Priam

Also known as: Podarces · Family: Trojan · Role: son of Laomedon · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 1.9

🌐 Also appears in: The Iliad (as Priam) · The Aeneid (as Priam) · The Metamorphoses of Ovid (as Priam) · Greek Tragedy — The Same Myth, Three Voices (as Priam)

Priam, also known as Podarces, was a son of Laomedon. When Heracles captured Ilium and killed Laomedon and his sons, Podarces was spared. Hesione chose her brother when he was to be sold and ransomed him with her veil; “hence Podarces was called Priam.” His sisters included Aethylla, Astyoche, and Medesicaste.

Priam first married Arisbe, daughter of Merops, and had Aesacus, later sending for him as an interpreter of dreams. He then handed Arisbe over to Hyrtacus and married Hecuba, whose first son was Hector. When Paris was born, Priam ordered Agelaus to expose him on Ida; Agelaus instead rescued and raised the infant as his own son. Priam was also the father of Nestor and Laodice.

After Hector’s death, Priam came to Achilles, ransomed Hector’s body, and buried it. He purified Penthesilia after she accidentally killed Hippolyte. During the fall of Troy, Priam took refuge at the altar of Zeus of the Courtyard, where Neoptolemus slew him: “Neoptolemus slew Priam, who had taken refuge at the altar of Zeus of the Courtyard.”

Relationship record

Life events

• Hercules captured Ilium and killed Laomedon and his sons except Podarces.(Apollodorus, Library 2.6 · 📍 Ilium)
  • With: Heracles Laomedon
  • “when he had taken the city and shot down Laomedon and his sons, except Podarces”
• Hesione ransomed Podarces with her veil, after which he was called Priam.(Apollodorus, Library 2.6 · 📍 Ilium)
  • With: Hesione
  • “So when he was being sold she took the veil from her head and gave it as a ransom; hence Podarces was called Priam.”
• Priam ordered the infant Paris exposed, but Agelaus rescued and raised him as his own son.(Apollodorus, Library 3.12 · 📍 Ida)
  • With: Paris Agelaus
  • “When the babe was born Priam gave it to a servant to take and expose on Ida; now the servant was named Agelaus. Exposed by him, the infant was nursed for five days by a bear; and, when he found it safe, he took it up, carried it away, brought it up as his own son on his farm, and named him Paris.”
• Neoptolemus slew Priam, who had taken refuge at the altar of Zeus of the Courtyard.(Apollodorus, Epitome 5 · 📍 Troy)
  • With: Neoptolemus
  • “Neoptolemus slew Priam, who had taken refuge at the altar of Zeus of the Courtyard.”

Apollodorus, Library 1.9

• parent: Iphiclus “and a son Podarces was born to him.”

Apollodorus, Library 2.6

• parent: Laomedon (Podarces is identified among Laomedon's sons.) “when he had taken the city and shot down Laomedon and his sons, except Podarces”
• siblings with Hesione “When she chose her brother Podarces”
• with Heracles (Hercules imposed slavery and ransom as the condition for Podarces's release.) “Hercules said that he must first be a slave and then be ransomed by her”
• with Hesione (Hesione ransomed Podarces.) “When she chose her brother Podarces, Hercules said that he must first be a slave and then be ransomed by her. So when he was being sold she took the veil from her head and gave it as a ransom”

Apollodorus, Library 3.12

• married with Arisbe “he married first Arisbe, daughter of Merops, by whom he had a son Aesacus”
• child: Aesacus “he married first Arisbe, daughter of Merops, by whom he had a son Aesacus”
• with Hyrtacus (interaction) “But Priam handed over Arisbe to Hyrtacus”
• married with Hecuba “and married a second wife Hecuba, daughter of Dymas”
• child: Hector “The first son born to her was Hector”
• servant: Agelaus “Priam gave it to a servant to take and expose on Ida; now the servant was named Agelaus.”
• pupil: Aesacus “he sent for his son Aesacus, for he was an interpreter of dreams, having been taught by his mother's father Merops”
• child: Paris “When the babe was born Priam gave it to a servant to take and expose on Ida”

Apollodorus, Epitome 3

• child: Nestor “Achilles killed the neatherds and Nestor, son of Priam”

Apollodorus, Epitome 4

• with Achilles (Priam ransomed Hector's body from Achilles.) “And after the games Priam came to Achilles and ransomed the body of Hector, and buried it.”
• with Hector (Priam ransomed and buried Hector's body.) “And after the games Priam came to Achilles and ransomed the body of Hector, and buried it.”

Apollodorus, Epitome 5

• with Penthesilia (Priam purified Penthesilia.) “accidentally killed Hippolyte and was purified by Priam.”
• with Neoptolemus (interaction) “Neoptolemus slew Priam, who had taken refuge at the altar of Zeus of the Courtyard.”
• child: Laodice “Laodice, the fairest of the daughters of Priam,”

Apollodorus, Epitome 6

• siblings with Aethylla “the daughters of Laomedon, the sisters of Priam, to wit, Aethylla, Astyoche, and Medesicaste”
• siblings with Astyoche “the daughters of Laomedon, the sisters of Priam, to wit, Aethylla, Astyoche, and Medesicaste”
• siblings with Medesicaste “the daughters of Laomedon, the sisters of Priam, to wit, Aethylla, Astyoche, and Medesicaste”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Mythology. Made with Rho MD.