Idomeneus
Idomeneus was the king of Crete who led eighty ships to Troy and was among the fiercest fighters — his story continued in a vow that cost him his son.
The Legend of Idomeneus
Grandson of Minos and king of Crete, Idomeneus led eighty ships to Troy, fighting alongside Ajax, Diomedes, and Odysseus. He was among the warriors inside the wooden horse. On the voyage home, Poseidon sent a terrible storm, and Idomeneus vowed to sacrifice the first living thing he met on shore — his own son. He fulfilled the vow, but a plague followed, and the Cretans exiled him. He settled in Italy. His tale echoes Agamemnon's sacrifice of Iphigenia to Artemis and the terrible bargains mortals make with the gods of Olympus.
Children
Idamante
Symbols
Fun Fact
Mozart's Idomeneo — based on this myth — was his first operatic masterpiece, composed at age 25.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Idomeneus of Crete
🗡 herowar
King of Crete and grandson of Minos who led eighty ships to Troy and made a rash vow to Poseidon on the voyage home.
Agapenor
🗡 heroNone recorded
Arcadian king who led sixty ships to Troy and later founded Paphos in Cyprus
Theseus
🗡 heroSlayer of the Minotaur, king of Athens
The hero who navigated the Labyrinth, slew the Minotaur, and became the legendary king of Athens. Theseus was considered Athens's national hero.
Busiris
🗡 heroNone recorded
Egyptian king who sacrificed strangers to Zeus until Heracles broke free and killed him
Antiphates
🗡 heroCannibalism, kingship
King of the Laestrygonians, a race of man-eating giants encountered by Odysseus on his voyage home
Jason
🗡 heroLeader of the Argonauts
The hero who assembled the Argonauts and sailed to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece, aided by Medea's sorcery.
Thoas of Aetolia
🗡 heroLeadership, Trojan War, Survival
Aetolian king and capable Greek commander at Troy who led forty black ships and survived the war.
Menelaus
🗡 heroKing of Sparta, husband of Helen
Menelaus was the king of Sparta whose stolen wife Helen was the cause of the Trojan War — yet he survived the war, the return, and old age, a rare happy ending among Greek heroes.
Meges
🗡 heroNone recorded
Greek warrior from Dulichium who led the Epeians to Troy and fought bravely at the ships
Neleus
🗡 herokingship
Son of Poseidon and Tyro, founder of Pylos, father of Nestor, killed by Heracles for refusing purification.
Sarpedon
🗡 heroNone recorded
Lycian prince and ally of Troy in the Trojan War, son of Zeus
Tenes
🗡 heroPurity, Betrayal, Apollo
Prince of Colonae and first ruler of Tenedos, killed by Achilles despite his divine protection by Apollo.