Neorandomia

August 59, 2014

Neorandomia

Another random entry* from “a work in progress,” Gaspar Stephens’ Neo Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology (forthcoming from Balthazar Stephens Press).

Though, typically, Odysseus claimed credit, it was Epeios [Gk. 'Epeio/v], son of Panopeus [Panopeu&v] that designed and built the Trojan horse.  In The Wooden Horse [Le cheval en bois], the play by Jean Andouille, he also drove it into Troy and threw open the belly, so the Greeks with him could get out.  A brilliant artisan but also a notable coward, Epeios remained behind to protect the horse.  He was discovered in the wooden equine’s entrails by three Trojan women, Zoe [Zwh&], Chloe [Xlo&h],  and Woe [Uo&h], whom he gave shelter.  The grateful women agreed to go home with him, but when they heard about the murderous jealousy of Epeios’ wife, they set fire to his ships before they set out.  Now grateful himself, Epeios had it given out that all four of had died in the blaze.  Thence, they made their way somehow to Pisa, where he set up as a sculptor and builder and, according to Andouille’s play, designed the leaning tower.

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     * Our motto: “Everything is random, and there is nothing that not random is.”