Talthybius

Also known as: TAL. · Family: Greeks · Role: herald · First appears: Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 3

At Aulis, Talthybius serves Agamemnon, who orders him to dismiss the Greek army rather than sacrifice Iphigenia: “bade Talthybius dismiss the whole army, as I should never have the heart to slay my daughter.” Later, in Hecuba, Agamemnon sends him to Hecuba to entomb her dead daughter, and cites Talthybius’s instruction that no Argive should touch the girl.

In Orestes, Talthybius speaks of Orestes’ divided words, describing him as subject to those in power, admiring Orestes’ father but not commending his brother. In The Trojan Captives, he orders guards to bring Cassandra to Agamemnon, rebukes her for speaking against his leader, and brings Andromache the news that Astyanax is to be killed: “They resolve To slay thy son; thou hear’st my dismal errand.”

Relationship record

Life events

Agamemnon orders Talthybius to dismiss the Greek army rather than sacrifice Iphigenia.(Euripides, Iphigenia In Aulis — Scene 1 · 📍 Aulis)
- With: Agamemnon
- “But I hearing this in rousing proclamation, bade Talthybius dismiss the whole army, as I should never have the heart to slay my daughter.”

Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 3

with Agamemnon (Agamemnon sends Talthybius as a herald.) “I am here, Talthybius, the herald of the Greeks, Agamemnon having sent me for thee, O lady.”
with Hecuba (Talthybius delivers the message concerning Polyxena's burial.) “I am here and come to thee, O lady, that thou mayest entomb thy dead daughter.”
employer: Agamemnon “I am here, Talthybius, the herald of the Greeks, Agamemnon having sent me for thee, O lady.”

Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 5

with Agamemnon (Talthybius communicated burial instructions to Agamemnon.) “Why, Hecuba, delayest thou to come, and bury thy girl in her tomb, agreeably to what Talthybius told me, that no one of the Argives should be suffered to touch thy daughter.”

Euripides, Orestes — Scene 6

with Orestes (interaction) “But he spoke words of divided import, being the constant slave of those in power; struck with admiration indeed at thy father, but not commending thy brother.”

Euripides, Iphigenia In Aulis — Scene 1

with Agamemnon (Agamemnon orders Talthybius to dismiss the army.) “But I hearing this in rousing proclamation, bade Talthybius dismiss the whole army, as I should never have the heart to slay my daughter.”

Euripides, The Trojan Captives — Scene 2

with Cassandra (Talthybius delivers the captive Cassandra to the Greek general.) “Conduct Cassandra hither With speed, ye guards, into our general’s hands When I his captive have delivered up,”

Euripides, The Trojan Captives — Scene 3

servant: Agamemnon “Had not Apollo fired E’en to distraction thy perverted soul, Thou on my honoured leader, ere he quit The shores of Ilion, shouldst not unavenged Pour forth these omens.”
enemies with Cassandra “Arrogant, detested slave! All heralds are like thee, the public scorn,”

Euripides, The Trojan Captives — Scene 5

with Andromache (Talthybius announces the Greek sentence to Andromache.) “They resolve To slay thy son; thou hear’st my dismal errand.”
with Astyanax (interaction) “They resolve To slay thy son; thou hear’st my dismal errand.”

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