Eurybates
Trusted herald of Odysseus who accompanied him throughout the Trojan War
The Legend of Eurybates
Eurybates was the trusted herald of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who served his lord faithfully throughout the Trojan War. Homer describes him as round-shouldered, dark-skinned, and curly-haired, one of the rare physical descriptions of a Greek figure that suggests non-standard appearance. Odysseus valued Eurybates above all his other companions because the herald's mind matched his own in its careful thinking. When Agamemnon sent heralds to take Briseis from Achilles, and when Odysseus needed a reliable messenger, Eurybates was the man he chose. In the Odyssey, when Penelope tested the disguised Odysseus by asking about his companions, Odysseus described Eurybates in such precise detail that Penelope was moved to tears, recognising the truth. Eurybates represents the essential role of heralds as diplomatic figures in the heroic age.
Parents
None recorded
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Fun Fact
Homer describes Eurybates with dark skin and curly hair, one of the most detailed physical descriptions in the entire Iliad
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