The Hellenistic sculpture Laocoön and His Sons (323 BCE - 31 CE) depicts a lesser-known moment in the mythical story of the Trojan Horse, when the priest Laocoön warned the city about the dangers of the wooden object. Upon throwing a spear into the horse’s side, two snakes emerged from the sea and attacked him and his two sons. The sculpture represents the height of the attack and has been considered the picture of human agony, as seen in the frantic, straining poses of the figures and their contorted expressions. Following its discovery in 1506, it was placed in the Vatican, where it continues to be admired for its depiction of realistic movement and unfolding drama.

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