LAOKOON A priest of Apollo, who, on seeing the huge Wooden Horse at Troy, warned his people not to accept the gift of the invaders. He even went as far as to stick his spear into the wooden belly of the contraption, and the clank of swords and spears was heard to issue from within. For this defacement of the sacred horse, the gods punished Laokoon by sending two enormous serpents, which issued from the sea as Laokoon and his two sons were sacrificing to Apollo. The snakes wrapped around the boys first, then their father, and dragged the three to their painful death. Seeing this as a judgement on them by the gods for their doubt of the gift of the Greeks, the Trojans accepted the Wooden Horse, and brought it into their city. From Laokoon's advice comes of course the famous sayings "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" and "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts".