Sarpedon
Also known as: Jove’s son / captain of the Lycians / leader of the Lycian warriors · Family: Trojans · Role: captain of the Lycians · First appears: BOOK V
🌐 Also appears in: Greek Mythology — A Family Orrery (as Sarpedon) · The Aeneid (as Sarpedon)
In Book V, Sarpedon, captain of the Lycians, fought Tlepolemus: they struck one another at the same moment, and Sarpedon killed him, though Tlepolemus wounded Sarpedon in the thigh. Sarpedon was a friend of Hector and Pelagon; when wounded, he called on Hector for help, and Pelagon drew the spear from his thigh. He also rebuked Hector sternly.
In Book VI, the account names Jove and Laodameia as Sarpedon’s parents. By Book XII, he led the allies with Glaucus and Asteropaeus, and the Lycians rallied around him as their counsellor and king. Though grieved when Glaucus left him, Sarpedon killed Alcmaon and tore down the battlement, making a breach. He fought against Ajax son of Telamon and Teucer, while Epicles, his comrade, was killed by Ajax.
In Book XVI at Troy, Sarpedon aimed a spear at Patroclus and missed; Patroclus struck him through the heart and killed him. Apollo removed and cleansed Sarpedon’s body, then entrusted it to Death and Sleep, who carried it to Lycia. Thrasydemus is identified as Sarpedon’s squire.
Relationship record
Life events
- Sarpedon kills Tlepolemus, who nevertheless wounds Sarpedon in the thigh.(BOOK V)
- With: Tlepolemus
- “They threw at the same moment, and Sarpedon struck his foe in the middle of his throat; the spear went right through, and the darkness of death fell upon his eyes. Tlepolemus’s spear struck Sarpedon on the left thigh with such force that it tore through the flesh and grazed the bone, but his father as yet warded off destruction from him.”
- Sarpedon kills Alcmaon and tears down the battlement, creating a breach.(BOOK XII)
- With: Alcmaon
- “He drew his spear back again and Alcmaon came down headlong after it with his bronzed armour rattling round him. Then Sarpedon seized the battlement in his strong hands, and tugged at it till it all gave way together, and a breach was made through which many might pass.”
- Patroclus kills Sarpedon by striking him through the heart.(BOOK XVI · 📍 Troy)
- With: Patroclus
- “Patroclus then aimed in his turn, and the spear sped not from his hand in vain, for he hit Sarpedon just where the midriff surrounds the ever-beating heart.”
- Apollo removes Sarpedon’s body, cleanses it, and entrusts it to Death and Sleep for transport to Lycia.(BOOK XVI · 📍 Lycia)