Odysseus and Diomedes on the mission to steal the horses of Rhesus
Chalcidian black-figure neck amphora, atributed to Incription Painter, 540 BC, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
The first photo depicts Odysseus killing a tracian soldier, the second photo is Diomedes killing King Rhesus, the next two photos show the horses of Rhesus, and the last two photos are equestrian decorative motifs.
Aside from how obviously beautiful Amphora is as a whole, I love the fact that the weapons are perched in trees and everyone is on cots, it's so cute, not to mention the clothes they're all wearing.
I also love the horses, they're all gorgeous.
The Trojans, lamenting over the shameful dragging of Hector, had not only their domestic pain, but groaning for the woes of men of alien speech they wept in turn for their many-tongued allies. The Lycians wept for Sarpedon whom his mother, glorying in the bed of Zeus, had sent to Troy; howbeit he fell by the spear of Patroclus, son of Menoetius, and there was shed about him by his sire a mist that wept tears of blood. The Thracians wailed for Rhesus that in the guileful night was fettered by an evil sleep. And for the fate of Memnon Eos, his mother, hung aloft a cloud in heaven and stole away the light of shamefast day.
[... The Rhesos], although it places Rhesos' arrival, as the Iliad does, during a night when Achilles has withdrawn and the Trojans have the upper hand, seems to pose a question as to why an ally would arrive so late in the war. When the messenger has informed Hektor that Rhesos and his army have arrived, Hektor responds that because the Trojans are now winning they will find many more allies willing to help, but he does not want their help since they were not there when the Trojans were struggling (Rhesos 319-326). His words put a political spin on what in the epic tradition is a narrative pattern.
When Rhesos arrives, Hektor immedately rebukes him for arriving so late and refuses several potential excuses (396-421). Rhesos admits that he is late in coming and gives a long explanation of factors that have detained him (422-443). This agōn scene between Hektor and Rhesos thus makes the traditional narrative of the late-arriving ally an object of considerable scrutiny in the play.
–Casey Dué & Mary Ebbott, Iliad 10 and the Poetics of Ambush (2010)
Who is your favorite greek mythology character with zero information about them?? Like characters who the only things we know about them is their name and MAYBE their parent's names. And how do you personally characterize them? Me personally I love Euippe (Diomedes' wife in Italy) and Comaetho (Diomedes' sister)
hmm! okay, the iceberg model feels apt here (my excuse to yap about more characters - even those that we have some info about - at once)
on the top: the Epigoni, and yes, I'm aware they are quite popular ( at least in the fandom space I lurk in) and we do have info about em. the Argive boys who finished what their fathers couldn't and finally brought down seven-gated Thebes. in the Iliad they're a footnote, though. Sthenelus and Euryalus get the odd mention and that's your lot. unsatisfying, if you ask me! hence why they're here at the top. Palamedes belongs up here too I guess. brilliant man, invented several things depending on which source you trust, framed for treason, executed/killed in several different ways depending on which source you trust too. would Rhesus count up here? he's a bit more renowned too but whatever, I love that deeply unlucky man with excellent horses, 10/10 would discuss further
middle of the iceberg: Meriones. I will die on this hill. he and Idomeneus are one of the most functional partnerships in the entire Iliad. there's even a scholarly reading of Meriones as a ritual substitute figure for Idomeneus, so a therapon, essentially, how interesting is that. concept of "therapon" as the readiness to die for someone, delicious
and the bottom of the iceberg are Antenor's sons haha, collectively as a unit. that guy has, what, approximately seventeen sons mentioned across various sources? they show up throughout the Iliad in various states of dying.
over and over again. new son. dead son. new son. dead son. how many more of Antenor's sons has to die for this blasted war to end!! hshsh
Aeneas: yeah so Rhesus is coming to aid us.
Hector: oh OF COURSE he is now that we're winning the war! Suddenly everyone wants to help us huh? those-
Aeneas: Okay bro we get it.
This is my take on Seti, Tausret, Merneptah, the Thraco-Trojans (Paris, Hector, Aeneas, Rhesus, and Priam), Bay, Adad-shuma-usur, and Suppiluliuma, all wearing oriental costumes.
Wishing you a vibrant Year of the Horse, where every day is filled with joy, laughter, and cherished moments with loved ones. Cheers to good health and happiness this Lunar New Year!
恭喜发财・马到成功 새해 복 많이 받으세요!
Inspired by Norman Rockwell's "Freedom from Want", a part of the Four Freedoms.
