Meriones (mythology)

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Meriones ( Greek  Μηριόνης ) is in Greek mythology a Cretan military leader in the Trojan War and a companion of the Cretan king Idomeneus . He is mentioned frequently in Homer's Iliad .

Meriones was the son of Molos and thus a relative of Idomeneus. Dares Phrygius describes him as red-haired and of medium height and characterizes him as tough, ruthless and impatient. He was one of Helena's suitors .

In the ship catalog, Homer names him together with Idomeneus as the leader of the 80 ships in the Cretan contingent in the Trojan War and describes him as a brave warrior and loyal friend of his king, at whose side he often fought. Meriones fought both hand-to-hand and with the bow , but sometimes drove Idomeneus' chariot instead . He killed the Phereklos, fighting Adamas , Harpalion, Hippotion, Morys, Akamas and Laogonos and fought twice in vain against Deiphobos and once against Aeneas . He gave Odysseus a boar tooth helmet that he had received from his father . His charioteer Koiranos was killed by Hector . Together with Aias the Great he defended the body of Patroclus and carried it from the battlefield together with Menelaus . He was followed and wounded by Hector. At the funeral games for Patroclus, he finished fourth in the chariot race , for which he received two talents gold, won archery , for which he received ten axes, and came second in the javelin throw .

Quintus of Smyrna reports on his further deeds . Meriones killed the Amazons Euandra and Thermodosa and Laophoon, Chlemos, Phylodamas and Lykon and shot in vain for the Priam Polites. He was also among the heroes in the Trojan Horse .

There are two versions of his life after the fall of Troy : According to one variant, he landed in Sicily and was taken in with his men by Cretans who were already living there and who had founded a city. According to the other variant, he returned to Crete unharmed with Idomeneus. He may have followed him on the throne after his death. After their death they were buried in a common tomb in Knossos .

swell

  • Homer, Iliad
  • Quintus of Smyrna, Posthomerica
  • Hyginus , Fabulae
  • Dares Phrygius, Acta diurna belli Troiani
  • Dictys cretensis , Ephemeris belli Troiani
  • Diodor , Bibliothéke historiké

Individual evidence

  1. Dares Phrygius, Acta diurna belli Troiani 14
  2. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 81
  3. Dictys Cretensis, Ephemeris belli Troiani 3,4
  4. ^ Dares Phrygius, Acta diurna belli Troiani 19
  5. Diodor, Bibliothéke historiké 4.79
  6. According to Dictys Cretensis, Ephemeris belli Troiani 6,6. According to another version, however, Idomeneus was overthrown by Leukos, who then followed him.
  7. Diodor, Bibliothéke historiké 5,79