Memnon
heroEthiopian king and son of Eos who brought a vast army to Troy, killed Antilochus, and was slain by Achilles.
The Myth
His mother Eos still weeps for him every morning — the dew is her tears. Memnon arrived at Troy leading an army from Ethiopia and immediately killed Antilochus, son of Nestor, making him a direct threat to Achilles. Zeus weighed their fates on golden scales before their duel, and Memnon's side sank. After Achilles killed him, Eos begged Zeus to grant her son immortality. The Colossus of Memnon in Thebes (Egypt) was said to sing at dawn — Greeks believed it was Memnon greeting his mother. His story was told in the lost Aethiopis, one of the great missing epics.
Symbols
Fun Fact
The singing Colossus of Memnon in Egypt produced sounds at dawn due to thermal expansion of cracked stone.
Explore Further
Antilochus
heroSon of Nestor, youngest Greek commander at Troy, beloved companion of Achilles who died protecting...
Tithonus
heroTrojan prince beloved by Eos who was granted immortality but not eternal youth, aging endlessly...
Eos
godThe rosy-fingered goddess of the dawn who rose each morning to open the gates of heaven for her...
Achilles
heroThe greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the...
Nestor
heroNestor was the oldest and wisest Greek at Troy, whose long-winded reminiscences and sound counsel...
Thebes
placeThebes was the great city of Boeotia, founded by Cadmus who sowed dragon teeth, and the setting for...
Thebes (Boeotia)
placeThe city of Cadmus and Oedipus, setting of more Greek tragedies than any other place.
Troy
placeThe legendary city in Asia Minor besieged by the Greeks for ten years in the Trojan War. Troy's...
Troy (Hisarlik)
placeHisarlik in Turkey is the archaeological site identified as Homer's Troy — multiple cities layered...
Zeus
godSupreme ruler of the Olympian gods and lord of the sky. Zeus overthrew his father Kronos and...
Zeus (King)
godZeus was the king of the Olympian gods, ruler of the sky, wielder of the thunderbolt — the supreme...
Zeus Xenios
godAn epithet of Zeus as guardian of guests and the sacred law of hospitality (xenia), whose violation...