Never accept gifts from the enemies

Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes

(Virgilio, Eneide II, 49)

Literally, I fear the Danai even if they bring gifts. Danai were the Greeks who besieged Ilium, camped under its high walls. Virgil puts these words in mouth of Laocoon, who is trying to convince the Trojans not to let the horse statue enter the city.

Antecedent is Sophocles’ verse, in the Ajax: ἐχθρῶν ἄδωρα δῶρα κοὐκ ὀνήσιμα, or the enemy’s gifts are not gifts, and bring no benefit.

So, Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes, just means, paraphrasing: fear the gifts of enemies!

Today entire populations throw themselves into the foreign arms of enemies.

They tear their brothers apart, not recognizing them as such, to sink into enemy arms. These will guarantee them — by more or less direct ways — the library, the tranquility at school, the research grant in Universities, this or that bonus to organize concerts in the square, where to mime an Eric Clapton.

Calling it -absurdly - “ culture”.