One of the most fascinating of all the sculptures in the Vatican museum, this piece depicts Laocoon and his two sons attempting to escape serpents sent by the gods to kill him in retribution for his attempt to reveal the true nature of the Trojan horse.  This sculpture was recreated by the Romans from an original Greek work they unearthed while they were building Rome. The detail of Laocoon's body so impressed Michelangelo that he included some of the same characteristics in his David sculpture.