Penthesileia

Also known as: Warrior-queen / the terrible queen / the warrior-maid · Family: Amazons · Role: queen and warrior · First appears: Book I · Part 1

Before coming to Troy, Penthesileia, the warrior-queen and child of Ares, accidentally killed her sister Hippolyte with a spear she had hurled at a stag. At Troy, she arrived with twelve warrior princesses, her handmaids, and Priam welcomed her with costly gifts, asking her to save the Trojans. She promised to defeat Achilles, attack the Argives, and burn their ships. At Athena’s command, a deceitful dream in the likeness of her father urged her to fight Achilles; believing she would win great renown, she led the Trojans and Amazons from the city into battle.

Her arrival stirred the Trojans to charge, and the fighting stained their soil with blood. Penthesileia slew Molion, Persinous, Eilissus, Hippalmus, and the son of Haemon, and wounded Podarces, who died shortly afterward. She broke the Achaean ranks, but when her javelin failed to wound Ajax son of Telamon, Achilles’ spear pierced her and she died. The Trojans fled to their walls in grief.

At Priam’s request, the Atreid kings returned Penthesileia’s body and armour to the Trojans. They cremated and buried her beside Laomedon, “a queen beside / A king.”