Greek Legends and Myths
  • Home
  • Site Search
  • Contents
  • -
  • The Greek Pantheon
  • Protogenoi
    • Chaos
    • Gaia
    • Tartarus >
      • Prisoners of Tartarus
    • Eros (Protogenoi)
    • Nyx >
      • Children of Nyx
      • Thanatos
      • Charon
      • Eris
    • Erebus
    • Ouranos
    • Pontus
    • The Ourea
    • Aether and Hemera
    • Hydros
    • Thesis
    • Chronus
    • Ananke
    • Phanes
    • Thalassa
    • Physis
    • Nesoi
  • Titans
    • Cronus
    • Rhea
    • Iapetus >
      • Atlas
      • Menoetius
      • Prometheus
      • Epimetheus >
        • Pandora >
          • Pandora's Box
    • Mnemosyne
    • Hyperion >
      • Helios
      • Eos
      • Selene
    • Theia
    • Themis
    • Crius >
      • Astraeus
      • Pallas
    • Oceanus
    • Tethys
    • Coeus
    • Phoebe >
      • Asteria
      • Leto
      • Lelantos
  • Olympians
    • Zeus >
      • Titanomachy
      • Mount Olympus >
        • Ambrosia and Nectar
    • Hestia
    • Demeter >
      • Eleusis
    • Hera
    • Hephaestus >
      • Automatons
  • Other Gods and Goddesses
    • Gods >
      • Boreas
      • Eros
      • Glaucus
      • Hades >
        • The Underworld >
          • Judges of the Dead
          • Rivers of the Underworld
      • Hypnos
      • Nereus
      • Notus
      • Phaethon
      • Phorcys
      • Triton
    • Goddesses >
      • Bia
      • Calypso
      • Ceto
      • Circe
      • Echo and Narcissus
      • Eurybia
      • Harmonia
      • Hebe
      • Iris
      • Nemesis
      • Nike
      • Persephone
      • Psyche
      • Tyche
    • Groups >
      • The Astra Planeta
      • The Charites
      • The Graeae
      • The Hesperides
      • The Moirai
      • The Elder Muses
      • The Younger Muses >
        • Calliope
        • Clio
        • Ourania
      • The Naiads >
        • Anchinoe
        • Daphne
        • Io
        • Memphis
        • Minthe
        • Oenone
        • Syrinx
      • The Nereids >
        • Amphitrite
        • Galatea
        • Thetis
      • The Oceanids >
        • Amalthea
        • Oceanid Electra
        • Metis
        • Pleione
        • Styx
      • The Oneiroi >
        • Morpheus
      • The Pleiades >
        • Maia
      • The Potamoi >
        • Achelous >
          • Cornucopia
        • Inachus
        • Scamander
      • The Sirens
  • -
  • The Mortals and Demi Gods
    • Quest for Golden Fleece >
      • The Golden Ram
      • Pelias
      • Aeetes
      • Argonauts >
        • Acastus
        • Admetus
        • Castor and Pollux
        • Hylas
        • Menoetius (Argonaut)
        • Peleus
        • Poeas
        • Polyphemus
        • Telamon
        • Thestor
      • The Argo
    • The Calydonian Hunt >
      • Oeneus
      • Meleager
      • Atalanta
    • Lovers of Zeus >
      • Aegina >
        • Aeacus >
          • Phocus
      • Alcmene
      • Antiope
      • Callisto >
        • Arcas
      • Danae
      • Europa >
        • Asterion
        • Minos >
          • Androgeus
          • Catreus
          • Glaucus
        • Rhadamanthys
        • Sarpedon
      • Lamia
      • Leda >
        • Clytemnestra
        • Tyndareus
    • House of Atreus >
      • Tantalus
      • Pelops
      • Broteas
      • Niobe
      • Aerope
      • Atreus
      • Thyestes
      • Pelopia
      • Menelaus
    • Trojan War >
      • House of Dardanus >
        • Dardanus
        • Antenor
        • Erichthonius of Dardania
        • Tros
        • Ilus
        • Assaracus
        • Ganymede
        • Laomedon >
          • Tithonus
          • Hesione
        • Priam
        • Hecabe
        • Aesacus
        • Deiphobus
        • Hector >
          • Andromache
        • Creusa Wife of Aeneas
        • Iliona
        • Polydorus
        • Paris >
          • Judgement of Paris
          • Agelaus
        • Helenus
        • Cassandra
        • Troilus
      • Helen
      • Suitors of Helen
      • The Oath of Tyndareus
      • Ajax the Great
      • Ajax the Lesser
      • Briseis
      • Calchas
      • Catalogue of Ships
      • Chryseis
      • Chryses
      • Cycnus
      • Eetion
      • Idomeneus
      • Laocoon
      • Memnon
      • Meriones
      • Palamedes
      • Pandarus
      • Patroclus
      • Penelope
      • Penthesilea
      • Philoctetes
      • Protesilaus >
        • Laodamia
      • Teucer
      • Trojan Horse
      • The Odyssey
    • House of Perseus and the Perseides >
      • Perseus
      • Gorgophone
      • Andromeda
      • Electryon
      • Sthenelus
      • Heleus
      • Amphitryon
      • Eurystheus
    • House of Heracles and the Heraclides >
      • Birth of Heracles
      • 12 Labours of Heracles >
        • Augean Stables
      • Megara
      • Omphale
      • Deianira
      • Iole >
        • Eurytus
      • First Sacking of Troy
      • Barcelona
      • Death of Heracles
      • Iolaus
    • Bellerophon
    • Cadmus
    • Daedalus
    • Laertes
    • Orion
  • Creatures and Monsters
    • Aethiopian Cetus
    • Aloadae
    • Argus Panoptes
    • Campe
    • Caucasian Eagle
    • Centaurs >
      • Chiron
      • Pholus
    • Cerberus
    • Ceryneian Hind
    • The Chimera
    • Cretan Bull
    • Crommyonian Sow
    • Cyclopes >
      • Polyphemus
    • Echidna
    • Gegenees
    • Geryon >
      • Cattle of Geryon
    • Gigantes
    • Golden Ram
    • Gorgons >
      • Gorgo Aix
      • Medusa
    • Harpies
    • Hecatonchires
    • Ismenian Dragon
    • Ladon
    • Laelaps
    • Laestrygonians
    • Lernaean Hydra >
      • Carcinus
    • Lion of Cithaeron
    • Manticore
    • Minotaur
    • Nemean Lion
    • Orthus
    • Pegasus
    • Python
    • Scylla and Charybdis
    • Sphinx >
      • Oedipus
    • Talos
    • Teumessian Fox
    • Tityos
  • -
  • The Constellations
    • Constellations >
      • Signs of the Zodiac
      • The Milky Way
  • A to Z of Greek Mythology
    • A - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • B - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • C - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • D - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • E - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • F - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • G - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • H - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • I - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • J - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • K - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • L - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • M - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • N - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • O - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • P - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • Q - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • R - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • S - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • T - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • U - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • V - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • W - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • X - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • Y - AtoZ Greek Mythology
    • Z - AtoZ Greek Mythology
  • -
  • Family Trees
Greek Legends and Myths                           

TLEPOLEMUS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

​In Greek mythology Tlepolemus was a King of Rhodes, and also one of the Achaean heroes who fought at Troy, during the Trojan War. 

​TLEPOLEMUS SON OF HERACLES

Tlepolemus was a Heraclid, for he was the son of the great Greek hero Heracles, probably born to Astyoche, daughter of King Phylas of Ephyra; though, some call the mother of Tlepolemus Astydameia. 

Tlepolemus Flees from Argos

​Little is said of Tlepolemus, although it is commonly agreed that he grew up in a palace in Argos, but trouble would come to Tlepolemus whilst a young man. 

Tlepolemus would be responsible for the death of his elderly uncle Licymnius, a son of Electryon. Now some say that Tlepolemus deliberately killed Licymnius, whilst others say that an infirm and blind Licymnius accidentally walked between Tlepolemus and a servant as Tlepolemus was beating his servant. 

No matter whether the death of Licymnius was deliberate or not, other Heraclids would blame Tlepolemus for his death, and so the son of Heracles was forced to leave Argos. 

​TLEPOLEMUS King of Rhodes

​Tlepolemus did not leave Argos alone though, for with him was his wife, Polyxo, a woman of Argos, and their unnamed son. 

Additionally, many Argives also left with Tlepolemus and a small armada would now sail through the Aegean Sea. Perhaps under the instruction of Apollo, Tlepolemus would lead his fleet to Rhodes, and was welcomed there by the local inhabitants. 

Tlepolemus would be proclaimed King of Rhodes, and Tlepolemus would found three city states, Lindos, Ialysus and Cameirus.

Rhodes, under the leadership of Tlepolemus would flourish, and it was said that the island and its inhabitants were blessed by Zeus because of Tlepolemus. 

​Tlepolemus as a Suitor of Helen

​Hyginus would name Tlepolemus as one of the Suitors of Helen, but Hyginus doesn’t tell us whether he was King of Rhodes by then or whether he was a potential suitor because he was a son of Heracles and a renowned wielder of the spear. 

As a Suitor of Helen Tlepolemus was pitted against the finest heroes and kings of Ancient Greece, and to avoid bloodshed, each suitor would take the Oath of Tyndareus to protect the chosen husband of Helen. 

Ultimately, Tlepolemus was not successful in winning the hand in marriage of Helen, for Menelaus was chosen. 

​Tlepolemus at Troy

​If it is given that Tlepolemus was a Suitor of Helen, then he would be bound by the Oath of Tyndareus to protect Menelaus; and so, when the call to arms arrived, Tlepolemus brought nine ships of Rhodians to Aulis. Homer names these Rhodians as having been assembled from Lindos, Ialysus and Cameirus. 

Tlepolemus’ time at Troy was but brief, for although the Trojan War would last for ten years, it was said that Tlepolemus would die on the first day of fighting; although Protesilaus was famously the first Achaean to die. 

Tlepolemus would encounter Sarpedon, the Trojan defender who was a son of Zeus, and believing himself superior to Sarpedon, Tlepolemus forced the fight between the two men. Calling Sarpedon a coward, Tlepolemus attack, but although he initially gained the upper hand, inflicting a wound upon Sarpedon, the Trojan fought back and thus Tlepolemus died by the weapon of Sarpedon. 

​A Consequence of the Death of Tlepolemus

​The death of Tlepolemus left the widow Polyxo as Queen of Rhodes, and many years after the death of her husband and the end of the Trojan War, Helen came to her kingdom. Helen had been driven out of Sparta by her husband Menelaus’ sons, and Helen believed that Rhodes would be a safe place to stay, for Helen believed Polyxo to be a friend. 

The widow of Tlepolemus though blamed Helen for the death of her husband, and so Polyxo had her own servants kill Helen as she took a bath. 
Contents
Colin Quartermain - Tlepolemus - 20th May 2018
Proudly powered by Weebly