Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the Cosmogony, origin and Cosmology#Metaphysical co ...

, Automedon (;

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

: Αὐτομέδων), son of

Diores In Greek mythology, Diorês (Ancient Greek: Διώρης) referred to four different people. *Diorês, father of Automedon who was the charioteer of Achilles during the Trojan War. *Diorês, leader of the Elis contingent during the Trojan War. He w ...

, was

Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's ''Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Peleus, k ...

' charioteer, who drove the immortal horses Balius and Xanthos.

Mythology

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

's ''

Iliad The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Odysse ...

'', Automedon rides into battle once

Patroclus In Greek mythology, as recorded in Homer's ''Iliad'', Patroclus (pronunciation variable but generally ; grc, Πάτροκλος, Pátroklos, glory of the father) was a childhood friend, close wartime companion, and the presumed (by some later a ...

dons Achilles's armor, commanding Achilles' horses Balius and Xanthos. After Patroclus dies, Automedon is driven to the rear of the battle, where he tries to console the bereaved horses. Zeus finally intervenes, and Automedon resumes driving the chariot, but cannot aid the Achaeans until Alcimedon agrees to be his driver. He repels an attempt on his life by

Hector In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

Aeneas In Greco-Roman mythology, Aeneas (, ; from ) was a Trojan hero, the son of the Trojan prince Anchises and the Greek goddess Aphrodite (equivalent to the Roman Venus). His father was a first cousin of King Priam of Troy (both being grandsons ...

, Chromios, and

Aretos Aretus (; Ancient Greek: Ἄρητος, ''Árētos'') was one of several characters in Greek mythology: *Aretus, son of Bias (son of Amythaon), Bias and Pero (princess), Pero, and brother of Perialces and Alphesiboea, wife of King Pelias of Iolcus. ...

, killing Aretos''The New Century Classical Handbook''; Catherine Avery, editor; Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1962, p. 144: "Aretus...was slain by Achilles' charioteer, Automedon" and taking his armor in the process. He also appears in the ''

Aeneid The ''Aeneid'' ( ; la, Aenē̆is or ) is a Latin Epic poetry, epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Troy, Trojan who fled the Trojan_War#Sack_of_Troy, fall of Troy and travelled to ...

'' at line 477 of Book II, when the Greek forces break into the palace of

Priam In Greek mythology, Priam (; grc-gre, Πρίαμος, ) was the legendary and last king of Troy during the Trojan War. He was the son of Laomedon. His many children included notable characters such as Hector, Paris, and Cassandra. Etymology Mo ...

Notes

References

*Homer. ''

'', XVI, 145; XVII, 429; XIX; XXIII; XIV. *

, ''The Iliad'' with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924.
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
*Homer, ''Homeri Opera'' in five volumes. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 1920.
Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library

External links

* Achaean Leaders Characters in the Aeneid {{Greek-myth-stub Characters in Greek mythology