in personal correspondence and literature, but also an entertaining movie.So, in the popular Hollywood blockbuster "The Rock" hero Sean Connery utters the same phrase in response to the proposal of the FSB.What did he mean by that?The same as the other, when they say: "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts."The meaning of this phrase for modern man lies in the following.Today, these gifts - is synonymous with deceit, treachery and deceit.Most often use the expression, when they want to protect themselves from false gifts, carrying only unhappiness and misery to the new owner.Quite often, a phrase uttered not completely, only talk about themselves as Greeks bearing gifts or, in fact, and so it is clear what is meant.
history teaches nothing
Although the myth of the capture of Troy was told by Homer and Virgil for the edification of posterity, a similar story was repeated over and over again.And the "Trojan horse" more than once gave even the highest-ranking officials.So, to organize listening to the American embassy, one of his employees was presented a magnificent wooden eagle.With the help of the KGB as much as 6 years to freely receive information, so to speak, first hand, until by chance during the harvest could not find a bug in it.And it was in the middle of the 20th century.
And this is not the only case where a gift were presented to the treacherous Greeks bearing gifts.How many times unwanted members of royal families received the poisoned food and clothes, which kills them slowly and imperceptibly.With the advent of intelligence and counter-intelligence, the expression "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" has become even more urgent.All friendly gifts very carefully checked, but it is as history has shown, is not always saved.
And there computers?
But anyone familiar Trojan horse not only in legends, so it is an active computer users.But the fact that often the users to download to your hard drive interesting file (usually a video or game), and with it also is loaded virus program.However, very similar to the Greeks bearing a gift?As a result, an attacker gains access to the information he or uses a program to send spam.The very same owner can nothing suspicious.
course, you can follow the advice: "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" - and not to download to your computer unverified information.However, this is not always possible.It is much easier and more convenient to install a special antivirus software to none "Trojan horse" has not penetrated.A good anti-virus not only penalize suspicious files, but also to cure already infected.
Instead of conclusion
sometimes taken out of context the phrase takes on an entirely different meaning, especially over time.And the expression "Beware Greeks bearing gifts" (Latin: Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes) still recalls the treachery of people.
