Priam

Also known as: Laomedon's child / Troy's king / my father / old king · Family: The Trojans · Role: king · First appears: Book I · Part 1

At Troy, Priam welcomed Penthesileia with costly gifts and promised more if she could save the Trojans. After her death, he asked the Atreid kings to return her body and armour; the Trojans buried her beside Laomedon. Long ago, Priam had urgently summoned Memnon, who promised to come, and when Memnon arrived with a vast host, Priam welcomed him with gifts and a feast, then asked him to fight the following morning. A golden cup passed down through Trojan kings to Priam, from Laomedon.

As the war continued, Polydamas urged the Trojans to return Helen and her wealth and offer further treasure to save Troy. The Trojans later barred their gates against the Argive assault, and armed themselves for battle. Priam’s sons included Hector, whom he honoured above the rest as the mightiest defender of his land, as well as Paris, Troilus, Polites, Deiphobus, and Antiphonus; his daughters included Cassandra and Laodice. During the Greek sack, Neoptolemus beheaded Priam at an altar, and the city was destroyed by fire.