Nestor

Mortal man

In Greek mythology, Nestor of Gerenia (Ancient Greek: Νέστωρ Γερήνιος, romanized: Nestōr Gerēnios) was a legendary king of Pylos. He is a prominent secondary character in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, where he appears as an elderly warrior who frequently offers advice to the other characters.

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Mentions: 81
Connected characters: 15
Books: 18

Achilles Introduced to Nestor · Joseph-Désiré CourtImage source Public domain

Mentions in the Iliad

All · 81 Book 1 · 3 Book 2 · 10 Book 4 · 3 Book 5 · 1 Book 6 · 2 Book 7 · 6 Book 8 · 5 Book 9 · 5 Book 10 · 12 Book 11 · 9 Book 13 · 2 Book 14 · 4 Book 15 · 2 Book 16 · 1 Book 17 · 1 Book 18 · 1 Book 19 · 2 Book 23 · 12

A. T. Murray, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1924 · Homer, Iliad with an English Translation · CC BY-SA 3.0 US

“the staff studded with golden nails, and himself sat down, while over against him the son of Atreus continued to vent his wrath. Then among them arose Nestor, sweet of speech, the clear-voiced orator of the Pylians, from whose tongue flowed speech sweeter than honey. Two generations of mortal men had passed away in his lifetime,”

Il. 1.245–249

“Mightiest were these of men reared upon the earth; mightiest were they, and with the mightiest they fought, the mountain-dwelling centaurs, and they destroyed them terribly. With these men I had fellowship, when I came from Pylos, from a distant land far away; for they themselves called me.”

Il. 1.265–269

“All these things, old man, to be sure, you have spoken as is right. But this man wishes to be above all others; over all he wishes to rule and over all to be king, and to all to give orders; in this, I think, there is someone who will not obey. If the gods who exist for ever made him a spearman,”

Il. 1.285–289

“So he took his stand above his head, in the likeness of the son of Neleus, even Nestor, whom above all the elders Agamemnon held in honour; likening himself to him, the Dream from heaven spake, saying: Thou sleepest, son of wise-hearted Atreus, the tamer of horses. To sleep the whole night through beseemeth not a man that is a counsellor,”

Il. 2.20–24

“but Agamemnon bade the clear-voiced heralds summon to the place of gathering the long-haired Achaeans. And they made summons, and the men gathered full quickly. But the king first made the council of the great-souled elders to sit down beside the ship of Nestor, the king Pylos-born.”

Il. 2.50–54

“but do you from this side and from that bespeak them, and strive to hold them back. So saying, he sate him down, and among them uprose Nestor, that was king of sandy Pylos. He with good intent addressed their gathering and spake among them: My friends, leaders and rulers of the Argives,”

Il. 2.75–79

“as they praised the words of godlike Odysseus. And there spake among them the horseman, Nestor of Gerenia: Now look you; in very truth are ye holding assembly after the manner of silly boys that care no whit for deeds of war. What then is to be the end of our compacts and our oaths?”

Il. 2.335–339

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Connections

All · 15 Relatives · 3 Killed · 3 Friends and allies · 1 Events · 1 Other · 7

NeleusMortal man

Father

Father · Sources

Father · Sources

So he took his stand above his head, in the likeness of the son of Neleus, even Nestor, whom above all the elders Agamemnon held in honour; likening himself to him, the Dream from heaven spake, saying: Thou sleepest, son of wise-hearted Atreus, the tamer of horses. To sleep the whole night through beseemeth not a man that is a counsellor,

Il. 2.20

but Agamemnon bade the clear-voiced heralds summon to the place of gathering the long-haired Achaeans. And they made summons, and the men gathered full quickly. But the king first made the council of the great-souled elders to sit down beside the ship of Nestor, the king Pylos-born.

Il. 2.53

and took his stand before the horses of the old man, Neleus' son, and spake and addressed him with winged words: Old sir, of a surety young warriors press thee sore; whereas thy might is broken and grievous old age attends thee, and thy squire is a weakling and thy horses slow.

Il. 8.100

Il. 2.20 · Il. 2.53 · Il. 8.100 · Il. 10.18 · Il. 10.54 · Il. 10.73 · Il. 10.87 · Il. 10.163 · Il. 10.555 · Il. 11.511 · Il. 11.618 · Il. 11.683 · Il. 14.42 · Il. 23.302 · Il. 23.349 · Il. 23.617

AntilochusMortal man

Son

Son · Sources

Son · Sources

But Antilochus, son of great-souled Nestor, beheld him, and strode through the foremost fighters; for greatly did he fear for the shepherd of the host, lest aught befall him, and he utterly thwart them of their toil. Now the twain were holding forth their hands and their sharp spears each against the other, fain to do battle,

Il. 5.565

and Odysseus with his spear of bronze laid low Pidytes of Percote, and Teucer goodly Aretaon. And Antilochus, son of Nestor, slew Ablerus with his bright spear, and the king of men, Agamemnon, slew Elatus that dwelt in steep Pedasus by the banks of fair-flowing Satnioeis.

Il. 6.32

and the horses Antilochus, son of great-souled Nestor, drave forth from the Trojans into the host of the well-greaved Achaeans. Then Deïphobus in sore grief for Asius drew very nigh to Idomeneus, and cast at him with his bright spear. Howbeit Idomeneus, looking steadily at him, avoided the spear of bronze,

Il. 13.400

Il. 5.565 · Il. 6.32 · Il. 13.400 · Il. 13.545 · Il. 14.513 · Il. 18.16 · Il. 23.305 · Il. 23.350 · Il. 23.402 · Il. 23.541 · Il. 23.597 · Il. 23.755–756 · Il. 23.785

ThrasymedesMortal man

Son

Son · Sources

Son · Sources

Forth hasted the sentinels in their harness around Nestor's son Thrasymedes, shepherd of the host, and Ascalaphus and Ialmenus, sons of Ares, and Meriones and Aphareus and Deïpyrus, and the son of Creon, goodly Lycomedes.

Il. 9.81

and bid him arise, if so be he will be minded to go to the sacred company of the sentinels and give them charge. To him would they hearken as to no other, for his son is captain over the guard, he and Meriones, comrade of Idomeneus; for to them above all we entrusted this charge.

Il. 10.57–58

the kings of the Argives, even all that had been called to the council. But with them went Meriones and the glorious son of Nestor; for of themselves they bade these share in their counsel. So they went through and out from the digged ditch and sate them down in an open space, where the ground shewed clear of dead men fallen,

Il. 10.196

Il. 9.81 · Il. 10.57–58 · Il. 10.196 · Il. 14.10

MenelausMortal man

Friend

Friend · Sources

Friend · Sources

and the swift Aias, and the valiant son of Phyleus. And I would that one should go and summon these also, the godlike Aias and lord Idomeneus, for their ships are furthest of all and nowise nigh at hand. But Menelaus will I chide, dear though he be and honoured,aye, though thou shouldest be angry with me, nor will I hide my thought, for that he sleepeth thus, and hath suffered thee to toil alone. Now had it been meet that he laboured among all the chieftains, beseeching them, for need has come upon them that may no longer be borne. And to him did the king of men, Agamemnon, make answer, saying:

Il. 10.114–115

Сон ОбманныйPersonification

Assuming Nestor’s likeness

Assuming Nestor’s likeness · Sources

Assuming Nestor’s likeness · Sources

And when he had called them together, he contrived a cunning plan, and said: Hearken, my friends, a Dream from heaven came to me in my sleep through the ambrosial night, and most like was it to goodly Nestor, in form and in stature and in build. It took its stand above my head, and spake to me, saying:

Il. 2.57–58

ClitomedesMortal man

Connection

Connection · Sources

Connection · Sources

Стих 23.634 прямо говорит: «На кулаках я побил Клитомеда, Енопова сына»; устойчивое отношение поединка.

as on the day when the Epeians were burying lord Amarynceus at Buprasium, and his sons appointed prizes in honour of the king. Then was there no man that proved himself my peer, neither of the Epeians nor of Pylians themselves nor of the great-souled Aetolians. In boxing I overcame Clytomedes, son of Enops,

Il. 23.630–634

HecamedeMortal woman

Connection

Connection · Sources

Connection · Sources

she that old Nestor had taken from out of Tenedos, when Achilles sacked it, the daughter of great-hearted Arsinous; for the Achaeans had chosen her out for him, for that in counsel he was ever best of all. She first drew before the twain a table, fair, with feet of cyanus, and well-polished, and set thereon

Il. 11.625–627

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In art

All · 27 Painting · 11 Sculpture · 3 Print · 8 Vase painting · 3 Drawing · 1 Other · 1

Wrath of Achilles2Artist not recorded · Date not establishedCollection not recorded

Michel Martin Drolling. Wrath of Achilles2. собрание не указано. Public domain. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWrath_of_Achilles2.jpg

Photograph / reproduction: Michel Martin Drolling

Photograph / reproduction date: 1810

Mentions in the Iliad

Connections

In art

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