PALAMEDES IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Palamedes was an Achaean hero during the Trojan War, famed for his cleverness, he was responsible for Odysseus joining the Achaean forces at Troy, an act would result in Odysseus undying hatred of Palamedes.
Palamedes son of Nauplius
Palamedes is commonly said to be the son of Nauplius, son of Poseidon; although some question how Nauplius could have lived over 200 years, until the time of Trojan War, and suggest that Palamedes was instead a son of Nauplius, who was a descendant of the first Nauplius.
The mother of Nauplius was named as Clymene, daughter of Catreus, king of Crete; Catreus having given Clymene to Nauplius to avoid a prophecy about his own death. Palamedes was said to have had brothers named Oeax and Nausimedon.
As Atreus, father of Agamemnon and Menelaus, married Aerope, another daughter of Catreus, there was a family bond between Palamades and the two Greek kings.
The mother of Nauplius was named as Clymene, daughter of Catreus, king of Crete; Catreus having given Clymene to Nauplius to avoid a prophecy about his own death. Palamedes was said to have had brothers named Oeax and Nausimedon.
As Atreus, father of Agamemnon and Menelaus, married Aerope, another daughter of Catreus, there was a family bond between Palamades and the two Greek kings.
The Clever Palamedes
Palamedes would be regarded as one of the cleverest men of the age, and is credited with having invented 11 letters of the Ancient Greek alphabet. This led to Palamedes also being acclaimed as the inventor of writing, as well as counting, and weights and measures.
It was also said that Palamedes invented dice and the game of draughts; with the dice made by Palamedes subsequently found in the Temple of Fortune at Corinth. |
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Palamedes Ignored by Homer
The figure of Palamedes is one that appears in many ancient texts, but most noticeably goes unmentioned by Homer, in the Iliad. Some have taken this to mean that Palamedes was a character invented after Homer’s time, though others propose that Homer did not mention Palamedes for his narrative sought to paint Odysseus in a positive light, whilst the tale of Palamedes could only shine badly on the Ithacan king.
Palamedes and the Achaean Fleet
Palamedes comes to the fore in the build-up, and during, the Trojan War, for when the Achaeans started to gather their forces together Palamedes was present.
Now Palamedes was not named as a Suitor of Helen so was not obligated by the Oath of Tyndareus to aid Menelaus in retrieving Helen from Troy, but even so he was present. Palamedes is of course not mentioned in Homer’s Catalogue of Ships, but the presumption is that Palamedes, and his brother Oeyx, were leading troops from Nauplius’ realm (though Euboean forces were led by Elephenor, according to Homer).
As forces gathered it was noticed by Agamemnon that Odysseus, King of Ithaca had not yet arrived, and so Palamedes was dispatched to find him.
Now Palamedes was not named as a Suitor of Helen so was not obligated by the Oath of Tyndareus to aid Menelaus in retrieving Helen from Troy, but even so he was present. Palamedes is of course not mentioned in Homer’s Catalogue of Ships, but the presumption is that Palamedes, and his brother Oeyx, were leading troops from Nauplius’ realm (though Euboean forces were led by Elephenor, according to Homer).
As forces gathered it was noticed by Agamemnon that Odysseus, King of Ithaca had not yet arrived, and so Palamedes was dispatched to find him.
Palamedes and Odysseus
Now it was Odysseus who had come up with the idea of the Suitors of Helen to take an oath, the Oath of Tyndareus, to prevent bloodshed, but having come up with it, Odysseus did not want to be bound by it.
Odysseus had married Penelope, niece of Tyndareus, and now had a son, Telemachus, as well. This family commitment though, was not the only reason for why Odysseus did not want to heed the call to arms, for Odysseus had also received a proclamation from an Oracle that if he departed for Troy, he would not return home for 20 years. Now Odysseus had a reputation for cleverness and cunning, and so when Palamedes arrived on Ithaca, with Nestor and Menelaus, Odysseus feigned madness in order not to set sail. As evidence of his own madness, Odysseus yoked a horse and an ox to a plough, ploughed a furrow, and then began to sow salt. Palamedes though, saw through Odysseus’ act, and taking Telemachus, the baby son of Odysseus and Penelope, Palamedes put the baby in front of Odysseus’ plough. So Odysseus could either stop ploughing, or kill his own son. Odysseus chose the former, and his sanity was revealed. The cleverness of Palamedes might have ensured Odysseus’ presence at Troy, but also ensured a lifelong hated of the King of Ithaca to Palamedes. |
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Palamedes at Troy
During the Trojan War many of the Achaean heroes rose to the fore because of the those they killed in the opposing army, Palamedes though gift came in planning, for he was the foremost military strategist in the Achaean force. Some tell of how this skill annoyed both Odysseus and Diomedes, and also Agamemnon to a degree; as did the fact that Palamedes was the spokesman for those who believed it was time to bring the Trojan War to an end, and return home in defeat.
The cleverness of Palamedes was certainly the reason for the treacherous death of Palamedes at Troy, although it is commonly linked back to his revealing of Odysseus fakery.
The cleverness of Palamedes was certainly the reason for the treacherous death of Palamedes at Troy, although it is commonly linked back to his revealing of Odysseus fakery.
The Death of Palamedes
Now some say of how Diomedes and Odysseus either drowned Palamedes, or stoned him to death, but the most common story of Palamedes death involves the cunning and deviousness of Odysseus.
Odysseus arranged for a Trojan prisoner to write a letter from King Priam of Troy to Palamedes, promising much gold if the war could be ended quickly. Then, Odysseus had this prisoner killed outside the Trojan camp, and of course the body, and the letter, were discovered the next day.
Now the letter by itself might mean little, but Odysseus also arranged for the very amount of gold promised to be buried beneath the tent of Palamedes; with the gold subsequently being found when Palamedes was accused of treason.
Palamedes would protest his innocence to Agamemnon, but could provide no proof of his innocence, and the concocted proof of his guilt was enough to convict him.
There was but one punishment for treason, and Palamedes was stoned to death by his Achaean comrades.
Odysseus arranged for a Trojan prisoner to write a letter from King Priam of Troy to Palamedes, promising much gold if the war could be ended quickly. Then, Odysseus had this prisoner killed outside the Trojan camp, and of course the body, and the letter, were discovered the next day.
Now the letter by itself might mean little, but Odysseus also arranged for the very amount of gold promised to be buried beneath the tent of Palamedes; with the gold subsequently being found when Palamedes was accused of treason.
Palamedes would protest his innocence to Agamemnon, but could provide no proof of his innocence, and the concocted proof of his guilt was enough to convict him.
There was but one punishment for treason, and Palamedes was stoned to death by his Achaean comrades.
The Revenge of NaupliusThe news of his son’s death would reach Nauplius after Oeax, brother of Palamedes, had written it upon an oar, which was then thrown into the sea.
Nauplius sailed for Troy, and knowing his son was innocent of the unjust charges, demanded satisfaction against Odysseus. Agamemnon though protected Odysseus from Nauplius and Nauplius was forced to leave with vengeance not having been achieved. Nauplius would plot and plan, and so the death of Palamedes would in the end bring great misfortune to many of the Achaeans leaders. It was said that Nauplius convinced many of the wives of the Achaean heroes to take lovers in the absence of their husbands, thus Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon took Aegisthus, Meda, wife of Idomeneus took Leucus, and Aegialia, wife of Diomedes slept with Cometes, resulting in all three heroes losing their kingdoms, and their lives in some cases. Nauplius also bided his time until the Achaean fleet began their return journey to Greece, and in setting a false beacon upon the island of Euboea, upon Mount Caphareus, ensured that many ships crashed onto rocks instead of making it to a safe harbour. |
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Palamedes in the Underworld
Some tell of Palamedes being observed in the Underworld after his death, playing dice with his old comrades, Ajax the Great and Thersites, all three of whom had suffered some form of injustice at the hands of Odysseus.
Palamedes Family Tree
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