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Philoetius (; ) is a character in
Philoetius (; ) is a character in 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 ...
who plays a significant role in Homer
Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
's ''Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...
'', aiding Odysseus
In Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology, Odysseus ( ; , ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; ), is a legendary Greeks, Greek king of Homeric Ithaca, Ithaca and the hero of Homer's Epic poetry, epic poem, the ''Odyssey''. Od ...
, Telemachus, and Eumaeus in their slaughter of the suitors of Penelope.
Mythology
InHomer
Homer (; , ; possibly born ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Despite doubts about his autho ...
's ''Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; ) is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the ''Iliad'', the ''Odyssey'' is divi ...
'', Philoetius is Odysseus's primary cowherd. He remains loyal to Odysseus for the entire duration of Odysseus's absence from his kingdom. When Odysseus finally returns to Ithaca after being away for twenty years, Philoetius is one of the few slaves who has not betrayed him.
Just before the climactic final scene of the ''Odyssey'', Odysseus commands Philoetius and Eumaeus to lock the doors of the palace in order to prevent any of the suitors from escaping. He also orders them to steal all of the suitors' weapons and hide them in order to prevent the suitors from fighting back. During the final battle itself, Philoetius joins the fight and slays the suitor Peisander. Odysseus later promises both Philoetius and Eumaeus freedom and power for having remained loyal to him even after all the other slaves betrayed him.''The Odyssey'', 22.267
References
Characters in the Odyssey Greek mythological slaves {{Fict-char-stub