In the Trojan War legend, Epeius built the Trojan Horse. He was a Greek warrior and craftsman who followed the plan associated with Odysseus, constructing the wooden horse used to enter Troy.
Epeius is not usually remembered as one of the war’s strongest fighters. His importance comes from his technical skill. In accounts of the myth, he made the horse large enough to conceal Greek warriors, while the rest of the Greek army withdrew or appeared to withdraw from the Trojan coast.
The Trojans brought the horse inside their city after accepting it as a supposed offering. At night, the hidden Greeks emerged and opened the gates for the returning army. This stratagem led to Troy’s capture and destruction in the traditional story.
Different ancient sources give varying details about the horse and the men concealed inside it. The Iliad itself does not narrate the full episode; the story is preserved through later traditions, including the Aeneid and summaries of the lost Epic Cycle.