Polydorus
Also known as: Ghost of Polydore / Polydore · Family: Thebes · Role: ancestor of Laius · First appears: Sophocles, King Oedipus — Scene 2
Polydorus is presented as the son of Hecuba and Priam, and as the child begotten by Cadmus after his marriage to Harmonia. His siblings include Polyxena and Hector; through his line came Labdacus and then Laius, who is described as his heir: “Of Laius, son to Labdacus, and heir / To Polydorus and to Cadmus old.”
At Chersonese, Priam secretly sent Polydorus to Polymestor, entrusting him with gold and placing him in the Thracian king’s care. Though Polymestor was his father’s friend and guardian, he killed Polydorus for the gold and cast his body into the sea: “the friend of my father slays me, wretched man, for the sake of my gold.”
Later, Polyxena claims that Polydorus lives and will close Hecuba’s dying eye, and Polymestor likewise says that he is alive and healthy. In the seventh scene, however, Polymestor admits that he killed Priam’s son, who had been sent to him for upbringing, saying he did so to prevent Troy’s revival. Agamemnon then orders Hecuba to bury her two dead.
Relationship record
Life events
- Priam secretly sends Polydore to Polymestor with gold for safekeeping.(Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 1 · 📍 Chersonese)
- With: Priam Polymestor
- “privately sent me from the Trojan land to the house of Polymestor, his Thracian friend, who cultivates the most fruitful soil of the Chersonese, ruling a warlike people with his spear. But my father sends privately with me a large quantity of gold”
- Polymestor murders Polydore for his gold and casts his body into the sea.(Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 1)
- With: Polymestor
- “the friend of my father slays me, wretched man, for the sake of my gold, and having slain me threw me into the surf of the sea”
- Polyxena declares that Polydorus lives and will close Hecuba’s dying eye.(Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 3)
- Polymestor reveals that Polydore is alive, healthy, and remembers his mother.(Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 6)
- With: Hecuba Polymestor
- “He lives, and in good health; as far as regards him indeed thou art happy.”
- Polymestor murders Polydore, Priam’s son entrusted to him for upbringing.(Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 7)
- With: Polymestor Priam Hecuba
- “Him I put to death.”
- Polymestor reveals that he murdered Polydore to prevent Troy’s revival.(Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 7)
- With: Polymestor Priam Hecuba
- “There was a certain youth, the youngest of Priam's children, by name Polydore, the son of Hecuba; him his father Priam sent to me from Troy to bring up in my palace, already presaging the capture of Troy. Him I put to death.”
- Agamemnon orders Hecuba to bury her two dead.(Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 7)
Sophocles, King Oedipus — Scene 2
- younger kin: Laius “Of Laius, son to Labdacus, and heir To Polydorus and to Cadmus old,”
Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 1
- parent: Hecuba “Polydore the son of Hecuba the daughter of Cisseus, and Priam my sire”
- parent: Priam “Polydore the son of Hecuba the daughter of Cisseus, and Priam my sire”
- siblings with Polyxena “asks to receive my sister Polyxena as a dear victim”
- siblings with Hector “Hector my brother prevailed with his spear”
- guardian: Polymestor “Polymestor had received him from the hands of Priam as a charge to take care of”
- enemies with Polymestor “the friend of my father slays me, wretched man, for the sake of my gold”
- friends with Polymestor “disregarded the ill-fated friendship that subsisted between them”
- patron: Polymestor “Polymestor moreover, the king of the Thracians, murdered Polydore, a son of Priam's. Now Polymestor had received him from the hands of Priam as a charge to take care of, together with some money.”
Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 5
- parent: Priam “It is, but not of the sons of Priam who fell under the walls of Troy. ... His father sent him out of the country, dreading his death.”
Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 6
- guardian: Polymestor “First then tell me of my son Polydore, whom thou retainest, receiving him from mine, and from his father's hand, if he live; but the rest I shall inquire of thee afterward.”
Euripides, Hecuba — Scene 7
- enemies with Polymestor “There was a certain youth, the youngest of Priam's children, by name Polydore, the son of Hecuba; him his father Priam sent to me from Troy to bring up in my palace, already presaging the capture of Troy. Him I put to death.”
- parent: Priam “There was a certain youth, the youngest of Priam's children, by name Polydore, the son of Hecuba; him his father Priam sent to me from Troy to bring up in my palace”
- patron: Polymestor “Him his father Priam sent to me from Troy to bring up in my palace, already presaging the capture of Troy.”
Euripides, The Phœnician Virgins — Scene 1
- parent: Cadmus “who in former time having married Harmonia, daughter of Venus, begat Polydorus;”
- younger kin: Labdacus “from him they say sprung Labdacus, and from him Laius.”
- child: Labdacus “from him they say sprung Labdacus”
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Extracted from the original text of Greek Tragedy. Made with Rho MD.