Description
Meriones was described by the chronicler Malalas in his account of the ''Chronography'' as "shortish, wide, white, good beard, big eyes, black hair, curly hair, flat face, bent nose, quick-moving, magnanimous, a warrior". Meanwhile, in the account of Dares the Phrygian, he was illustrated as ". . . auburn-haired, of moderate height, with a well-proportioned body. He was robust, swift, unmerciful, and easily angered."Mythology
Prior to ''The Iliad''
Hyginus lists Meriones as one of the suitors of Helen. This would have made him oath bound to participate in the Trojan War. Other ancient authorities, however, do not include him in the list. Among these are the '' Bibliotheca'' and Hesiod.''The Iliad''
Though not usually numbered among the major characters, Meriones is one of the most powerful characters in Homer's ''Book II
The first reference to Meriones in the ''Iliad'' is in the Catalog of Ships in Book II. There he is listed alongside Idomeneus as one of the leaders of the eighty ships from Crete. He is described here and in Books VIII and XIII as a "peer of murderous Ares".Book VII
Meriones is among those who volunteered to fight Hector in single combat. The others were Agamemnon, Diomedes, Telamonian Ajax, Ajax the Lesser, Idomeneus, Eurypylus (son of Euaemon), Thoas, and Odysseus. Lots were cast to determine who among these would fight and Telamonian Ajax was chosen.Books IX and X
Meriones, along with Nestor's son Thrasymedes, were charged to serve as sentinels for the Achaean army during a period of Trojan advance. Later that night, Nestor called for a volunteer spy among the captains and Diomedes stepped forward. A volunteer was then requested to join Diomedes and Meriones was among the volunteers. The two Ajaxes, Thrasymedes, Menelaus, and Odysseus also volunteered. Diomedes chose Odysseus. As Odysseus was inadequately armed, Meriones acquired a bow and arrows for him and gave him the helm of Amyntor.Book XIII
After casting his spear at Deiphobus, but failing to pierce his shield, Meriones returned to his tent to get a new spear. He met Idomeneus there:Homer, ''Iliad'' Book 13 Meriones grabbed a bronze spear and followed Idomeneus: The two then went to reinforce the left flank where they perceived the Achaeans to be weakest, Meriones leading the way. The two battled against the Trojans, particularly Deiphobus and Aeneas. In retaliation for the death of Ascalaphus, Meriones pierced Deiphobus in the shoulder with his spear. Gravely injured, Deiphobus was carried from the battlefield by his brother Polites. Meriones then killed Adamas son of Asius and Harpalion son of King Pylaemenes.Books XVII and XXIII
''Posthomerica''
Meriones is also a prominent character in Quintus Smyrnaeus' '' Posthomerica'', his epic poem, telling the story of the Trojan War, from the death of Hector to the fall of Troy. In Book 1, Meriones kills the Amazons, Evandre and Thermodosa. In Book 6, with Teucer, Idomeneus, Thoas and Thrasymedes, he comes to the rescue of Agamemnon and Menelaus and kills the Paeonian warrior, Laophoon. in Book 8, Meriones kills Chlemus, the son of Peisenor, and kills Phylodamas with an arrow, and in Book 11 he kills Lycon. In Book 12, Meriones is one of the Greeks to enter Troy inside the Trojan Horse.Quintus Smyrnaeus, 12.320 p. 197In Gluck's opera
Christoph Willibald Gluck gave Meriones a role in his 1765 opera '' Telemaco'', making this character involved in Odysseus' wanderings after the Trojan War (which is not attested in Homer's original '' Odyssey'' on which the opera was based).Notes
References
* Dares Phrygius, ''from The Trojan War.'' ''The Chronicles of Dictys of Crete and Dares the Phrygian'' translated by Richard McIlwaine Frazer, Jr. (1931-). Indiana University Press. 1966