Laomedon

Mortal man

In Greek mythology, Laomedon (; Ancient Greek: Λαομέδων, romanized: Lāomédōn, lit. 'ruler of the people' or 'lord of the people') was a Trojan king, son of Ilus and thus nephew of Ganymede and Assaracus. Laomedon was variously identified with different parents and siblings, as well as numerous children, including Priam and Tithonus.

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Mentions
8
Connected characters
9
Books
7
Laomedon. Laomedon Refusing Payment to Poseidon and Apollo
Laomedon Refusing Payment to Poseidon and Apollo · Attributed to Joachim von Sandrart the Elder / Attributed to Girolamo Troppa / Attributed to Salvator RosaImage source Public domain

Mentions in the Iliad

A. T. Murray, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1924 · Homer, Iliad with an English Translation · CC BY-SA 3.0 US

“Rise, thou son of Laomedon, the chieftains of the horse-taming Trojans, and of the brazen-coated Achaeans, summon thee to go down into the plain, that ye may swear oaths of faith with sacrifice. But Alexander and Menelaus, dear to Ares, will do battle with long spears for the woman's sake;”
Il. 3.250–254
“For they are of that stock wherefrom Zeus, whose voice is borne afar, gave to Tros recompense for his son Ganymedes, for that they were the best of all horses that are beneath the dawn and the sun. Of this stock the king of men Anchises stole a breed, putting his mares to them while Laomedon knew naught thereof.”
Il. 5.265–269
“who on a time came hither by reason of the mares of Laomedon with but six ships and a scantier host, yet sacked the city of Ilios and made waste her streets. But thine is a coward's heart, and thy people are minishing. In no wise methinks shall thy coming from Lycia prove a defence to the men of Troy,”
Il. 5.640–644
“Then Euryalus slew Dresus and Opheltius, and went on after Aesepus and Pedasus, whom on a time the fountain-nymph Abarbarea bare to peerless Bucolion. Now Bucolion was son of lordly Laomedon, his eldest born, though the mother that bare him was unwed;”
Il. 6.20–24
“but gave not glorious hecatombs to the gods? Of a surety shall the fame thereof reach as far as the dawn spreadeth, and men will forget the wall that I and Phoebus Apollo built with toil for the warrior Laomedon. Then greatly troubled, Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, spake to him:”
Il. 7.450–454
“Meanwhile upon him leapt Dolops, well skilled with the spear, the son of Lampus, whom Lampus, son of Laomedon, begat, even his bravest son, well skilled in furious might; he it was that then thrust with his spear full upon the shield of Phyleus' son, setting upon him from nigh at hand. But his cunningly-wrought corselet saved him,”
Il. 15.525–529
“And Ilus again begat a son, peerless Laomedon, and Laomedon begat Tithonus and Priam and Clytius, and Hicetaon, scion of Ares. And Assaracus begat Capys, and he Anchises; but Anchises begat me and Priam goodly Hector.”
Il. 20.235–239
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Connections

Son · Sources
Son · Sources
Rise, thou son of Laomedon, the chieftains of the horse-taming Trojans, and of the brazen-coated Achaeans, summon thee to go down into the plain, that ye may swear oaths of faith with sacrifice. But Alexander and Menelaus, dear to Ares, will do battle with long spears for the woman's sake;
Il. 3.250
And Ilus again begat a son, peerless Laomedon, and Laomedon begat Tithonus and Priam and Clytius, and Hicetaon, scion of Ares. And Assaracus begat Capys, and he Anchises; but Anchises begat me and Priam goodly Hector.
Il. 20.237

Il. 3.250 · Il. 20.237

See all 9
Servant · Sources
Servant · Sources

Стихи 21.448–449 прямо называют, что Аполлон пас коров Лаомедонта на Иде, то есть служил ему; сама служба названа в 21.444.

it were not meet for me, seeing I am the elder-born and know the more. Fool, how witless is the heart thou hast! Neither rememberest thou all the woes that we twain alone of all the gods endured at Ilios, what time we cameat the bidding of Zeus and served the lordly Laomedon for a year's space at a fixed wage, and he was our taskmaster and laid on us his commands. I verily built for the Trojans round about their city a wall, wide and exceeding fair, that the city might never be broken; and thou, Phoebus, didst herd the sleek kine of shambling gait amid the spurs of wooded Ida, the many-ridged.
Il. 21.444–449

Il. 21.444–449

Servant · Sources
Servant · Sources

Стихи 21.444–446 прямо называют, что Посейдон с Аполлоном поступили на год на службу к Лаомедонту за договорённую плату; далее Посейдон говорит о своей стене.

it were not meet for me, seeing I am the elder-born and know the more. Fool, how witless is the heart thou hast! Neither rememberest thou all the woes that we twain alone of all the gods endured at Ilios, what time we cameat the bidding of Zeus and served the lordly Laomedon for a year's space at a fixed wage, and he was our taskmaster and laid on us his commands. I verily built for the Trojans round about their city a wall, wide and exceeding fair, that the city might never be broken; and thou, Phoebus, didst herd the sleek kine of shambling gait amid the spurs of wooded Ida, the many-ridged.
Il. 21.444–446

Il. 21.444–446

In art

Laomedon Refusing Payment to Poseidon and Apollo. Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104872325

Sources and verification

The character is matched to the catalogue.

Wikidata Q332324

Reference material remains distinct from the poem’s assertions. Characters who share a name retain separate pages.