View source for Meges

{{Short description|Trojan War commander}}
{{Other uses|Meges (mythology)}}

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Mégês Phyleïdês''' ([[Ancient Greek]]: Μέγης Φυλεΐδης) was the commander of [[Epeans]] and/or [[Dulichium|Dulichians]] during the [[Trojan War]].

[[File:Polygnotos 14.jpg|thumb|Art Illustration depicting Meges]]

== Family ==
Meges was the son of King [[Phyleus]] of Dulichium<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' 2.627</ref> and his mother's name is variously given as either [[Eustyoche]],<ref>[[Hyginus (Fabulae)|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/216#97 97]</ref> [[Ctimene (mythology)|Ctimene]],<ref>[[Eustathius of Thessalonica|Eustathius]] ad [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://archive.org/details/commentariiadho01eust/page/246/mode/1up?view=theater p. 305.15]; [[John Tzetzes|Tzetzes]], ''Homeric Allegories'' Prologue 577;  [[Pierre Grimal|Grimal]], p. [https://archive.org/details/grimal-pierre.-diccionario-de-mitologia-griega-y-romana-ocr-1981/page/339/mode/1up?view=theater 340]</ref> [[Ctesimache]],<ref name="Tzetzes All.">Tzetzes, ''Homeric Allegories'' Prologue 577</ref> [[Agnete (mythology)|Hagnete]]<ref>Tzetzes, ''Homeric Allegories'' Prologue 576</ref> or [[Timandra (mythology)|Timandra]].<ref>Eustathius ad Homer, ''Iliad'' [https://archive.org/details/commentariiadho01eust/page/246/mode/1up?view=theater p. 305.17]; [[Scholia]] ad [[Euripides]], ''[[Orestes (play)|Orestes]]'' [https://archive.org/details/scholiaineuripi00schwgoog/page/n157/mode/1up?view=theater 249] = [[Hesiod]], ''[[Catalogue of Women|Ehoiai]]'' fr. 176 (no. 46 in the [[Loeb Classical Library|Loeb]] edition, 1914)</ref>

Meges’ (half-)sister was [[Eurydameia]], mother of [[Cleitus (mythology)|Cleitus]] and [[Euchenor]] by the seer [[Polyidus of Corinth|Polyidus]] of [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]].<ref>[[Pherecydes of Athens|Pherecydes]] in Scholia ad Homer, ''Iliad'' [https://archive.org/details/scholiagraecain01homegoog/page/46/mode/1up?view=theater 13.663]</ref>

== Mythology ==
Meges was one of the [[suitors of Helen]],<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], 3.10.8</ref> and commanded the armies of the [[Echinades|Echinadians]] and the [[Dulichium|Dulichians]] during the [[Trojan War]], having summoned forty or sixty ships; he also led a contingent of Epeans who had once migrated to Dulichium together with his father.<ref name="Tzetzes All." /><ref name="Hyginus">Homer, ''Iliad'' 2.625, 5.69, 13.692 & 15.531; [[Euripides]], ''Iphigenia in Aulis'' 284; Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 97</ref>

Meges was credited with killing a number of opponents, including [[Pedaeus]] (a son of [[Antenor]]),<ref>Homer, ''Iliad'' 5.69</ref> [[Croesmus]],<ref>Homer, ''Iliad'' 15.523</ref> [[Amphiclus]],<ref>Homer, ''Iliad'' 16.313</ref> [[Itymoneus]], [[Agelaus]],<ref>[[Quintus Smyrnaeus]], 1.279</ref> [[Eurymenes]],<ref>Quintus Smyrnaeus, 10.108</ref> and [[Deiopites]].<ref>Quintus Smyrnaeus, 13.212</ref> [[Dolops]] attempted to strike him with a spear but the corselet Meges was wearing, a gift for his father from [[Euphetes]] of [[Ephyra (Elis)|Ephyra]], saved his life.<ref>Homer, ''Iliad'' 15.525 ff.</ref> Meges helped [[Odysseus]] to collect gifts for [[Achilles]].<ref>Homer, ''Iliad'' 19.239 ff.</ref> He was one of the men to enter the [[Trojan Horse]].<ref>Quintus Smyrnaeus, 12.326</ref>

According to [[Dictys Cretensis]], Meges fell at Troy.<ref>[[Dictys Cretensis]], 3.10</ref> [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] mentions a painting of him wounded in the arm by a Trojan, Admetes the son of Augeas.<ref>Pausanias, 10.25.5</ref> [[Tzetzes]] relates that Meges, along with [[Prothous]] and a number of others, perished at [[Euboea]].<ref>Tzetzes on [[Lycophron]], 902</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References ==
*[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
*[[Dictys Cretensis]]'', from The Trojan War.'' ''The Chronicles of Dictys of Crete and [[Dares Phrygius|Dares the Phrygian]]'' translated by Richard McIlwaine Frazer, Jr. (1931-). Indiana University Press. 1966. [https://topostext.org/work/152 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
*[[Euripides]], ''The Plays of Euripides'', translated by E. P. Coleridge. Volume II. London. George Bell and Sons. 1891. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0108 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
*Euripides, ''Euripidis Fabulae.'' ''vol. 3''. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. Clarendon Press, Oxford. 1913. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0107 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[Gaius Julius Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
*[[Homer]], [[Iliad|''The Iliad'']] with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. {{ISBN|978-0674995796|}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0134 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
*Homer, ''Homeri Opera'' in five volumes. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 1920. {{ISBN|978-0198145318|}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0133 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. {{ISBN|0-674-99328-4}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
*Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.  [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library]
*[[Quintus Smyrnaeus]], ''The Fall of Troy'' translated by Way. A. S. Loeb Classical Library Volume 19. London: William Heinemann, 1913. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/QuintusSmyrnaeus1.html Online version at theio.com]
*Quintus Smyrnaeus, ''The Fall of Troy''. Arthur S. Way. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1913. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0490 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[John Tzetzes|Tzetzes, John]], ''Allegories of the Iliad'' translated by Goldwyn, Adam J. and Kokkini, Dimitra. Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, Harvard University Press, 2015. {{ISBN|978-0-674-96785-4}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Meges (son of Phyleus)}}

{{Characters in the Iliad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meges}}
[[Category:Family of Calyce (mythology)]]
[[Category:Achaean Leaders]]
[[Category:Ancient Acarnanians]]
[[Category:Characters in the Iliad]]
[[Category:People of the Trojan War]]