Philoetius (; grc-gre, Φιλοίτιος ''Philoitios'') is a character in Greek mythology who plays a significant role in Homer's '' Odyssey'', aiding

Odysseus Odysseus ( ; grc-gre, Ὀδυσσεύς, Ὀδυσεύς, OdysseúsOdyseús, ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; lat, UlyssesUlixes), is a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the ''Odyssey''. Odysse ...

, Telemachus, and Eumaeus in their slaughter of the

suitors of Penelope In Greek mythology, the suitors of Penelope (also known as the Proci) are one of the main subjects of Homer's ''Odyssey''. Role in the ''Odyssey'' In the ''Odyssey'' Homer describes Odysseus' journey home from Troy. Prior to the Trojan War, Odys ...

Mythology

In Homer's '' Odyssey'', Philoetius is Odysseus's primary

cowherd Cowherd may refer to: Worker *Cowboy, an American who herds cattle on horseback * Cowman (profession) in the UK, akin to ranch hand or dairy worker in North America * pastoral farming who works with cattle; also known as pastoralist * Stockman (Au ...

. He remains loyal to Odysseus for the entire duration of Odysseus's absence from his kingdom. When Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca after being away for twenty years, Philoetius is one of the few slaves who has not betrayed him. Just before the climactic final scene of the ''Odyssey'', Odysseus commands Philoetius and Eumaeus to lock the doors of the palace in order to prevent any of the suitors from escaping. He also orders them to steal all of the suitors' weapons and hide them in order to prevent the suitors from fighting back. During the final battle itself, Philoetius joins the fight and slays the suitor Peisander. Odysseus later promises both Philoetius and Eumaeus freedom and power for having remained loyal to him even after all the other slaves betrayed him.''The Odyssey'', 22.267

References

Characters in the Odyssey {{Fict-char-stub