Sinon

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Sinon is led as a prisoner before Priam ,
in Virgil's Aeneid , miniature of Vergilius Romanus
( Biblioteca Varicana , early 5th century)

Sinon ( Greek Σίνων , possible short form for Sinopos, companion of Odysseus) is a Greek hero and scout during the Trojan War in Greek mythology . He is the son of Aisimos ( Aesimus ), the uncle of Odysseus on his mother's side ( Antikleia , thus cousin Odysseus), grandson of the famous swindler Autolykos and the Amphithea .

Insight

Sinon plays a key role in the conquest of Troy : after the Trojan War had been waged militarily for ten years with no success, the Achaeans realized that Troy could be captured by ruse rather than force. With this insight, according to Homer, the Achaeans devised, according to Quintus von Smyrna , according to the prophecy of the seer Kalchas , Odysseus alone devised the ruse to conquer Troy: the best architect of the Achaeans, Epeios , should design a wooden horse that would later go to the region around the city Ilion ("Troy") became known as the " Trojan Horse ". Athena then appeared to him, according to Quintus, in a dream and gave the necessary instructions for the three-day construction.

“Well then, set the ambush, you who are our mightiest, and the rest will go to the sacred castle of Tenedos ' and stay there until our enemies within their walls have appropriated us on horseback, believing that they are a gift to Athena bring. "

- (Odysseus to the assembled Achaeans) Quintus Smyrnaeus , Posthomerica 12, 233

The strongest Achaeans were supposed to arrive in the city of Troy on horseback in order to give the remaining Achaeans, who were to burn down all their camps and pretend to leave the battlefield, a beacon to storm the fortress. The majority of the Achaeans drove to the island of Tenedos out of sight of the Trojans, a single man was supposed to stay behind to hand over the horse to the Trojans as a replacement for the stolen statue of Athena ( Palladion ). Only Sinon was brave enough to carry out this plan.

“I will carry out this task that you long for - yes, even if they torture me, even if they thrust me into the fire alive, for my heart is steadfast not to flee, but to die at the hands of the enemy except me crown your wish with glory. "

- (Sinon to the Achaeans, volunteering for his dangerous task) Quintus Smyrnaeus, Posthomerica 12, 243

He convinced the Trojans to accept the "wooden horse of the Greeks" by cunningly told that it was intended as a sacrifice for the sea gods ( Poseidon ) and as a consecration gift for Athena to ensure a safe return and that it would be sacrificed for a safe journey back was supposed to, but had fled, clung to the horse's feet and thus placed himself under the protection of Athens. To further simulate the retreat, the Achaeans left a treacherous inscription notched on the horse:

"For their return home, the Achaeans dedicate this sacrifice of thanks to Athena."

- Libraries of Apollodorus Epitome 5.15
The Train of the Trojan Horse by Tiepolo

The Trojans were initially unsure whether they should burn the wooden horse, cut it open, throw it down the cliff, or move to Troy as a consecration gift to appease and delight the gods. According to some accounts, the Trojans had chosen the latter regardless of Laocoon's appearance. According to other versions, Sinon's speech was followed by the story of Laocoons, which ends with his punishment in the form of the killing of one or more of his children or even his own death. Kassandra prophesies either before or after these deaths, depending on the myth, that Ilios' end is imminent; the Trojans ignored this warning. Kassandra then seized a torch and a double ax to uncover the deception in the horse, according to Quintus , but she was prevented from doing so by her compatriots and fled - to the quiet joy of the Achaeans in the horse.

Captured Sinon

According to Virgil , the day before, when the fate of the wooden horse, whether to destroy it or to keep it, had not yet been decided, Sinon was captured by some Trojan shepherds and brought before King Priam in chains. This happened outside of the city when he was in consultation with the Trojans about the wooden horse and Laocoon's intervention threatened to jeopardize the success of the ruse by hitting the horse with his spear and warning his compatriots about the " Danaer present ":

“Don't trust the horse, Trojan! Whatever it is, I fear the Danaer , even if they bring presents. "

- (Laocoon to the Trojans) Virgil , Aeneid 2, 48

The Trojans mocked him. Sinon had deliberately got in the way of his captors (one of his tasks was to stay with the horse) and indicated in a few words ( Aeneid 69-72) that there was no longer any room for him with the Greeks. When asked to say more, he gave his name, in no way denied that he was one of the Achaeans, but swore to tell the whole truth, asserting:

"... if Fortuna has determined Sinon for the tragedy, then you shouldn't carelessly mold me into a liar."

- (Sinon to the Trojans) Virgil, Aeneid 2, 79

Misdeeds of the Achaeans

Tabula Iliaca Capitolina , Sinon with a wooden horse, inscription: ΔΟΥΡΗΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣ (based on a Roman limestone relief
, 1st century BC)

Sinon began his speech by referring to the fate of Palamedes , who had been fetched from war and who had been executed by the Achaeans (Greeks) as a traitor because he had been against the war. He introduced himself as a companion and blood relative of Palamedes, whom he had served as a squire, and was ruined when the latter died from Odysseus' intrigues. In his bitterness he vowed to take revenge on the culprit later. Careless expressions of the need for revenge would also have drawn Odysseus' enmity to him, who with the help of the prominent Kalchas , who allowed himself to be influenced by him, drove him to ruin in every possible way through slander and conspiracies.

When the departure was decided and the wooden horse was already erected, an oracle demanded a human sacrifice for the return journey. From Kalchas in league with Odysseus, after cunning hesitation, Sinon was chosen for this. He managed to escape at the last moment, hiding in a swamp overnight. Now let him be caught and ask for mercy. Priam kindly lets him take off his chains and promises him protection and life. But he should solve the riddle of the horse at once. Now he comes to the tale of lies (164-194), which convinced the Trojans of the need to bring the alleged dedication to Athena into the city so that the undamaged presence of the horse within the walls of Troy would seal victory. The Laocoon Criminal Court (199–238; cf. esp. 228 ff.) Removed the last doubt. The Trojans trusted Sinon and Priam pardons him, but the king (like others) asked more specifically about the horse. And here it is reported that Sinon replied:

"If you allow him to remain in his place, it is determined that the spear of the Achaeans will seize Troy, but if Athena receives a sacred offering at her shrine, then they will flee with their claim unfulfilled."

- (Sinon to Priam) Triphiodoros The conquest of Troy 296

When Priam heard this and believed the Greeks had sailed away, he ordered the horse to be pulled into the city. In the end, despite warnings from Laocoon and Kassandra, this meant the end of the Trojans and the war. According to Quintus' version, the Trojans tore down part of the wall to bring the horse in to loud cheers.

The shining signal

Sinon opened the horse that same night in an unobserved moment (according to other sources Antenor and / or Helena ) and gave the agreed fire signal for the return of the Achaean fleet waiting at the island of Tenedos . According to Apollodorus and the Little Iliad , he put the signal torch next to Achilles' grave outside the city, after others he shone it from the fortress. (In Dares Phrygius ( Acta diurna belli Troiani , 40) Sinon's activity is linked to Antenor's betrayal and the passing on of the fire sign could be the reason why he was attributed specularum significatio as an invention in the heurematography , Pliny , Naturalis historia 7, 202)

mention

Sinon is unnamed in Homer mentioned works, but an identification with the Odysseusgefährten Sinopos (eponym of could Sinope ) be possible in the Odyssey, along with his comrades Stesios a victim of Scylla is. His contribution to the conquest of Troy is first mentioned by Arktinos of Miletus in the largely lost epic Iliu persis (" Destruction of Troy ", 7th century BC).

reception

Secondary literature

Web links

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  1. ↑ Scholion Lykophron from Chalkis 844 p. 133
  2. ^ Hyginus , Fabulae 108
  3. ↑ Quintus Smyrnaeus , Posthomerica XII, XIII, XIV
  4. ↑ Virgil, Aeneis 2, 67 ff.
  5. ↑ Quintus Smyrnaeus, Posthomerica (The Fall of Troy XII.423 & XII.480)
  6. ^ Lycophron, 342
  7. ↑ Virgil , Aeneis 6, 617 ff
  8. ^ Arktinos, Iliu persis
  9. ↑ cf. Scholion Lycophron p. 184, 23 and p. 186, 8, and Tzetzes, Posthom. 720 f.
  10. ^ Libraries of Apollodor Epitome V, 19
  11. ↑ Little Iliad: χαί Σίνων ἀὑτοῖς άπό τον Ἀχιλλέως τάφον πνϱδόv ήπτιν
  12. ^ Iliu persis
  13. ↑ Maass, Hermes XXIII. (1888)
  14. ↑ Minor Planet Circ. 11443