Pylades
Family: mythological · Role: ally of Orestes · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 22
In Book 1, Chapter 22, Pylades slew the sons of Nauplius who came to Ægisthus’s aid while Orestes slew Ægisthus. In Book 2, Chapter 16, at Mycenæ, Pylades married Electra, whom Orestes gave away; Hellanicus records Medon and Strophius as children of the marriage.
In Book 2, Chapter 29, Pylades appears to have contrived Neoptolemus’s death, “not merely in friendship to Orestes.” The account also identifies Pylades as the son of Strophius and grandson of Crisus. Later, in Book 8, Chapter 50, Pylades, a native of Megalopolis and a noted harper, performed at the Nemean games, playing Timotheus’s Persæ while Philopœmen was present.
Relationship record
Life events
- Orestes slew Ægisthus, while Pylades slew those aiding him.(Book 1 · Chapter 22)
- Electra married Pylades, and Orestes gave her away.(Book 2 · Chapter 16 · 📍 Mycenæ)
- Pylades appears to have contrived Neoptolemus’s death.(Book 2 · Chapter 29)
- With: Neoptolemus
- “And Pylades appears to me for this reason, and not merely in friendship to Orestes, to have contrived the death of Neoptolemus.”
Book 1 · Chapter 22
- with Ægisthus (Pylades attacks Ægisthus's supporters.) “Pylades slaying the sons of Nauplius that came to Ægisthus’ aid.”
Book 2 · Chapter 16
- married with Electra “There is also the tomb of Electra, who married Pylades, and Orestes gave her away.”
- child: Medon (son of Pylades) “And Hellanicus has recorded that Medon and Strophius were the issue of the marriage.”
- child: Strophius (son of Pylades) “And Hellanicus has recorded that Medon and Strophius were the issue of the marriage.”
Book 2 · Chapter 29
- parent: Strophius “the grandson of Crisus was Pylades, the son of Strophius, the son of Crisus by Anaxibia the daughter of Agamemnon”
- friends with Orestes “Pylades appears to me for this reason, and not merely in friendship to Orestes, to have contrived the death of Neoptolemus.”
- with Neoptolemus (Pylades contrived the death of Neoptolemus.) “Pylades appears to me for this reason, and not merely in friendship to Orestes, to have contrived the death of Neoptolemus.”
- with Crisus (Crisus was Pylades's grandfather.) “the grandson of Crisus was Pylades”
Book 8 · Chapter 50
- with Timotheus (Pylades performed a tune by Timotheus.) “And not long after, when the Argives were celebrating the Nemean games, Philopœmen happened to be present at the contest of the harpers: and Pylades a native of Megalopolis (one of the most noted harpers of the day who had carried off the victory at the Pythian games), at that moment striking up the tune of the Milesian Timotheus called Persæ, and commencing at the words”
- with Philopœmen (Pylades performed the ode whose words the Greeks applied to Philopœmen.) “And not long after, when the Argives were celebrating the Nemean games, Philopœmen happened to be present at the contest of the harpers: and Pylades a native of Megalopolis (one of the most noted harpers of the day who had carried off the victory at the Pythian games), at that moment striking up the tune of the Milesian Timotheus called Persæ, and commencing at the words ‘Winning for Hellas the noble grace of freedom,’ all the Greeks gazed earnestly on Philopœmen, and signified by clapping that they referred to him the words of the Ode.”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.