{"id":22162,"date":"2022-07-04T08:23:10","date_gmt":"2022-07-04T08:23:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ancient-literature.com\/?p=22162"},"modified":"2022-09-02T11:50:54","modified_gmt":"2022-09-02T11:50:54","slug":"antenor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ancient-literature.com\/antenor\/","title":{"rendered":"Antenor: The Various Greek Mythologies of King Priam’s Counselor"},"content":{"rendered":"
Antenor of Troy<\/strong> was an aged and wise counselor who offered great services to Priam, the king of Troy, and his wife, Hecuba, before and during the Trojan War. He did not fight in the war due to his age but had<\/b> his children fight in his stead.<\/strong> Depending on the source of the myth, Antenor later turned from a trusted advisor to an untrustworthy traitor. To know why he switched from being a counselor to betraying the trust of his masters, keep on reading.<\/p>\n He was born in Dardanoi, a city situated in northwestern Anatolia which shared common values, norms, and practices<\/strong> with the Trojans. His father was Aesysetes, a nobleman and Trojan hero, and his mother was Cleomestra, a Trojan princess. Other sources place the Trojan Hicetaon as the father of Antenor. He married the priestess of Athena<\/strong> in Troy known as Theano and had several children with her including the warriors Acamas, Agenor, Archilochus, and a daughter, Crino.<\/p>\n Most of his children fought the Trojan War and died except a few who, along with their father, survived the 10-year grueling war. Later, he adopted a fatherless son named Pedaeus<\/strong> whose mother is unknown. Many scholars believe that he and the King of Troy shared the same bloodline or kinship.<\/p>\n In Homer’s Iliad<\/a>, Antenor was against the kidnap of Helen of Troy,<\/strong> and when she finally was kidnapped, he advised the Trojans to return her. Antenor also pushed for a peaceful settlement with the Greeks by urging Paris to return the treasure of Menelaus, which he stole. However, as evident in the epic poem, the Trojans refused to heed his advice, culminating in the Trojan War that lasted for ten years.<\/p>\n Antenor also took part in the pre-duel rituals between Menelaus and Paris<\/strong> for the return of Helen. During the actual duel, Menelaus proved the strongest as he nearly killed Paris only to be rescued by Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The reason was that when Zeus asked Paris to choose the most beautiful goddess<\/b> among the three goddesses; Hera, Aphrodite, and Athena, Paris chose Aphrodite.<\/strong> Aphrodite then promised Paris to give him the most beautiful woman in the world as his prize.<\/p>\n So, when Menelaus, who had overpowered Paris, began to drag him by his helmet, Aphrodite caused the helmet’s straps to break, freeing Paris. The frustrated Menelaus tried to drive his spear into Paris,<\/strong> only for Paris to be whisked to his room by Aphrodite. Antenor, once again, took the opportunity to advise the Trojans to let Helen return peacefully to her husband to avoid bloodshed.<\/p>\n Antenor said to the Trojans in Book 7 of the Iliad,<\/strong> “Hear me, Trojans, Dardans, all our loyal allies, I must speak out what the heart inside me urges. On with it – give Argive Helen and all her treasures back to Atreus’ sons to take away at last. We broke our sworn truce. We fight as outlaws. True, and what profit for us in the long run? Nothing – unless we do exactly as I say”.<\/p>\n Paris replied, “Stop, Antenor! No more of your hot insistence – it repels me… I won’t give up the woman”.<\/strong> Paris instead insisted on returning the treasure he stole from Menelaus.<\/p>\n When the Trojan council decided to kill Menelaus and Odysseus,<\/strong> Antenor intervened and pleaded that the two Achaeans be allowed safe passage out of Troy. He saw that Menelaus and Odysseus were not molested as they made their way out of the city.<\/p>\n As the Trojan War continued, Antenor insisted that Helen be returned to the Greeks to stop the hostilities, but Paris and other council members were adamant. That notwithstanding, Antenor allowed most of his children to fight in the war, defending the city against a Greek invasion.<\/strong> His sons, Archilochus and Acamas, led the Dardanian contingent under the overall commander of Aeneas.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, Antenor lost most of his children<\/strong> in the Trojan War, which many believe changed his heart and how he felt towards Troy. His son Acamas fell to either Meriones or Philoctetes, while Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, slew Agenor and Polybus. Ajax the Great<\/a> also killed Arcehlous and Laodamas while Iphidamas and Coon suffered death at the hands of Agamemnon. Meges killed Pedeaus, and Achilles slew Demoleon by striking him on the temple through his bronze-cheeked helmet.<\/p>\n During the war, the Greeks committed many atrocities, including throwing the young Astyanax, son of Hector, from the city’s walls. At the war’s end, Antenor was only left with four sons<\/strong> – Laodocus, Glaucus, Helicaon, and Eurymachus with their sister Crino. Glaucus (who fought alongside Sarpedon) and Helicaon were saved by Odysseus when the Achaean warriors attempted to kill them. Antenor mourned his children for weeks<\/strong> and may have resented the Trojans for not heed his advice.<\/p>\nThe Lineage and Family of Antenor<\/h2>\n
The Myth of Antenor According to Homer<\/h2>\n
Antenor’s Speech to the Trojans<\/h3>\n
Antenor and His Sons During the Trojan War<\/h3>\n
Antenor After the Trojan War<\/h2>\n