Eurymachus

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There are two figures named Eurymachus in Greek mythology.

1. Eurymachus, or Eurýmakhos, an Ithacan nobleman and the son of Polybus, was, by the reckoning of the goddess Athena, the leading suitor of Penelope in The Odyssey. He was a treacherous figure, convincing his would-be wife that her son, Telemachus, would be safe when he himself had plotted his death. Eurymachus was duly killed by Telemachus's father, Odysseus, on his long-awaited return.

2. Eurymachus, son of Antenor and Theano. He was engaged to Priam's daughter Polyxena.

"Eurymachus" also refers to one of the 180 Theban soldiers who were taken prisoner in the Theban siege of Plataea. All of the Theban soldiers were killed after the Plataeans brought everyone living outside of their walls into the city after unrequited negotiation with Thebes's nightly backup troops.

Thucydides says Eurymachus was "a man of great influence at Thebes," and that the Platean, Naucleides, arranged with him to bring in "a little over 300" Theban troops in the middle of the night, for a sneak attack. This event touched off the Peloponnesian War.

References: Thucydides, Peloponnesian War, Book 2