Talthybius
Mortal man
Talthybius (Ancient Greek: Ταλθύβιος) was herald and friend to Agamemnon in the Trojan War. Talthybius is a Greek soldier who serves as both a messenger and a herald during the time of the Trojan War.
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- Mentions
- 9
- Connected characters
- 2
- Books
- 6
Mentions in the Iliad
A. T. Murray, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1924 · Homer, Iliad with an English Translation · CC BY-SA 3.0 US
“who were his heralds and ready squires: Go to the hut of Achilles, Peleus' son, and take by the hand the fair-cheeked Briseis, and lead her hither; and if he give her not, I will myself go with a larger company and take her; that will be even the worse for him.”
“each hard by each, and there was but little space between. And Hector sent to the city heralds twain with all speed to fetch the lambs and to summon Priam. And Talthybius did lord Agamemnon send forth to the hollow ships, and bade him bring a lamb;”
“But the leech shall search the wound and lay thereon simples that shall make thee cease from dark pains. Therewith he spake to Talthybius, the godlike herald: Talthybius, make haste to call hither Machaon, son of Asclepius, the peerless leech,”
“to see warlike Menelaus, captain of the Achaeans, whom some man, well skilled in archery, hath smitten with an arrow, some Trojan or Lycian, compassing glory for himself but for us sorrow. So spake he, and roused the heart in his breast, and they went their way in the throng throughout the broad host of the Achaeans. And when they were come where was fair-haired Menelaus,”
“came, one from the Trojans and one from the brazen-coated Achaeans, even Talthybius and Idaeus, men of prudence both. Between the two they held forth their staves, and the herald Idaeus, skilled in prudent counsel, spake, saying: Fight ye no more, dear sons, neither do battle;”
“even all that we promised yesternight to give Achilles, and bring the women withal. And let Talthybius forthwith make me ready a boar in the midst of the wide camp of the Achaeans, to sacrifice to Zeus and to the Sun. But swift-footed Achilles answered him, and said: Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men,”
“rose up, and Talthybius, whose voice was like a god's, took his stand by the side of the shepherd of the people, holding a boar in his hands. And the son of Atreus drew forth with his hand the knife that ever hung beside the great sheath of his sword, and cut the firstling hairs from the boar, and lifting up his hands”
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“full many, even all that they are wont to give to him whoso sinneth against them in his swearing. He spake, and cut the boar's throat with the pitiless bronze, and the body Talthybius whirled and flung into the great gulf of the grey sea, to be food for the fishes; but Achilles uprose, and spake among the war-loving Argives:”
“So spake he, and the king of men, Agamemnon, failed not to hearken. Then to Meriones he gave the spear of bronze, but the warrior handed to the herald Talthybius the beauteous prize.”
Connections
Master · Sources
Master · Sources
and he burst the buckler inwards with the cast of the rock that was like unto a mill-stone, and beat down Hector's knees; so he stretched upon his back, gathered together under his shield; howbeit Apollo straightway raised him up. And now had they been smiting with their swords in close fight, but that the heralds, messengers of Zeus and men,came, one from the Trojans and one from the brazen-coated Achaeans, even Talthybius and Idaeus, men of prudence both. Between the two they held forth their staves, and the herald Idaeus, skilled in prudent counsel, spake, saying: Fight ye no more, dear sons, neither do battle;
Il. 7.274–276
Master · Sources
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In art
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Eurybates and Talthybios Lead Briseis to Agamemmon. Villa Valmarana ai Nani. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q65131708
Image author: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Image date: 1757
Relief - Musée du Louvre Antiquités grecques LL 96, Ma 697, N 1681. Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities of the Louvre. CC0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12873506
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04 / PROVENANCE
Sources and verification
The character is matched to the catalogue.
- Wikipedia · Talthybius · CC BY-SA 4.0
Excerpt; remaining sentences omitted.
Reference material remains distinct from the poem’s assertions. Characters who share a name retain separate pages.