Agenor

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Refers to two people in Greek Mythology

[edit] King

In history and Greek mythology, Agenor (which means "very manly") was a king of Tyre. His wife was Telephassa.

Some sources state that Agenor was the son of Poseidon and Libya; these accounts refer to a brother named Belus. According to other sources, he was the son of Belus and Anchinoe.

Sources differ also as to Agenor's children; he is sometimes said to have been the father of Cadmus, Europa, Cilix, Phoenix, and Thasus. Some sources state that Phoenix was Agenor's brother (and Belus' son); and it was Phoenix who was the father of these individuals.

In the Iliad (14.321–22) Europa is clearly a daughter of Phoenix. Either Cadmus or Europa are confirmed as children of Phoenix by the Ehoeae attributed to Hesiod and by Bacchylides and by various scholiae. Cilix and Phineus are also sons of Phoenix according to Pherecydes (3F86) who also adds an otherwise unknown son named Doryclus.

Most later sources list Cadmus and Cilix as sons of Agenor directly without mentioning Phoenix. On the rare occasions when he is mentioned, Phoenix is listed as the brother of Cadmus and Cilix.

Whether he is included as a brother of Agenor or as a son, his role in mythology is limited to inheriting his father's kingdom and to becoming the eponym of the Phoenicians. All accounts agree on a Phoenician king who has several children, including the two sons named Cadmus and Cilix and a daughter named Europa.

Zeus saw Europa gathering flowers and immediately fell in love with her. Zeus transformed himself into a white bull and carried Europa away to the island of Crete. He then revealed his true identity and Europa became the first queen of Crete. Europa's father, meanwhile, sent Europa's brothers, Cadmus and Cilix in search of her along with other brothers in some versions: Phineus or Thasus (and of course Phoenix in the versions where the Cadmus' father is Agenor).

Cadmus consulted the oracle of Delphi and was advised to travel until encountering a cow. He was to follow this cow and to found a city where the cow would lie down; this city became Thebes.

Cilix searched for her and settled down in Asia Minor. The land was called Cilicia after him.

It is thought that the name Agenor may represent an unknown name by which the Phoenicians called themselves, perhaps related to Canaan.

[edit] Soldier

In the Iliad Agenor was a Trojan soldier and son of Antenor. He was the Trojan with the first kill on the Trojan side in the Iliad, when he killed Elphenor, one of the Euboean leaders. Later on, during the Trojan assault on the Achaean ships, he helped to heal a battle wound inflicted upon Helenus.

In book XXI of the Iliad, when Achilles was routing the entire Trojan army, Agenor was the first Trojan to collect his wits and stop fleeing from Achilles' rampage. Agenor felt ashamed that he was fleeing from a man who was supposedly just as mortal as anyone so he turned to face Achilles. As the Greek hero approached Agenor the latter threw his spear at him, but only hit Achilles' greaves. After that Achilles sprang at Agenor, but at that moment Apollo carried the Trojan away in a veil of mist to keep Achilles from pursuing him, while Apollo took the form of Agenor to lead Achilles away from the Trojans. This act allowed all the Trojans (except Hector) to take cover behind the walls of Troy.

When the Achaeans were storming troy through the Trojan Horse ruse, Agenor was killed by Achilles' son Neoptolemus