Palamedes in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Palamedes

6 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Palamedes, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Palamedes was the son of Nauplius and Clymene in Greek mythology. He was one of the participants of the Trojan War on the side of Greece. After Helen... For the story in one place, read our article on Palamedes.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome E.3.1–35Paris and Helen; the muster at Aulis and the landing at TroyParis judges the contest of the three goddesses, carries off Helen, and Menelaus and Agamemnon call the Greek kings to arms; Odysseus's feigned madness is exposed and Palamedes is framed. The section gives the catalogue of the Greek fleet at Aulis, the omen of the snake and sparrows, the failed first landing in Mysia and the healing of Telephus, and the sacrifice of Iphigenia. After Tenedos and the abandonment of Philoctetes, Protesilaus is the first to die at Troy, Achilles takes many nearby cities, and the Trojan allies are listed.

Euripides (1)

Euripides, Iphigenia at Aulis 164–302Parodos: the women of Chalcis describe the Greek army and fleetThe Chorus of women of Chalcis tells how they crossed the narrow Euripus to the sandy beach of Aulis to see the army that Menelaus and Agamemnon are leading to Troy on a thousand ships in quest of Helen. They describe the heroes they saw, the two Aiases, Protesilaus and Palamedes at their game, Diomedes, and Achilles running a race, and then the squadrons of the fleet.

Aristophanes (1)

Aristophanes, Thesmophoriazusae 689–784Episode: the baby that is a wineskin (Telephus parody)Mnesilochus has snatched a woman's baby, in a parody of Euripides' Telephus, and threatens to kill it on the altar unless the women let him go. The women call for brushwood to burn him, but when he unwraps the child it turns out to be a wineskin in baby's clothes, and he threatens to sacrifice it. The First Woman goes to fetch Cleisthenes and the police, leaving him guarded, and he plans to send word to Euripides by carving a message on votive tablets in the manner of Euripides' Palamedes.

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 13.1–120The contest for the arms of Achilles: Ajax speaksThe Greek chiefs gather to judge between Ajax and Odysseus (Ulysses), who both claim the armour of Achilles. Ajax speaks first, boasting of his strength and lineage, and of how he defended the ships against Hector's fire while Odysseus stayed behind. He accuses Odysseus of feigning madness to avoid the war, of abandoning Nestor in battle, and of getting Palamedes killed.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 13.255–381Odysseus' speech: his services at TroyOdysseus (Ulysses) lists the Trojan warriors he killed, reminds the chiefs that he carried the body of Achilles from the field, and answers the charge about Palamedes. He tells how the prophets said that Philoctetes and his arrows were needed to take Troy, and how he brought Philoctetes to the army. He says that he alone dared to enter Troy by night and take the Palladium, and he ends by asking for the arms as the reward of his mind, pointing to the image of Athena (Minerva).

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.31.1–12Delphi: Polygnotus' painting of the underworld (4): Ajax, Meleager, Memnon, Penthesilea, Sisyphus and TantalusPausanias completes the underworld painting with the dicing group of Ajax, Palamedes and Thersites, Ulysses' enemies, and Meleager, with the rival accounts of his death. He describes Hector, Memnon with the birds called Memnonides, Sarpedon, Paris and Penthesilea, then the uninitiated carrying water in broken pitchers, Callisto, Nomia, Pero, Sisyphus and Tantalus.