Patroclus
Family: Egyptians · Role: admiral · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 1
In Book 1, Patroclus served as admiral in the Egyptian triremes sent by Ptolemy (son of Lagus) and built a wall and palisade on a small desert island later called after him. In Book 3, he sent messengers urging the Lacedæmonians and Areus (son of Acrotatus) to begin battle against Antigonus. The account also says Patroclus, rather than Achilles, killed Las, and identifies him as a suitor of Helen.
At Troy in Book 4, Patroclus wore Achilles’ armour; the Trojans mistook him for Achilles and were thrown into confusion. In Book 5, an account conjectures that an image of Thetis receiving arms from Hephæstus refers to Patroclus’s death. In Book 10, Calliphon of Samos is said to have painted women fitting a coat of mail on Patroclus.
Relationship record
Life events
- Patroclus built a wall and palisade on the island while serving as admiral.(Book 1 · Chapter 1 · 📍 a desert island of no great size called after Patroclus)
- “for he had built a wall in it and laid a palisade, when he sailed as admiral in the Egyptian triremes”
- Patroclus, rather than Achilles, killed Las.(Book 3 · Chapter 24)
- With: Las
- “But to speak truth it was Patroclus that killed Las”
- Patroclus wore Achilles’ armour, causing the Trojans to mistake him for Achilles and become confused.(Book 4 · Chapter 28 · 📍 Troy)
- With: Achilles
- “Homer has represented in the Iliad Patroclus wearing the armour of Achilles, and how the Trojans, thinking that Achilles was leading the attack, were thrown into confusion in their van.”
- Thetis receives armor from Hephæstus in connection with Patroclus's death.(Book 5 · Chapter 19)
Book 1 · Chapter 1
- with Ptolemy (son of Lagus) (Patroclus served as admiral in triremes sent by Ptolemy.) “for he had built a wall in it and laid a palisade, when he sailed as admiral in the Egyptian triremes, which Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, sent to punish the Athenians”
- employer: Ptolemy (son of Lagus) “he had built a wall in it and laid a palisade, when he sailed as admiral in the Egyptian triremes, which Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, sent to punish the Athenians”
Book 3 · Chapter 6
- with Areus (son of Acrotatus) (Patroclus urged Areus to attack Antigonus.) “Patroclus sent messengers and begged the Lacedæmonians and Areus to begin the battle against Antigonus”
Book 3 · Chapter 24
- with Las (The narrator presents Patroclus as the actual killer of Las.) “But to speak truth it was Patroclus that killed Las: for it was he that wooed Helen.”
- admired: Helen (Patroclus is described as having wooed Helen.) “But to speak truth it was Patroclus that killed Las: for it was he that wooed Helen.”
- courtship with Helen “For that Achilles is not represented as one of Helen’s suitors in the Catalogue of Women, would indeed be no proof that he did not ask for Helen’s hand: but Homer has stated very early in the Iliad that Achilles went to Troy to gratify the sons of Atreus, and not bound by any oath to Tyndareus”
Book 4 · Chapter 28
- with Homer (Homer represents Patroclus in the Iliad.) “for Homer has represented in the Iliad Patroclus wearing the armour of Achilles”
- with Achilles (Patroclus wears Achilles's armour.) “Patroclus wearing the armour of Achilles”
Book 5 · Chapter 19
- with Achilles (The depiction is conjectured to concern Patroclus's death.) “This is conjectured to refer to the death of Patroclus”
Book 10 · Chapter 26
- with Calliphon (interaction) “Calliphon of Samos has painted some women fitting this kind of coat of mail on Patroclus”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.