Eurylochus (mythology)

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In Greek mythology, Eurylochus, or Eurýlokhos appears in Homer's Odyssey as second-in-command of Odysseus' ship during the return to Ithaca after the Trojan War. He was also a relative of Odysseus through marriage. He is an unpleasant cowardly individual who undermines Odysseus and stirs up trouble.

When the ship stopped on Aeaea, home of Circe the sorcress, Eurylochus was chosen by lot to lead a group of men to explore the island. After the crew spotted a column of smoke, Eurylochus led his group towards the smoke. They soon neared a palace surrounded with wild but benign animals. Inside the palace was Circe singing, and all of Eurylochus' party except for himself rushed inside to greet her. Eurylochus suspected her treachery from the beginning, and when she turned the rest of the men into pigs, Eurylochus escaped and warned Odysseus and the rest of the crew that had stayed on the ship, thus enabling Odysseus to save his crew. When Odysseus goes to rescue his men Eurylochus refuses to go and urges Odysseus to escape and leave the men to their fate.

When Odysseus returns from Circe having rescued the men, Eurylochus insults Odysseus. Odysseus considers killing him but the men drag them apart.

Although Circe, after making a truce with Odysseus, later instructed Odysseus not to touch the cattle on the island of the sun god Helios, Eurylochus convinced the hungry and mutinous crew to kill some of them. As a punishment Odysseus' ship was destroyed and all of his crew, including Eurylochus, were killed in a storm sent by Zeus. Only Odysseus survived.