Hagesandros, Athenodoros and Polydoros of Rhodes Laocoon and his sons c. 175-150 BC Marble, height 242 cm (95 1/2 in) Museo Pio Clementino, Vatican In classical mythology, Laocoon was a priest in Troy during the Trojan War. When the Trojans discovered the Trojan horse outside their gates, Laocoon warned against bringing it into the city, remarking, 洍 am wary of Greeks even when they are bringing gifts.?(See 毢eware of Greeks bearing gifts.? The god Poseidon, who favored the Greeks, then sent two enormous snakes after Laocoon. The creatures coiled themselves around the priest and his two sons, crushing them to death. Some sources say Athena sent the snakes.