ancient sculpture

Marble sculpture of Laocoön and his sons struggling with two large serpents in a dramatic mythological scene

Serpents of Laocoön: Meaning, Myth, and Artistic Significance

Orin Vale

The Serpents of Laocoön are central to a celebrated Greek myth in which divine snakes punish Laocoön, a Trojan priest, and his sons after he warns against the wooden horse. This episode became a lasting symbol in art and literature, shaping interpretations of fate, suffering, and the peril of defying the gods.