TELEPHUS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Telephus was the son of the legendary Heracles in Greek mythology, and despite being exposed to die as a baby, survived to become a king.
Telephus Son of Heracles
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Telephus would be born from a brief drunken relationship between the Greek hero Heracles, and Auge. Auge was the beautiful daughter of King Aleus of Tegea, Arcadia.
Aleus had made Auge the virgin princess of Athena Alea, for a prophecy had been made about the deadly nature of Aleus’ son if she ever became pregnant. The fact that Auge was supposed to be a virgin priestess made no odds with Heracles though, and as was his want, he slept with Aleus’ daughter. |
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The Fate of Telephus and Auge
Telephus was a figure widely written about in antiquity, and although many sources are lost, many also survive. As such there are different versions about what happened to Telephus once he was born.
A prominent version of the Telephus myth starts when Aleus discovers that Auge has given birth. Greatly angered, Aleus leaves Telephus upon Mount Parthenion, exposed, in the belief that he would soon die; Auge in the mean time was given over to Nauplius, with the king commanding him to kill Auge. Nauplius did not follow the commandment though and instead sold her into slavery in the court of King Teuthras, ruler of Teuthrania.
At the same time, Telephus of course did not die, for the baby was seemingly watched over by the gods, for a female deer came along and nurtured the son of Heracles. Eventually, a shepherd discovered the baby, and rescued him; co-incidentally this was the same shepherd who had rescued Parthenopaeus, the abandoned son of Atalanta. Telephus would be handed over to King Corythus who raised him as his own.
A second version of the Telephus tales tells of both Telephus and Auge given over to Nauplius, to be drowned, but just as in the first version, Nauplius instead sells the pair into slavery, in Teuthrania.
At third tale tells of Auge and Telephus being placed in a wooden chest by Aleaus; a chest which was cast adrift in the ocean, in the belief that the pair would drown. Instead the chest floated to Teuthrania were the two occupants emerged unharmed in the land of King Teuthras.
A prominent version of the Telephus myth starts when Aleus discovers that Auge has given birth. Greatly angered, Aleus leaves Telephus upon Mount Parthenion, exposed, in the belief that he would soon die; Auge in the mean time was given over to Nauplius, with the king commanding him to kill Auge. Nauplius did not follow the commandment though and instead sold her into slavery in the court of King Teuthras, ruler of Teuthrania.
At the same time, Telephus of course did not die, for the baby was seemingly watched over by the gods, for a female deer came along and nurtured the son of Heracles. Eventually, a shepherd discovered the baby, and rescued him; co-incidentally this was the same shepherd who had rescued Parthenopaeus, the abandoned son of Atalanta. Telephus would be handed over to King Corythus who raised him as his own.
A second version of the Telephus tales tells of both Telephus and Auge given over to Nauplius, to be drowned, but just as in the first version, Nauplius instead sells the pair into slavery, in Teuthrania.
At third tale tells of Auge and Telephus being placed in a wooden chest by Aleaus; a chest which was cast adrift in the ocean, in the belief that the pair would drown. Instead the chest floated to Teuthrania were the two occupants emerged unharmed in the land of King Teuthras.
Telephus in Teuthrania
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The story of Telephus and Auge continues in Teuthrania. Auge, whether she arrived alone or with Telephus, would catch the eye of King Teuthras, and the king would make her his wife. If Telephus is with Auge, then Telephus is adopted as Teuthras’ heir.
If Telephus were to arrive separately, then the story goes that knowing he was adopted, Telephus sought to find out who his mother was. The Pythia, at Delphi, in one of her less cryptic proclamations, tells Telephus to travel to the court of Teuthras. |
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Telephus travels to Teuthrania, with Parthenopaeus, when they arrive they find Idas, the Argonaut, and he of Castor and Pollox fame, trying to overthrow Teuthras. Telephus ended the threat of Idas, and in recognition for the achievement> Teuthras would marry his daughter< Argiope, to Telephus. Making Telephus his heir.
At some point Telephus and Auge would also recognise each other, but how this occurred is not entirely clear.
At some point Telephus and Auge would also recognise each other, but how this occurred is not entirely clear.
Telephus and the Achaeans
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Today, Telephus is most famous for appearing in the tale of the Trojan War, although he doesn’t appear in Homer’s Iliad. In other versions a tale is told of the Achaean fleet landing in Mysia, having mistaken it for Troy. Telephus had succeeded Teuthras as king, and would lead his army against the Achaeans.
Telephus would hold back the Achaeans, and some even tell of Thersander being killed by the king; although other’s have Thersander surviving the Trojan War. Telephus though was undone by the intervention of Dionysus, who caused the king to trip on a vine. This trip would allow Achilles to throw a spear at the king, injuring him in the thigh. Telephus though was not killed by the Achaeans, for it was realised that Telephus was Greek, and the land was not Troy; and so the Achaeans returned to Aulis. The wound inflicted on Telephus would not heal, and in desperation, he followed the Achaeans to Aulis, where Agamemnon’s fleet was harboured once again. Some say that Telephus offered to guide the Achaeans to Troy if he were healed, others say that he threatened to kill Agamemnon’s son Orestes, if he were not healed, although the former is more likely. |
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Machaon, son of Asclepius, realised that Telephus could be healed, and so he directed Achilles scrape rust from his spear into the wound. Thus the weapon that had inflicted the wound, now healed it.
In gratitude Telephus did guide the armada to Troy.
In gratitude Telephus did guide the armada to Troy.
The Wives and Children of Telephus
In surviving sources various wives of Telephus are named, including Argiope daughter of Teuthras. In addition though, two other potential wives are named, Laodice daughter of King Priam, and Astyoche, sister of King Priam.
This potential relationship is given as a reason why Telephus did not join the Achaeans in fighting at Troy, but in declining to fight for the Achaeans, Telephus also said that Mysians would not fight for Troy either.
Telephus, has one prominent son, Eurypylus, although who his mother is, is not certain, and some sources also name Tyrsenus and Roma, as additional offspring.
The manner of Telephus’ death is not mentioned, but during the events of the Trojan war it was noted that his son Eurypylus did fight in the defence of Troy, late in the war. Telephus’ son was prominent amongst the Trojans, until he was struck down by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles/
It is supposed that somehow that Telephus might have killed the sons of Aleus, his grandfather, fulfilling the prophecy, but no surviving tales tell of such an event, and the deaths of Aleus’ sons are recorded as having occurred by other means.
This potential relationship is given as a reason why Telephus did not join the Achaeans in fighting at Troy, but in declining to fight for the Achaeans, Telephus also said that Mysians would not fight for Troy either.
Telephus, has one prominent son, Eurypylus, although who his mother is, is not certain, and some sources also name Tyrsenus and Roma, as additional offspring.
The manner of Telephus’ death is not mentioned, but during the events of the Trojan war it was noted that his son Eurypylus did fight in the defence of Troy, late in the war. Telephus’ son was prominent amongst the Trojans, until he was struck down by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles/
It is supposed that somehow that Telephus might have killed the sons of Aleus, his grandfather, fulfilling the prophecy, but no surviving tales tell of such an event, and the deaths of Aleus’ sons are recorded as having occurred by other means.
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Colin Quartermain - Telephus - 28th February 2026