Penthesilea

Pentesilea or Pentesilia (in Greek, Πενθεσιλεια: Penthesileia) In Greek mythology she was an Amazon queen. She was the daughter of Ares and Otrera. According to Quintus of Smyrna, she was the sister of Hippolyta, which raises a chronological problem, since Hippolyta, according to tradition, fought either Heracles or Theseus, thus being one or two generations earlier. It is likely that she is considered her sister simply because she is the daughter of Ares, even though her mother was a different Amazon.

Achilles takes Pentesilea moribunda. Pentesilea, daughter of Ares, was the amazon queen fighting for Troy, in mourning, he hurt her mortally. Achilles had fallen in love with her as they fought, for her beauty and her warrior spirit, and drove her away from the battle. Relieve of Roman times, Archaeological Museum of Aphrodisiacs.

Mythology attributes at least one son to him, called Caístro (which would give its name to a river in Asia Minor).

The death of Pentesilea (about 460 BC)

Historiography

Different traditions disagree on why, after Hector's death, he went to the Trojan War to help the Trojans. According to Hellánico (FGrH. 19), Jacoby) and Lysias, quoted by Juan Tzetzes ( Posthomerics , 14-19), Penthesilea is driven by her love to war. According to Diodorus Siculus and Apollodorus, she goes to be purified by Priam after having accidentally killed Hippolyta during a hunting party. This last version is surprising, since the Trojan king had fought against the Amazons alongside the Phrygians (Iliad, III, 188-189).

Pentesilea arrived in Troy with twelve other Amazons, whom she names Fifth of Smyrna (I, 42-47). Note that none of them (with the exception of Hippotoe) are found in another catalogue:

• Clonia (death by Podarces)
• Polemusa (death by Achilles)
• Derinoe (death by Ayax el Menor)
• Evandra (death by Meríones)
• Antandra (death by Achilles)
• Bremusa (death by Idomeneo)
• Hippotoe (death by Achilles)
• Harmótoa (death by Achilles)
• Alcibia (death by Diomedes)
• Derimaquea (death by Diomedes)
• Antibrota (death by Achilles)
• Thermoodous (death by Meriones)

Pentesilea distinguished herself by her numerous exploits before the besieged city before she was struck down by Achilles, who pierced her chest with a spear. Seeing her die, Achilles was overwhelmed by her beauty and when Thersites, one of the Greek soldiers, mocked him for this passion, Achilles killed him. Diomedes, cousin of Thersites, threw the body of the Amazon into the Scamander river in revenge. According to other versions, it was Achilles who buried her on the banks of that river.

Pentesilea was succeeded as queen of the Amazons by Antianira.

In music

• PentesileaOthmar Schoeck's opera.

• Pentesilea (PenthesileaHugo Wolf's symphonic poem.