Antinous in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Antinous

16 passages from 2 ancient authors that tell of Antinous, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Antinous was the leading suitor of Penelope in Homer’s Odyssey, known for his arrogance, his plot against Telemachus, and his death by Odysseus. For the story in one place, read our article on Antinous.

Homer (14)

Homer, Odyssey 17.360–491Odysseus begs among the suitorsAthena urges Odysseus to beg from the suitors so as to learn the good from the bad among them. Antinous rebukes Eumaeus for bringing another beggar, and when Odysseus tells a tale and asks for food he throws a footstool at him, and Odysseus bears the blow in silence. The other suitors reproach Antinous, and Telemachus nurses his grief without a word.
Homer, Odyssey 21.245–358Odysseus asks for the bowEurymachus, too, fails to string the bow. Antinous suggests putting off the contest till the next day, which is the feast of Apollo, and the suitors agree. Odysseus asks to try the bow, and Antinous insults him, and Penelope tells them that it is not seemly to refuse him, and Telemachus sends his mother to her room.
Homer, Odyssey 4.625–714The suitors plot an ambushIn Ithaca the suitors, playing at their games, learn from Noemon that Telemachus has gone to Pylos, and Antinous resolves to lie in wait for him with a ship in the strait between Ithaca and Samos. The herald Medon hears the plot and tells Penelope, who asks him why her son has gone.
Homer, Odyssey 18.1–109Odysseus and IrusA public beggar named Irus, who has a huge body, tells Odysseus to leave the porch, and Odysseus answers that there is room for both. The suitors egg them on and Antinous offers a goat's stomach as a prize, and Odysseus makes them swear that they will not interfere. When Irus sees Odysseus' limbs he trembles; Odysseus knocks him down with a blow under the ear and drags him out by the foot.
Homer, Odyssey 16.321–481The suitors' ambush fails; Penelope rebukes AntinousThe ship that was sent for Telemachus comes back, and the suitors, learning that he escaped, gather and plan to kill him. Amphinomus advises waiting for a sign from the gods, and Penelope comes down to rebuke Antinous for plotting against the son of the man who once saved his father. Eurymachus smooths it over, and Eumaeus returns to the hut that evening.
Homer, Odyssey 18.110–301The suitors' gifts; Penelope appearsThe suitors laugh and congratulate Odysseus, and Amphinomus gives him bread and wine, and Odysseus warns him that no man should be arrogant, for the gods can change a man's lot. Athena puts it into Penelope's heart to show herself to the suitors, and she is made more beautiful with sleep and with divine gifts. She reproaches Telemachus for letting the stranger be mistreated, and the suitors give her presents of dresses, a necklace and earrings.
Homer, Odyssey 21.101–187The axes are set up; the suitors try the bowTelemachus digs a trench and sets up the axes in a row, and tries the bow himself, and is about to string it on the fourth try when Odysseus signals him to stop. The suitors draw lots to see who will try it first, and Leiodes, the priest, who has always been against their wooing, tries and cannot bend it. Antinous bids Melanthius bring fat from the stores to soften the bow, but the others also fail.
Homer, Odyssey 1.325–444Phemius sings; Telemachus faces the suitorsThe minstrel Phemius sings of the Achaeans' woeful return from Troy, and Penelope comes down and asks him to sing something else. Telemachus tells her to go back to her room and her work, and then boldly tells the suitors that he will call them to an assembly on the morrow. Antinous answers him, and at night Telemachus goes to bed pondering the journey Athena has shown him.
Homer, Odyssey 2.1–145Telemachus calls the assemblyAt dawn Telemachus calls the people of Ithaca to the assembly, which has not met since Odysseus left. He tells them of his grief for his father and of the suitors who devour his house, and urges them to feel shame. Antinous answers that the blame lies with Penelope, who put the suitors off for three years with the web of Laertes' shroud, and Telemachus ends by calling on Zeus to bring vengeance.
Homer, Odyssey 2.239–381Mentor's rebuke; Telemachus prepares to sailMentor rebukes the people of Ithaca for sitting by in silence, and Leocritus answers that even Odysseus could not drive so many men from the hall. The assembly breaks up. Telemachus prays by the shore, and Athena in the likeness of Mentor encourages him to make ready, while the suitors mock him in the hall. He has the nurse Eurycleia fill jars with wine and bags with barley, and she swears to tell no one.
Homer, Odyssey 17.492–606Penelope sends for the strangerPenelope, hearing that the stranger has been struck, curses Antinous and asks Eumaeus to bring him to her, since he may have news of her husband. Odysseus tells Eumaeus to say that he will talk with her at dusk, when the fire will be kinder to him. Eumaeus returns to the hut after telling Telemachus, and Odysseus remains in the hall.
Homer, Odyssey 22.1–88The slaying of the suitors begins: AntinousOdysseus strips off his rags and springs onto the threshold with the bow and arrows, and shoots Antinous through the throat as he is raising a golden cup to drink. The suitors, at first thinking it an accident, shout at him and learn who he is. Eurymachus tries to appease him by offering to pay for all that has been eaten, but Odysseus refuses, and says that the suitors must fight or flee. Eurymachus calls on the others to draw their swords and use tables as shields, and rushes at Odysseus, but is shot through the liver.
Homer, Odyssey 20.240–394The suitors' feast; Ctesippus and the omenThe suitors plan to kill Telemachus, but an eagle flying on their left with a dove stops them. Telemachus gives the stranger a seat and a table, and Ctesippus throws an ox's hoof at him, which misses, and Telemachus tells him that he would have run him through with his spear. Theoclymenus foresees blood on the walls and a shadow of death over the suitors, and leaves the hall.
Homer, Odyssey 24.412–548The kinsmen of the suitors; peace restoredRumour carries the news of the slaughter through the city, and the kinsmen of the suitors take up their bodies and gather in the market-place, where Eupeithes, the father of Antinous, calls for revenge. Odysseus and his men arm and go out to meet them. Laertes kills Eupeithes with a spear, and Athena, in the likeness of Mentor, calls off the fighting, and a covenant is made between the two sides.

Pausanias (2)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.9.1–10Mantinea: temples, the grave of Arcas and the cult of AntinousPausanias describes the double temple of Aesculapius and Latona at Mantinea, with Praxiteles' images of Latona's children and the Muses and Marsyas, and lists the sanctuaries of Zeus, the Dioscuri, Demeter and Hera. He quotes the Delphic oracle that told the Mantineans to bring the bones of Arcas from Maenalus, and notes the tomb of Antinoe and that of Grylus, son of Xenophon. He also covers the temple of Aphrodite Alliance, the worship of Antinous introduced by Hadrian, and the contested honours of the hero Podares.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.10.1–10Mantinea: the sanctuary of Horse Poseidon and the battle against AgisPausanias describes the roads out of Mantinea, the stadium where games for Antinous are held, Mount Alesius and the old sanctuary of Horse Poseidon, closed off only by a woollen thread, for cutting which Aepytus was struck blind. He describes the stone trophy for the victory over King Agis, won when Aratus fell back and the Arcadians closed round the Spartans. He ends with the long-lived deer of Arcesilaus.