In Ancient Greek epic tradition recounted 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 ...

'', Polybus (; ) was the father of a suitor,

Eurymachus The name Eurymachus or Eurymachos (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρύμαχος ''Eurúmakhos'') is attributed to the following individuals: Mythology * Eurymachus, son of Hermes and father of Eriboea, mother of the Aloadae. *Eurymachus, a prince of ...

, ''

'' 1.399 who was killed by

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 ...

once he returned from his 10-year journey during the

Trojan War The Trojan War was a legendary conflict in Greek mythology that took place around the twelfth or thirteenth century BC. The war was waged by the Achaeans (Homer), Achaeans (Ancient Greece, Greeks) against the city of Troy after Paris (mytho ...

Mythology

Polybus was described as wise, contradictory to his foolish son. In Book XXII of the ''Odyssey'', after Odysseus and

Telemachus In Greek mythology, Telemachus ( ; ) is the son of Odysseus and Penelope, who are central characters in Homer's ''Odyssey''. When Telemachus reached manhood, he visited Pylos and Sparta in search of his wandering father. On his return to Ithaca, ...

had slain most of the suitors, only six remained:

Agelaus Agelaus or Agelaos (Ancient Greek: Ἀγέλαος) is, in Greek mythology, the name of various individuals. *Agelaus, father of Antheus of Lyctus. He fought in the army of Dionysus during his campaigns in India. *Agelaus, an Arcadia (region), A ...

, Eurynomus,

Amphimedon : ''For the genus of sponge, see Amphimedon (sponge)'' In Homer's ''Odyssey'', Amphimedon (; ) was the Ithacan son of Melaneus and one of the suitors of Penelope. Mythology While retreating from Odysseus's party during the final stages of th ...

Demoptolemus In Homer's ''Odyssey'', Demoptolemus (; ) was one of the 108 suitors of the queen of Ithaca, Penelope. He came from Dulichium along with 51 other suitors. Demoptolemus, with the other suitors, met his end by the spear of Odysseus in the final sta ...

Peisander Peisander (; ) of Camirus in Rhodes, Ancient Greek epic poet, supposed to have flourished about 640 BC. Biography Peisander was the author of a ''Heracleia'' (Ἡράκλεια), in which he introduced a new conception of the hero Heracles' cost ...

and Polybus. The aforementioned Agelaus tried rousing the men to throw their spears collectively at the avengers, but Athena guided them elsewhere. Polybus was killed by the spear of the swineherd

Eumaeus In Greek mythology, Eumaeus (; Ancient Greek: Εὔμαιος ''Eumaios'' meaning 'searching well') was Odysseus' slave, swineherd, and friend. His father, Ctesius, son of Ormenus, was king of an island called Syra (present-day Syros in the Gree ...

Note

References

, ''The Odyssey'' with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, PH.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919.
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
Characters in the Odyssey {{Greek-myth-stub