In Greek mythology, Laertes ( / leɪˈɜːrtiːz /; Greek: Λαέρτης, Laértēs Greek pronunciation: [laː.ér.tɛːs]; also spelled Laërtes) was the father of Odysseus, an Argonaut, and a participant in the hunt for the Calydonian Boar.
Who is Laertes in Greek mythology?
Read about Laertes, the father of Odysseus, and his role in "The Odyssey." Learn who Laertes is in Greek mythology and how he helped kill the Calydonian boar. Updated: 11/23/2021 Father of one the most well-known heroes in all of literature, Laertes is a well accomplished mythological character in his own right.
Was Laertes married to Anticlea?
He was married to Anticlea, daughter of the thief Autolycus; they had two children, Ctimene and the famous hero Odysseus. Laertes participated in the Argonautic Expedition, helping Jason retrieve the Golden Fleece from the far-away land of Colchis, and he also helped in the hunt of the Calydonian Boar.
What does Laertes do to help Odysseus?
Laertes. Laertes had trained Odysseus in husbandry. After their reunion, the two of them go to Odysseus' home to fend off the families of the dead suitors. Athena infuses vigour into Laertes, so he can help Odysseus. He kills Eupeithes, father of Antinous.
Is Laertes Odysseus's father?
Another account says that Laertes was not Odysseus's true father; rather, it was Sisyphus, who had seduced Anticlea. Laertes stays away from Odysseus' home while Odysseus is gone. He keeps to himself on his farm, overcome with grief over Odysseus' absence and alone after his wife, Anticleia, died from grief herself.
Is Laertes a Greek god?
Laertes was a mythical figure in Greek mythology, son of Arcesius and Chalcomedusa. He was married to Anticlea, daughter of the thief Autolycus; they had two children, Ctimene and the famous hero Odysseus.
Who was Laertes Greek mythology?
Laertes was the son of Arcesius and Chalcomedusa; and the father of Odysseus (who was thus called Laertiádēs, Λαερτιάδης, "son of Laertes") and Ctimene by his wife Anticlea, daughter of the thief Autolycus.
Who is Laertes and what is his purpose in the Odyssey?
Laertes, the old father of Odysseus, is a somewhat forgotten character. He is mostly considered to be of minor importance to the plot of the Odyssey, and his reunion with his son in the twenty-fourth book is often seen as a more or less dispensable addendum to the real climax, the recognition scene with Penelope.
Is Laertes the son of Zeus?
Laertes was the son of Arcesius and Chalcomedusa. Arcesius, was said to be a son of Cephalus, or Zeus; Cephalus who had aided Amphitryon in the war against the Teleboans, and received the island of Same as a war prize, an island renamed Cephalonia.
What is the meaning of Laertes?
Definition of Laertes 1 : the father of Odysseus in Greek mythology. 2 : the son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Who is the god of tornadoes?
AIOLOS (Aeolus) was the divine keeper of the winds and king of the mythical, floating island of Aiolia (Aeolia). He kept the violent Storm-Winds locked safely away inside the cavernous interior of his isle, releasing them only at the command of greatest gods to wreak devastation upon the world.
Who is Zeus in the Odyssey?
Who is Zeus in The Odyssey? Zeus role in the Odyssey was the weigher and middleman of all disputes. He was primarily the one who determined each of our characters' fates, as he held the power of life and death.
Is Odysseus a demi god?
Although he was a great hero to the greeks and was a great fighter, Odysseus was not a demigod. But, according to the family tree of Odysseus's past relatives. Odysseus is related Hermes (God of Trade and Messenger of the Gods) and Chione (Goddess of Snow and the North Wind).
Is Laertes a hero?
The heroic nature of Laertes is attested to in several ancient sources. Homer in the Odyssey tells of Laertes having taken the fortress city of Nericum in his youth. Laertes is also named an Argonaut in the Bibliotheca, and Ovid tells Laertes being a Calydonian Hunter.
Who is Zeus favorite son?
Apollo1. Apollo: Zeus' Best-Known Son. Of all the sons Zeus fathered, Apollo is perhaps the best known. Apollo was conceived during an illicit affair between Zeus and Leto (Zeus was married to Hera at the time), along with a twin sister named Artemis.
Who was Zeus first child?
In some versions of Greek mythology, Zeus ate his wife Metis because it was known that their second child would be more powerful than him. After Metis's demise, their first child Athena was born when Hephaestus cleaved Zeus's head open and the goddess of war emerged, fully grown and armed.
Who did Zeus have kids with?
By Hera, Zeus sired Ares, Hebe, Eileithyia and Hephaestus, though some accounts say that Hera produced these offspring alone. Some also include Eris, Enyo and Angelos as their daughters.
Who is Laertes to Ophelia?
Laertes is the son of Polonius and the brother of Ophelia. In the final scene, he mortally stabs Hamlet with a poison-tipped sword to avenge the deaths of his father and sister, for which he blamed Hamlet.
What does Laertes think happen to Odysseus?
Laertes is grateful to the man for helping his son, but doesn't believe Odysseus is back. He obviously fell for the story that the screams of agony coming from the palace were mere wedding noises. Finally, Odysseus gives up the ruse and throws his arms around his father, confessing who he really is.
Who is the son of Laertes in the Odyssey?
OdysseusOdysseus: son of Laertes and Antikleia, King of Ithaca; participant in the Trojan War for 10 years; his return took an additional 10 years. Character in Sophocles' Philoctetes. Penelope: faithful wife of Odysseus, daughter of Icarius (k. of Sparta) & the Naiad PERIBOEA.
Who was the son of Odysseus?
LaertesAnticleaOdysseus/Parents
What did Laertes do in the Odyssey?
Laertes helped his son fight off the families of the dead suitors. To do this, he was given the gift of youth by the goddess Athena.
Is Laertes a god in the Odyssey?
No, Laertes is not a god in the Odyssey. He is a mortal hero and the father to the main character, Odysseus.
Who was Laertes in Greek mythology?
Laertes is an Argonaut who helped Jason retrieve the Golden Fleece. He also hunted the Calydonian Boar and was the father of Odysseus, legendary he...
Who are the parents of Odysseus?
Odysseus' parents are Laertes and Anticlea. His father, Laertes, was a Greek hero in his own right. Laertes served as Argonaut under Jason.
Introduction to The Odyssey
Homer, the renowned Greek poet, composed his work The Odyssey sometime in the 8th century BC. Since then, it's captivated audiences with its harrowing plot and memorable characters. Plus, it has a lot of really bizarre monsters in it, too.
Laertes, Father of Odysseus
Well, as the caption suggests, Laertes is the father of Odysseus. He is super depressed during his son's absence (more on this later), indicating that they had a solid father-son relationship. In Greek mythology, Laertes is an Argonaut and hunts the Calydonian Boar.
Waiting for Odysseus
While Odysseus is gone for twenty years (ten years at war, then ten years for his journey) Laertes is basically in mourning. He doesn't live in his crazy nice mansion, only a small shack, and he avoids Odysseus's palace like the plague. Laertes is often described as sick, ailing, and weak throughout the time of Odysseus's absence.
Why did Laertes' wife die?
The extended absence of his son, during the Trojan War, and the return from Troy, would see Laertes neglect his rustic pursuits, as grief say him become old before his time; and indeed, it was said that Laertes’ wife, Anticlea, died from grief because of Odysseus’ absence.
Why did Odysseus use the condition of Laertes?
The condition of Laertes, was also used as an excuse by Odysseus’ wife Penelope, for to delay her potential suitors, Pene lope told them that she would not consider marriage until she had woven the funeral shroud of Laertes.
Does Laertes recognise Odysseus' son?
Laertes does not immediately recognise his son, but when he hears of what Odysseus has done to the Suitors, Laertes tells of how he wished to have stood by his son in the battle, reminiscing of his time when he was young enough, and strong enough, to have fought.
Who did Laertes marry?
Laertes would marry Anticlea, the daughter of the notorious thief Autolycus; and Anticlea would bear a daughter, Ctimene, and a son, Odysseus. Some say though, that Laertes was not the father of Odysseus, for they say that Anticlea had been seduced by the cunning Siphylus, from whom Odysseus was thus said to have inherited his deviousness.
Is Laertes an Argonaut?
Whilst, Laertes is also named as an Argonaut, in the Bibliotheca, and Ovid tells of Laertes being a Calydonian Hunter.
Who killed Eupeithes in the battle of Ithaca?
Athena then rejuvenates Laertes, and Laertes thus returns to Ithaca with his son, to deal with the families of the deceased suitors, who were looking to revolt against Odysseus. In the resulting battle, it was said that Laertes killed Eupeithes, the father of Antinous, the man who had led the Suitors of Penelope.
Who is the father of Odysseus?
In Greek mythology, Laertes is famous for being the father of the Greek hero Odysseus, though, Laertes, in his own right was a king and hero of some renown.
