beware of Greeks bearing gifts

beware of Greeks bearing gifts

proverb Be skeptical of a present or kindness from an enemy. The phrase refers to the Trojan horse, a gift to the Trojans from which Greek soldiers emerged and conquered Troy. A: "I can't believe the opposing team made us cupcakes before the big game!" B: "Yeah, I'd beware of Greeks bearing gifts if I were you."
See also: bearing, beware, gift, Greek, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.

Prov. Do not trust an opponent who offers to do something nice for you. (A line from the story of the Trojan horse, as told in Vergil's Aeneid.) Jill: I can't believe Melanie brought me cookies today, when we've been fighting for weeks. Jane: Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. She probably has ulterior motives. When the rival company invited all his employees to a Christmas party, Tom's first impulse was to beware of Greeks bearing gifts, but then he upbraided himself for being paranoid.
See also: bearing, beware, gift, Greek, of
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

beware (or fear) the Greeks bearing gifts

if rivals or enemies show apparent generosity or kindness, you should be suspicious of their motives. proverb
This proverb refers to the Trojan priest Laocoon's warning in Virgil 's Aeneid: ‘timeo Danaos et dona ferentes ’, in which he warns his countrymen against taking into their city the gigantic wooden horse that the Greeks have left behind on their apparent departure. The fall of Troy results from their failure to heed this warning.
See also: bearing, beware, gift, Greek
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

Greeks bearing gifts, beware of/like

Do not trust enemies who pretend to be friends. The term refers to the treachery of the Greeks during the Trojan Wars, when they entered the city of Troy bearing the “gift” of a large wooden horse that was actually filled with soldiers who then burned down the city.
See also: bearing, beware, Greek, like, of
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • a woman's work is never done
  • teach a man to fish
  • it takes a village
  • village
  • for want of a nail
  • For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse ...
  • casu consulto
  • the best-laid plans
  • the best-laid plans go astray
  • best-laid plans go astray, the
References in periodicals archive
'Beware of Greeks bearing gifts' should be an omen for even Eriksson's squad who were a far bigger flop than the silicone attributes of Jordan.
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Beware of Greeks bearing gifts is a famous proverb and one that should stand punters in good stead this evening.
Football: Dive in for the draw; Irish squad for friendly decimated by injuries
* Beware of Greeks bearing gifts? Considering that they virtually gave civilisation to the West this is a difficult warning to heed.
Greece goes west
"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts," goes the adage, but Dimitris Tsaloumas is one poet we do well to invite within our walls.
The Barge
3) The Law of White Paternalism--One of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.'s favorite aphorisms warned: "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, phony white liberals and colored men seeking loans.' While white liberals have been necessary allies in the fight for racial justice, they have frequently made decisions on the basis of preserving a short-term political alliance at the expense of blacks' well-being.
Goode: bad and indifferent
This brings to mind the saying 'Beware of Greeks bearing gifts'.
Beware this SNP pledge; Views of the North
There's always room for one of your five a day, and no need to beware of Greeks bearing gifts in this restaurant.
Smashing feast on offer at Greek Taverna; Taste Test John Sutton battles with a Greek meat feast at Lefteris
THE saying goes "beware of Greeks bearing gifts", but Wolves didn't look a gift horse in the mouth as they were handed a vital point when Cardiff keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos presented them with a late equaliser.
Wolves' relief at 'gift from Greek' CHAMPIONSHIP: Goalkeeper's blunder keeps promotion push on track