POLYMESTOR IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Polymestor was a king in Greek mythological stories, a Thracian king, Polymestor would come to the fore during, and after, the Trojan War.
Polymestor king of Thracian Chersonesus
Little is said of Polymestor in Greek mythology before the Trojan War, aside from the fact that Polymestor was the king of Thracian Chersonesus, the land more famously known as the Gallipoli peninsula. Here, Polymestor would rule over a populace known as the Bistonians.
Thracian Chersonesus, and Polymestor, had close ties with Dardania and the predominant city of the Troad, Troy.
Thracian Chersonesus, and Polymestor, had close ties with Dardania and the predominant city of the Troad, Troy.
Polymestor and IlionaTo cement ties between Polymestor’s kingdom and Troy, King Priam of Troy would allow Polymestor to marry Iliona, daughter of Priam and Hecabe, with Polymestor considered more than just a son-in-law but also a friend.
Iliona would bear to Polymestor one son, Deipylus. |
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Polymestor Guardian of Polydorus
Following the abduction of Helen by Paris, the Achaean army arrived at Troy, and so began the ten year Trojan War.
Nominally, Thracian Chersonesus was an ally of Priam, although Priam sought not the armed support of Polymestor but instead he requested help of a different kind from his son-in-law.
Into the care of Polymestor was given Polydorus, the youngest son of Priam and Hecabe, who was too young to contemplate taking an active role in the defence of Troy. Additionally, Priam also sent with Polydorus a large amount of Trojan treasure, for the king, with foresight, believed that this treasure could be used to ransom him and his family members if the war went badly for Troy.
Nominally, Thracian Chersonesus was an ally of Priam, although Priam sought not the armed support of Polymestor but instead he requested help of a different kind from his son-in-law.
Into the care of Polymestor was given Polydorus, the youngest son of Priam and Hecabe, who was too young to contemplate taking an active role in the defence of Troy. Additionally, Priam also sent with Polydorus a large amount of Trojan treasure, for the king, with foresight, believed that this treasure could be used to ransom him and his family members if the war went badly for Troy.
Polymestor Murders Polydorus
The war of course did go badly for Troy, and eventually the city fell to the Achaean army, and following the sacking of Troy, King Priam, and all the male members of his family line, aside from Polydorus were dead.
Now, Polymestor did the unthinkable, for he killed the boy, the guest, who had been placed into his care.
Now it is commonly said that Polymestor committed this crime to take control of the Trojan gold that had accompanied Polydorus, but Polymestor would later tell Agamemnon and the other Acheaan leaders that he had killed Polydorus to aid their cause, killing a descendant of Priam who might have later sought revenge.
Now, Polymestor did the unthinkable, for he killed the boy, the guest, who had been placed into his care.
Now it is commonly said that Polymestor committed this crime to take control of the Trojan gold that had accompanied Polydorus, but Polymestor would later tell Agamemnon and the other Acheaan leaders that he had killed Polydorus to aid their cause, killing a descendant of Priam who might have later sought revenge.
Polymestor and Hecabe
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Now Polymestor had disposed of the body of Polydorus by throwing it into the sea, but as fate would have it, the body of Polydorus would wash up close to the Acheaen camp where the female prisoners of Troy were held. One of these Trojan women was Hecabe, the widow of Priam and mother of Polydorus.
Hecabe plotted her revenge, and with the agreement of Agamemnon, sent a letter to Polymestor asking him to come to the Achaean camp. Hecabe of course made no reference to the death of her son, and with |
Hecabe Blinding Polymestor -
Giuseppe Crespi (1665–1747) - PD-art-100
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Polymestor now considered an ally of the Achaeans, with no fear of danger from the Achaeans, the Thracian king did as was requested, drawn by the promise of the location of more hidden Trojan treasure.
Now Agamemnon had fallen in love with his new concubine Cassandra, another daughter of Hecabe, and although Polymestor was now an Achaean ally, Agamemnon justified his helping of Hecabe to the need to punish someone who murders his own guest, although Hecabe would be left to inflict the justice.
When Polymestor arrived in the Achaean camp, along with two of his sons, the Thracian king was taken into the large tent that held the Trojan Women. The setting, and the conversations spoken of in that tent, lulled Polymestor into a false sense of security, for the king was dreaming of the wealth which would soon be in his possession.
Thus, Polymestor, and his sons were in no position to defend themselves, when the Trojan women pulled daggers from their clothing, and the sons of Polymestor soon lay dead. Polymestor himself was pinned to the floor by some 20 of these women, and whilst incapacitated, Hecabe and others used their brooches to blind the king.
Polymestor would seek to have Hecabe and the other women punished for their actions, but Agamemnon considered Hecabe’s actions justified, and pointed out that Polymestor had not become an Achaean ally until the war was one.
The Achaeans then deposited Polymestor on a desolate island, where the former king lived out a wretched life.
Now Agamemnon had fallen in love with his new concubine Cassandra, another daughter of Hecabe, and although Polymestor was now an Achaean ally, Agamemnon justified his helping of Hecabe to the need to punish someone who murders his own guest, although Hecabe would be left to inflict the justice.
When Polymestor arrived in the Achaean camp, along with two of his sons, the Thracian king was taken into the large tent that held the Trojan Women. The setting, and the conversations spoken of in that tent, lulled Polymestor into a false sense of security, for the king was dreaming of the wealth which would soon be in his possession.
Thus, Polymestor, and his sons were in no position to defend themselves, when the Trojan women pulled daggers from their clothing, and the sons of Polymestor soon lay dead. Polymestor himself was pinned to the floor by some 20 of these women, and whilst incapacitated, Hecabe and others used their brooches to blind the king.
Polymestor would seek to have Hecabe and the other women punished for their actions, but Agamemnon considered Hecabe’s actions justified, and pointed out that Polymestor had not become an Achaean ally until the war was one.
The Achaeans then deposited Polymestor on a desolate island, where the former king lived out a wretched life.
An Alternative End for Polymestor
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Now some tell of a different end for Polymestor, one which sees him die at the hands of Polydorus.
In this tale, Iliona would raise both Deipylus, son of Polymestor, and Polydorus, son of Priam, but loving her own parents more than Polymestor, decided to ensure that no matter if anything happened to Deipylus or Polydorus, then Priam and Hecabe would still have a son. To this end, Deipylus was raised as if he was Polydorus, and Polydorus was raised as if he were Deipylus. During the Trojan War emissaries from Agamemnon came to Polymestor and promised the king wealth and the hand of Electra, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytmenestra, if he would kill the son of Priam. This Polymestor willingly did, but Polymestor killed his own son Deipylus because of the intrigue of Iliona. Later, Polydorus, who was now a young man, went to the Oracle of Delphi, and whilst there, received a strange statement which told of the death of his parents and that his home city was now in ruins. Polydorus quickly returned to his home on Thracian Chersonesus still believing that he was Deipylus, son of Polymestor and Iliona, but when home found that his parents were still alive, and his city still whole. |
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Polydorus would tell Iliona what he had been told by the Oracle of Delphi, and Iliona told him the truth. Polydorus then took up his sword, blinded the man who he had falsely believed to be his father, and then killed Polymestor.
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