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Antilochus
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Antilochus
In Greek mythology, Antilochus (/ænˈtɪləkəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀντίλοχος Antílokhos) was a prince of Pylos and one of the Achaeans in the Trojan War. He was the youngest prince to command troops.
Antilochus was the son of King Nestor either by Anaxibia or Eurydice. He was the brother to Thrasymedes, Pisidice, Polycaste, Perseus, Stratichus, Aretus, Echephron and Peisistratus.
The Iliad tells of Antilochus' actions during the Trojan War. One of the suitors of Helen, Antilochus accompanied his father Nestor and his brother Thrasymedes to the war. When fighting there resumed after the aborted duel of Paris and Menelaus, Antilochus was first to kill a Trojan captain (named Echepolus). Antilochus was distinguished for his beauty, swiftness of foot, and skill as a charioteer. Though the youngest among the Greek princes, he commanded the Pylians in the war and performed many deeds of valour. He was a favorite of the gods and a close friend of Achilles.
In an early battle, Menelaus ill-advisedly goes to the front lines to face Aeneas, a strong fighter for the Trojans. Antilochus goes to join Menelaus, causing Aeneas to withdraw rather than fight them both. Later, Menelaus directs Antilochus to lead a fight against the Trojans during a low period for the Greeks. Antilochus obeys and fights well.
Antilochus was commissioned to tell Achilles of the death of his beloved Patroclus. Ajax believed Antilochus was obviously the best person to share the news, and asked Menelaus to find Antilochus. According to Philostratus, Menelaus believed that Antilochus would be the best choice because Achilles already loved Antilochus. While they lamented Patroclus together, Antilochus made sure that Achilles did not commit suicide. Antilochus held Achilles' hands because he feared that Achilles would cut his own throat. Antilochus' touch, and his relationship with Achilles, served to comfort and distract Achilles from his grief. From this point, Achilles and Antilochus' relationship grew to replace the one between Achilles and Patroclus, but never fully eclipsed the prior relationship.
At the funeral games of Patroclus, Antilochus finished second in the chariot race and last in the foot race. Antilochus entered the chariot race with the slowest horses of any of the heroes, and listened to detailed advice from his father before competing. During the competition, the leading hero, Eumelus, crashed via divine sabotage. Antilochus was later able to slip past Menelaus by aggressively making Menelaus fall back at a point in the track where both of their chariots could not fit side-by-side anymore. When prizes were given, Achilles felt sorry for Eumelus and suggested giving him second place instead of Antilochus. Antilochus objected, saying he would fight Achilles to keep the prize. This made Achilles smile, likely for the first time since Patroclus' death, and Achilles left the prize to Antilochus.
Menelaus then contested Antilochus' prize, stating that Antilochus insulted him by defying him at the narrow point in the race. As their argument grew, Menelaus demanded that Antilochus swear the win came without treachery. Antilochus defused the situation by deferring to Menelaus, stating that the king was older and superior. Still, Antilochus did not admit fault. He and Menelaus then alternated public offers to give their prize to the other man. Later, when Antilochus lost the foot race, he made a speech declaring that the others were all older than him, and thus honored by the gods. He then complimented Achilles, and Achilles doubled Antilochus' prize.
The epic cycle of the Aethiopis details Antilochus' death during the Trojan War. When Antilochus' father, Nestor, was attacked by Memnon, Antilochus sacrificed himself to save Nestor, thus fulfilling an oracle which had warned to "beware of an Ethiopian". The Achaeans retrieved Antilochus' body on the battlefield and lamented him. Achilles embraced Antilochus and lamented as well, promising him a glorious funeral and vengeance, in the same way Achilles had honored Patroclus. Achilles then killed Memnon to avenge Antilochus' death, and drove the Trojans back to the gates, where Achilles was killed by Paris. In later accounts, Antilochus was slain by Hector or by Paris in the temple of the Thymbraean Apollo, together with Achilles.
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Antilochus
In Greek mythology, Antilochus (/ænˈtɪləkəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀντίλοχος Antílokhos) was a prince of Pylos and one of the Achaeans in the Trojan War. He was the youngest prince to command troops.
Antilochus was the son of King Nestor either by Anaxibia or Eurydice. He was the brother to Thrasymedes, Pisidice, Polycaste, Perseus, Stratichus, Aretus, Echephron and Peisistratus.
The Iliad tells of Antilochus' actions during the Trojan War. One of the suitors of Helen, Antilochus accompanied his father Nestor and his brother Thrasymedes to the war. When fighting there resumed after the aborted duel of Paris and Menelaus, Antilochus was first to kill a Trojan captain (named Echepolus). Antilochus was distinguished for his beauty, swiftness of foot, and skill as a charioteer. Though the youngest among the Greek princes, he commanded the Pylians in the war and performed many deeds of valour. He was a favorite of the gods and a close friend of Achilles.
In an early battle, Menelaus ill-advisedly goes to the front lines to face Aeneas, a strong fighter for the Trojans. Antilochus goes to join Menelaus, causing Aeneas to withdraw rather than fight them both. Later, Menelaus directs Antilochus to lead a fight against the Trojans during a low period for the Greeks. Antilochus obeys and fights well.
Antilochus was commissioned to tell Achilles of the death of his beloved Patroclus. Ajax believed Antilochus was obviously the best person to share the news, and asked Menelaus to find Antilochus. According to Philostratus, Menelaus believed that Antilochus would be the best choice because Achilles already loved Antilochus. While they lamented Patroclus together, Antilochus made sure that Achilles did not commit suicide. Antilochus held Achilles' hands because he feared that Achilles would cut his own throat. Antilochus' touch, and his relationship with Achilles, served to comfort and distract Achilles from his grief. From this point, Achilles and Antilochus' relationship grew to replace the one between Achilles and Patroclus, but never fully eclipsed the prior relationship.
At the funeral games of Patroclus, Antilochus finished second in the chariot race and last in the foot race. Antilochus entered the chariot race with the slowest horses of any of the heroes, and listened to detailed advice from his father before competing. During the competition, the leading hero, Eumelus, crashed via divine sabotage. Antilochus was later able to slip past Menelaus by aggressively making Menelaus fall back at a point in the track where both of their chariots could not fit side-by-side anymore. When prizes were given, Achilles felt sorry for Eumelus and suggested giving him second place instead of Antilochus. Antilochus objected, saying he would fight Achilles to keep the prize. This made Achilles smile, likely for the first time since Patroclus' death, and Achilles left the prize to Antilochus.
Menelaus then contested Antilochus' prize, stating that Antilochus insulted him by defying him at the narrow point in the race. As their argument grew, Menelaus demanded that Antilochus swear the win came without treachery. Antilochus defused the situation by deferring to Menelaus, stating that the king was older and superior. Still, Antilochus did not admit fault. He and Menelaus then alternated public offers to give their prize to the other man. Later, when Antilochus lost the foot race, he made a speech declaring that the others were all older than him, and thus honored by the gods. He then complimented Achilles, and Achilles doubled Antilochus' prize.
The epic cycle of the Aethiopis details Antilochus' death during the Trojan War. When Antilochus' father, Nestor, was attacked by Memnon, Antilochus sacrificed himself to save Nestor, thus fulfilling an oracle which had warned to "beware of an Ethiopian". The Achaeans retrieved Antilochus' body on the battlefield and lamented him. Achilles embraced Antilochus and lamented as well, promising him a glorious funeral and vengeance, in the same way Achilles had honored Patroclus. Achilles then killed Memnon to avenge Antilochus' death, and drove the Trojans back to the gates, where Achilles was killed by Paris. In later accounts, Antilochus was slain by Hector or by Paris in the temple of the Thymbraean Apollo, together with Achilles.
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