Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...

, Palioxis (

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

: Παλίωξις) was the personification of backrush, flight and retreat in battle (as opposed to

Proioxis In Greek mythology, Proioxis (Ancient Greek: Προΐωξις) was the personification of onrush or pursuit in battle (as opposed to Palioxis). She and her sister Palioxis (Backrush) presided over the surge of battle. They were probably numbered ...

). She and her sister Proioxis (Onrush) presided over the surge of battle. Palioxis was probably numbered amongst the Makhai,

daimon The daimon (), also spelled daemon (meaning "god", "godlike", "power", "fate"), denotes an "unknown superfactor", which can be either good or hostile. In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology a daimon was imagined to be a lesser ...

es of the battlefield.

Mythology

In the epic poem the ''

Shield of Heracles The ''Shield of Heracles'' (, ''Aspis Hērakleous'') is an archaic Greek epic poem that was attributed to Hesiod during antiquity. The subject of the poem is the expedition of Heracles and Iolaus against Cycnus, the son of Ares, who challenged ...

'', attributed to

Hesiod Hesiod ( or ; ''Hēsíodos''; ) was an ancient Greece, Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer.M. L. West, ''Hesiod: Theogony'', Oxford University Press (1966), p. 40.Jasper Gr ...

, Palioxis was one of the many figures, depicted on

Heracles Heracles ( ; ), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a Divinity, divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of ZeusApollodorus1.9.16/ref> and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptive descent through ...

' shield:

In his hands he (Herakles) took his shield, all glittering : no one ever broke it with a blow or crushed it. And a wonder it was to see . . . In the centre was Phobos (Fear) worked in adamant, unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon his grim brow hovered frightful Eris (Battle-Strife) who arrays the throng of men: pitiless she, for she took away the mind and senses of poor wretches who made war against the son of
Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...
. . . Upon the shield Proioxis (Pursuit) and Palioxis (Flight) were wrought, and
Homados In Greek mythology, Homados () was the personification of battle-noise—the shouts, cries, and confusion of men and the clashing of their weapons. Mythology In the epic poem the '' Shield of Heracles'', attributed to Hesiod, Homados was one of ...
(Tumult), and Phobos (Panic), and Androktasia (Slaughter). Eris (Battle-Strife) also, and
Kydoimos In Greek mythology, Kydoimos or Cydoemus (Ancient Greek: Κυδοιμός ''Kudoimós'') was the personification of the din of battle, confusion, uproar and hubbub. He was probably numbered amongst the Makhai, daimones of the battlefield. Kydoi ...
(Confusion) were hurrying about, and deadly Ker (Fate) was there holding one man newly wounded. . .Hesiod, ''Shield of Heracles'' 135–157

Notes

References

, ''Shield of Heracles'' from ''The Homeric Hymns and Homerica'' with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
Greek war deities War goddesses Greek goddesses Personifications in Greek mythology Daimons Military withdrawals {{Greek-deity-stub

Mythology

See also

Notes

References