MEMNON IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Memnon was a heroic defender of Troy in Greek mythology, not a Trojan like Hector, but an ally of King Priam from Aethiopia. Though the story of Memnon is not as famous as that of Hector, Memnon is considered to be an equal of the Achaean hero Achilles, for although Hector had the fighting prowess, Achilles and Memnon were both demi-gods, born to mortal fathers and immortal mothers.
Memnon and the Aethiopis
Memnon is but briefly mentioned by Homer in both the Iliad and Odyssey, but is the central figure in a, mostly, lost epic named the Aethiopis. The Aethiopis is titled in reference to Memnon, the Aethiopian.
The Aethiopis survives as a handful of fragments, and is an epic poem normally attributed to Arctinus of Miletus, but in the Epic Cycle is considered to take up were the Iliad finishes.
The death of Hector, in the Iliad, is seemingly the end of hope for Troy and its citizens, but then allies for King Priam arrive in the form of the Amazons, under Penthesileia, and the Aethiopians under Memnon.
The Aethiopis survives as a handful of fragments, and is an epic poem normally attributed to Arctinus of Miletus, but in the Epic Cycle is considered to take up were the Iliad finishes.
The death of Hector, in the Iliad, is seemingly the end of hope for Troy and its citizens, but then allies for King Priam arrive in the form of the Amazons, under Penthesileia, and the Aethiopians under Memnon.
The Memnon Family Line
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In Greek mythology Memnon was named as a king of Aethiopia, the land south of Egypt, with Memnon regarded as the son of Tithonus and Eos. The name of Memnon is occasionally said to mean both “resolute” and “steadfast”.
Tithonus was the son of King Laomedon of Troy, whilst Eos was the Greek goddess of the Dawn. Eos was taken by the beauty of Tithonus and abducted the Trojan prince, and Eos even convinced Zeus to make her lover immortal, although Eos neglected to ask Zeus to make Tithonus ageless as well. Nevertheless, Eos gave birth to two sons of Tithonus, Memnon, and an older brother of Memnon, Emathion. |
Memnon, son of Eos and Tithonus -
Bernard Picart (1673–1733) - PD-art-100
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Eos probably did not raise her son, for it was said that Memnon, at least, was placed in the care of the Hesperides. Some also name a sister of Memnon, Himera.
Emathion would precede Memnon as king of Aethiopia, but Emathion would be killed by Heracles, when the Greek hero sailed up the Nile.
Despite the Trojan ancestry of Memnon, Memnon, is considered to be African in appearance.
Emathion would precede Memnon as king of Aethiopia, but Emathion would be killed by Heracles, when the Greek hero sailed up the Nile.
Despite the Trojan ancestry of Memnon, Memnon, is considered to be African in appearance.
Memnon Called to Arms
King Priam would send word to Memnon, asking for the king of Aethiopia’s assistance in defending Troy. Memnon of course had family ties with Troy, for Memnon’s father Tithonus was himself a prince of Troy.
Whilst there is discussion in Troy about whether Memnon would heed the call to arms, in Aethiopia, Memnon is indeed gathering his troops together; and at the same time, Eos requests from Hephaestus armour to protect her son.
Memnon then leads his army across Africa, conquering Egypt on the way, and into Asia Minor, where Memnon also takes the city of Susa.
Whilst there is discussion in Troy about whether Memnon would heed the call to arms, in Aethiopia, Memnon is indeed gathering his troops together; and at the same time, Eos requests from Hephaestus armour to protect her son.
Memnon then leads his army across Africa, conquering Egypt on the way, and into Asia Minor, where Memnon also takes the city of Susa.
Memnon Arrives At Troy
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Memnon would arrive at Troy with an army too large to count, and the Trojans rejoice for now they believe they are saved. Memnon though, makes no promises about the outcome of the war, and simply indicates that he, and his men, will do their best.
The addition of the Aethiopian troops greatly swells the Trojan force, and allows the Trojans to once again go on the offensive. Zeus recognised the pivotal nature of that day’s fighting, and issued a diktat that no deity must interfere. |
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Memnon Against the Pylians
In the fighting that followed, it was the Pylians under Nestor that faced Memnon and his troops, and early in day Memnon was said to have killed Ereuthus and Pheron.
Memnon would have had a greater scalp in the form of Nestor, for Nestor was helpless on the battlefield following the wounding of one of his chariot’s horses by Paris’ arrow. Nestor though, would be saved by the intervention of his son Antilochus, who places himself between his father and Memnon. Antilochus would kill Aesop, a companion of Memnon, but would be himself struck down by the King of Aethiopia.
Nestor was said to have then challenged Memnon to single combat, and despite having been ready to kill Nestor earlier, Memnon chooses not to accept the challenge, partially at respect for the reputation of Nestor, and partially because Memnon recognised that, due to the advanced age of Nestor, the fight wold not be a fair one.
Memnon would have had a greater scalp in the form of Nestor, for Nestor was helpless on the battlefield following the wounding of one of his chariot’s horses by Paris’ arrow. Nestor though, would be saved by the intervention of his son Antilochus, who places himself between his father and Memnon. Antilochus would kill Aesop, a companion of Memnon, but would be himself struck down by the King of Aethiopia.
Nestor was said to have then challenged Memnon to single combat, and despite having been ready to kill Nestor earlier, Memnon chooses not to accept the challenge, partially at respect for the reputation of Nestor, and partially because Memnon recognised that, due to the advanced age of Nestor, the fight wold not be a fair one.
Memnon and Achilles
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After the death of Patroclus, Antilochus was considered to be the greatest friend of Achilles, and Nestor calls upon Achilles to gain vengeance for Antilochus, or at the very least retrieve the body and armour of his son.
Achilles had been warned, by his mother Thetis, that his death would follow shortly after that of Memnon, but unperturbed Achilles heads towards the Aethiopian force. It would thus come about that two opposing heroes, in the form of Memnon and Achilles would face each other, both adorned in armour crafted by Hephaestus. Memnon and Achilles were both held in high esteem by Zeus, and he favoured neither of them in the fight, although it was said that he ensured neither tired during the fight. Fanciful versions of the battle between Memnon and Achilles tell of Zeus making both gigantic in stature, so that all on the battlefield could witness the fight. Details of the actual fight between Memnon and Achilles are scarce, although it is said that the pair approached each other on foot. A long drawn out fight then commenced and although Memnon managed to inflict a wound upon the arm of Achilles, it did gain Memnon any great advantage. |
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Eventually, Zeus would weigh up the fate of Memnon and Achilles, and when the scales decided in favour of Achilles, the Achaean hero plunged his sword, of spear, into the heart of Memnon, killing him.
As for the prophecy of Thetis, this would come true, for after the death of Memnon, Achilles pushed on into the heart of the Trojan defences, but within touching distance of the Scaean Gate, he would be struck down by an arrow unleashed by Paris.
As for the prophecy of Thetis, this would come true, for after the death of Memnon, Achilles pushed on into the heart of the Trojan defences, but within touching distance of the Scaean Gate, he would be struck down by an arrow unleashed by Paris.
The Armour of Memnon
The fate of the Armour of Memnon was an oft discussed one in antiquity, and Virgil, in the Aeneid, even has Dido asking Aeneas as to what happened to it.
It was often said that the sword of Memnon was to be found thereafter in the temple of Asclepius at Nicomedia, whilst the armour was either burnt when Memnon was cremated or else was taken by Achilles to be burnt upon the funeral pyre of Antilochus.
It was often said that the sword of Memnon was to be found thereafter in the temple of Asclepius at Nicomedia, whilst the armour was either burnt when Memnon was cremated or else was taken by Achilles to be burnt upon the funeral pyre of Antilochus.
The Body of Memnon
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Some tell of Memnon being made immortal by Zeus at the request of Eos, but it was also said that from the moment of Memnon’s death Eos would weep each morning, creating dew.
The resting place of the body or Memnon, or his ashes, was variously given as Ptolemais or Paltus, both in modern Syria, Palliochis, upon the Hellespont, upon the banks of the Aesepus, or else the remains of Memnon returned to Aethiopia. |
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Perhaps therefore it was not immortality that Zeus granted to Memnon, but special honour, in the fact that the deceased Memnon would reside in Elysium.
The Memnonides
Now it was said that upon the death of Memnon, the Aethiopian army took flight; and some have taken this literally, proclaiming that the Aethiopian army were turned into birds.
It was also said that Zeus transformed the smoke from the funeral pyre of Memnon into two flocks of birds, which then fought each other over the pyre. Those birds that died in the fight would become sacrificial animals for the body of Memnon.
The surviving birds, now known as the Memnonides or Memnons, would, every year, on the anniversary of Memnon’s death, fly to the tomb of Memnon, with wings wet from the River Aesepus, and there make use of this water to clean the dust from the tomb.
It was also said that Zeus transformed the smoke from the funeral pyre of Memnon into two flocks of birds, which then fought each other over the pyre. Those birds that died in the fight would become sacrificial animals for the body of Memnon.
The surviving birds, now known as the Memnonides or Memnons, would, every year, on the anniversary of Memnon’s death, fly to the tomb of Memnon, with wings wet from the River Aesepus, and there make use of this water to clean the dust from the tomb.
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