Antenor (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Anthenor (Ancient Greek: Ἀντήνωρ) was a son of the Dardanian noble Aesyetes by Cleomestra. He is a counselor to Priam during the Trojan War.

1 History
2 Antenor in Literature
3 Modern references
4 References
5 Sources

History

He was one of the wisest of the Trojan elders and counsellors. Antenor was husband of Theano, daughter of Cisseus of Thrace, who bore him numerous children, mostly sons, including Archelochus, Acamas, Glaucus, Helicaon, Laodocus, Coön, Polybus, Agenor, Iphidamas, Laodamas, Demoleon, Eurymachus (most of whom perished during the Trojan War), and at least one daughter, Crino.^[1] He was also the father of a son Pedaeus, by an unknown woman.

As a counselor to Priam in the Trojan war, Antenor advised his fellow-townsmen to send Helen back to the Greeks. He proved to be friendly to the Greeks and an advocate of peace. In the later story (according to Dares and Dictys) he was said to have treacherously opened the gates of Troy to the enemy; in return for which, at the general sack of the city, his house, marked by a panther's skin at the door, was spared by the victors. Afterwards, according to various versions of the legend, he either rebuilt a city on the site of Troy, or settled at Cyrene, or became the founder of Patavium (currently Padua).^[2]

Antenor in Literature

Antenor appears briefly in Homer's Iliad. In Book 3, he is present when Helen identifies for Priam each of the Greek warriors from the wall of Troy; when she describes Odysseus, Antenor criticizes her, saying how he entertained Odysseus and Menelaus and got to know both. In Book 7, as mentioned above, he advises the Trojans to give back Helen, but Paris refuses to yield.

In Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, Antenor appears as a minor, non-speaking character who has been taken prisoner by the Greeks but is returned for them in exchange for Criseyde.

The circle Antenora is named after him in the poem Inferno from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. It is located in Hell's Circle of Treachery which is reserved for traitors of cities, countries, and political parties.

Modern references

The minor planet 2207 Anthenor, discovered in 1977 by Soviet astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich Chernykh, is named after him.^[3]

References

^ Greek Mythology Link (Carlos Parada) Antenor 1
^ Virgil. Aeneid, I, 242.
^ Schmadel, Lutz D. (2003). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (5th ed.). New York: Springer Verlag. p. 179. ISBN 3-540-00238-3. http://books.google.com/books?q=2207+Anthenor+QH1.

Sources

Homer, Iliad III, 148, 203, 262; VII, 347.
Horace, Epp. i. 2. 9.
Livy, i. 1.
Pindar, Pythia, v. 83.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Characters in the Iliad

Achaeans	Acamas Achilles Adrastus Agamemnon Agapenor Ajax the Greater Ajax the Lesser Alcimus Amphion the Epean Anticlus Antilochus Arcesilaus Ascalaphus Automedon Balius and Xanthus Bias Calchas Diomedes Elephenor Epeius Eudoros Euneus Euryalus Eurybates Eurylochus Hecamede Helen Ialmenus Idomeneus Leitus Leonteus Machaon Mecisteus Medon Meges Menelaus Menestheus Meriones Neoptolemus Nestor Nireus Odysseus Palamedes Patroclus Peneleus Philoctetes Phoenix Podalirius Podarces Polites Polypoetes Promachus Protesilaus Prothoenor Schedius Stentor Sthenelus Talthybius Teucer Thersites Thoas Thrasymedes Tlepolemus

Trojans	Aeneas Aesepus Agenor Alcathous Amphimachus Anchises Andromache Antenor Antiphates Antiphus Archelochus Asius Asteropaios Astyanax Axylus Briseis Calesius Caletor Cassandra Chryseis Chryses Clytius Cycnus Dares Phrygius Deiphobus Dolon Epistrophus Eteoneus Euphemus Euphorbus Eurypylus Glaucus Gorgythion Halizones Hector Hecuba Helenus Hyperenor Ilioneus Imbrius Kebriones Laocoön Lycaon Lykomedes Melanippus Mentes Mydon Mygdon of Phrygia Othryoneus Pandarus Panthous Paris Pedasus Peirous Phorcys Polites Polydamas Polybus Polydorus Priam Pylaemenes Pyraechmes Rhesus of Thrace Sarpedon Tenes Theano Ucalegon