B2: J.J. Benitez's Trojan Horse

Below is B2 lesson about J.J. Benitez's book called Trojan Horse. Good luck and enjoy!

The Trojan Horse by J.J. Bentiez

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Caballo de Troya 1: Jerusalén is a speculative historical novel that presents itself as a secret testimony about the final days of Jesus.

Synopsis

The story is framed as a manuscript left by a retired U.S. Air Force pilot known as “the Major,” who claims to have taken part in a top-secret time-travel experiment called “Operation Trojan Horse.” Through that mission, he says he was sent back to Judea in 30 A.D. to witness Jesus’s last weeks firsthand.

The narrative mixes biblical events with science-fiction ideas, detailed technical explanations, and the Major’s observations of Jesus, his disciples, and the surrounding historical setting. It also portrays Jesus in a highly vivid, humanized way while suggesting that some extraordinary events from the New Testament had hidden causes.

Core idea

At heart, the book reimagines the Gospel story through the eyes of an outsider who believes he has seen the life of Jesus directly. It is less a straightforward retelling than a fusion of religious speculation, historical adventure, and conspiracy-style fiction.

The Spanish original is Caballo de Troya 1: Jerusalén, and the English translation is referred to as Trojan Horse: Jerusalem.

What is a "Timenaut"?

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In J.J. Benítez’s Caballo de Troya, “timenaut” means a time traveler, especially someone sent through time as part of a mission rather than by accident.

In the story, the “timenauts” are the two pilots involved in the top-secret Operation Trojan Horse, who are said to travel back to Judea in 30 A.D. to witness the final days of Jesus.

So the word is basically a sci-fi label for a trained time explorer or time-travel operative.

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In J.J. Benítez's Caballo de Troya (Trojan Horse) series, a timenaut (or timenauta in Spanish) is a specialized traveler or pilot authorized to travel through time, specifically within the context of a top-secret U.S. Air Force project.

Definition: A combination of "time" and "astronaut" or "naut," it describes the protagonists who pilot the technology back to 30 A.D.
Context in the Story: The books detail "Operation Trojan Horse," a mission where American military personnel (identified as "Major" and later "Eliseo") travel to Judea to personally document the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.
Role: These pilots, or timenauts, serve as observers who report on historical events, witnessing Jesus's daily life, his teachings, and his interactions with apostles firsthand.
Operation: The project relies on advanced, classified technology that allows them to "navigate" back to the first century.

The series, heavily influenced by UFO research and conspiracy theories, presents these timenauts as breaking through the barriers of time to challenge traditional narratives.

How do they look?

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In J. J. Benítez’s Caballo de Troya, the timenauts are described mainly by their role and equipment, not by a detailed “costume” in the usual comic‑book sense. However, we can piece together a clear picture of how they look:

Overall appearance

They are human male pilots in late middle age, dressed as U.S. Air Force officers (suits, dress shirts, ties, badges, patches), with the narrator (the Major / Jason) shown professionally groomed and clean‑shaven in fan portraits and book‑series art.

In the story, they are not in futuristic space suits but in modern‑era military clothing, under the condition that the whole time‑travel package is “wrapped” in an artificial skin to avoid biological contamination.

In‑mission “disguise”

When they operate in 1st‑century Judea, Benítez focuses more on their language training (Aramaic, Greek) and field behavior than on exotic gear.
In cover art and fan illustrations, the timenaut/Jason is often shown either:
- as a modern officer (dark suit, tie, sometimes outdoors),
- or as a hooded figure silhouetted against ancient Jerusalem, suggesting a blend of 20th‑century bearing and local cloak when he operates undercover.

How to visualize them for class or a drawing

Think of a serious American pilot in a dark suit, maybe with aviator glasses or a pilot’s badge, but with an extra‑tight‑fitting “second skin” layer around him during the jump (purely technological, not visible day‑to‑day).
Once on the ground in 30 A.D., he can blend into the crowd by wearing simple local robes or tunics, while his posture, language skills, and modern vocabulary mark him as an outsider.

If you tell me whether you want a cartoon style, realistic, or symbolic depiction (e.g., a timenaut standing between a modern airplane and a 1st‑century street), I can write you a short visual‑prompt description you can give to students or an artist.

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Main characters

The Major / Jason: The central narrator and time traveler. He is a trained Air Force pilot who takes part in a secret operation and later tells the story from inside the mission.
The author / interviewer figure: In the framing story, J. J. Benítez is approached by the retired pilot and learns about the classified mission.
Jesus: Depicted as a major figure in the story’s historical setting. The books focus on the final period of his life, as experienced by the traveler.

Supporting figures

The series also includes other people from the mission and from the biblical setting, but the exact cast changes across volumes and summaries. The available descriptions emphasize the Major/Jason, the author-figure, and Jesus more than a long character roster.

Why it matters

The appeal of Caballo de Troya is less about a large ensemble and more about its mystery structure: a secret military project, a detailed time-travel premise, and a retelling of Jesus’s last days through the eyes of an outsider. That makes the character list feel more focused than in a typical historical novel.

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Caballo de Troya 1: Jerusalén – Quiz

Directions:
Read each question carefully. Choose the best answer for each item and mark A, B, C, or D.

Questions

In Caballo de Troya 1: Jerusalén, who is the main narrator of the time‑travel mission?
A. A Roman centurion
B. A retired U.S. Air Force pilot called “the Major”
C. A modern historian from Jerusalem
D. A Spanish journalist working in Rome
What is the core premise of “Operation Trojan Horse” in the novel?
A. A plan to smuggle weapons into Judea
B. A secret mission to steal Roman documents
C. A top‑secret time‑travel experiment to observe Jesus’s final days
D. A political conspiracy to overthrow the emperor
Which of the following best describes the narrative style of Caballo de Troya 1: Jerusalén?
A. Purely theological commentary with no story elements
B. A mix of biblical events, science‑fiction, technical detail, and personal observations
C. A collection of unrelated short stories set in ancient Palestine
D. A modern detective novel with no religious references
How does the book mainly portray Jesus?
A. As a distant, purely symbolic figure
B. As a silent miracle‑worker who rarely speaks
C. As a vivid, humanized figure whose daily life and interactions are described in detail
D. As an enemy of the Roman Empire planning a rebellion
What is the meaning of the term “timenaut” (timenauta) in the series?
A. A prophet who can see visions of the future
B. A Roman sailor traveling the Mediterranean
C. A trained time‑travel operative who pilots the mission to the past
D. A disciple who keeps a written diary of miracles
In the story, what is the typical professional background of the timenauts?
A. Civilian archaeologists from Europe
B. U.S. Air Force pilots involved in a classified project
C. Biblical scholars from a university
D. Computer hackers working for a private company
When the timenauts operate in 1st‑century Judea, what does the novel emphasize most about how they blend in?
A. Their use of chariots and Roman military armor
B. Their knowledge of local languages and field behavior
C. Their ability to perform magic tricks
D. Their advanced weapons and visible futuristic gadgets
Which of the following statements best captures the “conspiracy” angle of the series?
A. The time‑travel project is openly funded by several world religions
B. The mission is a public tourism program to visit the past
C. The project is a secret U.S. military operation that claims to reveal hidden aspects of Jesus’s life
D. The story is a comedy about failed scientific experiments
How are the timenauts generally depicted in terms of clothing and appearance before entering the past?
A. Wearing colorful superhero costumes
B. Dressed in simple 1st‑century robes from the beginning
C. In modern U.S. Air Force officer clothing, such as suits or uniforms
D. In medieval armor with swords and shields
Which of the following best explains the appeal of Caballo de Troya as described in the notes?
A. A large cast of dozens of side characters with complex subplots
B. A focused character group framed by a secret military project and a speculative retelling of Jesus’s final days
C. A strict, literal retelling of the New Testament without any changes
D. A historical romance between two Roman soldiers