Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

“Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes” is a Latin phrase from Virgil's Aeneid (II, 49). It means “"I fear the Danaans (Greeks) even if they bring gifts"”.

Origin

This phrase has its origin in Roman or Greek mythology and more specifically in the Trojan War. It is a common mistake to translate this literally as "I fear Greeks and bearing gifts," as "et" means "and" in Latin. However, in this case, "et" is used in the meaning of "and even".

After warring on the beaches of Troy for over nine years, Calchas induces the leaders of the Danaans (Greeks) to offer the Trojan peoples the so-called Trojan Horse. The Trojan priest Laocoön, however, distrusts it and warns the Trojans not to accept the gift, crying, “"Equo ne credite, Teucri! Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes"”, “"Do not trust the horse, Trojans! Whatever it is, I fear the Danaans [even if] bearing gifts"”. When immediately afterward Laocoön and his two sons are viciously slain by enormous twin serpents, the Trojans assume the horse has been offered at Minerva's (Athena's) prompting and interpret Laocoön's death as a sign of her displeasure. Minerva did send the serpents and help to nurture the idea of building the horse, but her intentions were certainly not peaceful, as the deceived Trojans imagined them to be. The Trojans agree unanimously to place the horse atop wheels and roll it through their impenetrable walls. Festivities follow under the assumption that the war is ended. The scout who has been sent to verify the departure of the Greeks is killed after he discovers the Greek fleet hiding in an obscure harbor.

This phrase is quoted by Captain John Patrick Mason (Sean Connery) and interpreted by Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) in the film "The Rock", and quoted by Philippe Noiret in the film "La Grande Bouffe".


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  • Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes — es una frase latina de la Eneida de Virgilio (libro II, 49). Significa «Temo a los dánaos (griegos) incluso cuando traen regalos». La traducción griega de la frase, en katharevousa, y usada por los griegos modernos, es: «Φοβού τους Δαναούς και… …   Wikipedia Español

  • timeo danaos et dona ferentes — лат. (тимэо данаос эт дона фэрэнтэс) «боюсь данайцев (греков), даже приносящих дары» (из Вергилия). Слова Лаокоона о троянском коне. Толковый словарь иностранных слов Л. П. Крысина. М: Русский язык, 1998 …   Словарь иностранных слов русского языка

  • Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes — Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes, s. Quidquid id est etc …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes —   Danaergeschenk …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes — Лаокоон жрец Аполлона в Трое, которому приписывают данную фразу при виде троянского коня. За предостережение боги наслали на него змей Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes …   Википедия

  • Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes — Das trojanische Pferd Ein Danaergeschenk ist ein Geschenk, das sich dem Empfänger als unheilvoll und schadensstiftend erweist. Der Begriff stammt aus der griechischen Mythologie. Benannt ist es in Anlehnung an das hölzerne Trojanische Pferd, mit… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • timeo Danaos et dona ferentes — /tim e oh dah nah ohs et doh nah fe rdden tes/; Eng. /tim ee oh dan ay ohs et doh neuh feuh ren teez/, Latin. I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts (I fear treacherous persons even when they appear to be friendly). Vergil s Aeneid: I, 2:49 …   Universalium

  • timeo Danaos et dona ferentes — /tim e oh dah nah ohs et doh nah fe rdden tes/; Eng. /tim ee oh dan ay ohs et doh neuh feuh ren teez/, Latin. I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts (I fear treacherous persons even when they appear to be friendly). Vergil s Aeneid: I, 2:49 …   Useful english dictionary

  • timeo Danaos et dona ferentes — ti|meo Da|na|os et do|na fe|ren|tes <lat. ; »ich fürchte die Danaer (Griechen), auch wenn sie Geschenke bringen« (Worte des Laokoon in Troja beim Anblick des hölzernen Pferdes aus Virgils Äneis)> einem feindlich Gesinnten soll man nicht… …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • timeo Danaos et dona ferentes — foreign term Etymology: Latin I fear the Greeks even when they bring gifts …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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