Nestor in the Iliad: The Mythology of the Legendary King of Pylos

Nestor in the Iliad was the king of Pylos who was known for his wisdom and insight which helped several characters in the epic poem, though some of his counsel was controversial.

He was known to be motivating and an inspiring human who gave speeches and helped people. Keep reading this article to know all about him.

Who Was Nestor?

Nestor in the Iliad was the king of Pylos whose inspiring stories helped to drive the plot of Homer's epic poem. He was on the side of the Greeks against the Trojans but was too old to participate in the war so his contributions were his fables.

The Adventures of Nestor

When Nestor was young, the city of Pylos was destroyed, thus he was transported to the ancient town of Gerenia and that was how he got the name Nestor the Gerenian. During his youth, he was involved in some notable adventures such as hunting for the Calydonian Boar.

As an argonaut, he helped Jason in retrieving the Golden Fleece and fought the centaurs. Later, he was crowned the King of Pylos after the Greek hero Heracles decimated his father and siblings.

Due to the tragedy that befell his brothers and father, Apollo, the god of divine justice, granted him long life till his third generation. Though Nestor was old by the time the Trojan War came around, he and his sons participated in it; fighting on the side of the Acheans.

Nestor displayed some heroism despite his advanced age and was known for his oratory skills and advice. When Agamemnon and Achilles feuded over Briseis in the Iliad, Nestor advice played a crucial role in reconciling them.

In the Iliad, Nestor commanded his troops in battle by riding his chariot in front of the army. However, one of his horses was shot and killed by an arrow from the bow of Paris, son of Priam. He had a gold shield and was frequently referred to as the Gerenian horseman.

Nestor Counsels Patroclus

Since he was famous for his wisdom, Patroclus, the best friend of Achilleus came to seek counsel from him. Nestor told Patroclus of how the Achaean troops had suffered huge losses at the hands of the Trojans and advised him to either persuade Achilleus to return to the war or to disguise himself as Achilleus.

Patroclus went with the latter and disguised himself as Achilleus, an event that subsequently turned the tide in favor of the Greeks and helped to win the war. It was Nestor's speech that moved Ajax the Great to fight Hector and broker a temporary truce.

Nestor Advises Antilochus

During the funeral games for Patroclus, Nestor helped his son, Antilochus, devise a strategy to win the chariot race. Though the details of the strategy were unclear, Antilochus came in second ahead of Menelaus who accused the former of cheating. Some scholars believe that Antilochus ignored his father's advice which was why he came second, however, others maintain that it was Nestor's advice that helped Antilochus to second place despite his slow horses.

Nestor Recalls His Race in Bouprasion

At the end of the race, Achilleus rewarded Nestor in memory of Patroclus and Nestor gave a lengthy speech recounting when he competed in the chariot race during the funeral games for King Amarynkeus. According to him, he won all competitions except the chariot race which he lost to the twins known as Aktorione or Molione.

He narrated that the twins won the race simply because they were two and he was the only one. The strategy the twins adopted was simple; one of them held on tightly to the reins of the horses while the other spurred the beasts with a whip.

This strategy by the twins helped to maintain the equilibrium between the balance and the speed of the horses. Thus, they won without sacrificing one element for the other. This is in stark contrast to Eumelos (a competitor during the funeral games for Patroclus) who had the fastest horses but lost the race because his horses couldn't balance stability with speed.

Nestor's Contradictory Advice

However, not all Nestor's counsels ended in victory for his audience. For example, when Zeus tricked the Greeks by giving a false dream of hope to the King of Mycenae, Nestor fell for the trick and urged the Greeks to battle. However, the Greeks suffered heavy losses and tipped the balance in favor of the Trojans.

Also, in Book Four of the Iliad, Nestor told the Achaeans to use spear techniques in their battle with the Trojans. It was a piece of advice that proved disastrous as the Achaean troops suffered heavy casualties.

Who Is Nestor in the Odyssey and What is Nestor's Role in the Iliad?

He is the same as Nestor that appears in the Iliad and his role is to give an account of past events before the Trojan war. He also incites the warriors through his long-winded speeches of bravery and victory on the battlefield.

The Family of Nestor

The father of Nestor was King Neleus and his mother was Queen Chloris, who originally hailed from Minyae. According to other accounts, Nestor's mother was Polymede. The wife of Nestor varies depending on the myth; some say he married Eurydice, the princess of Pylos while others claim his wife was Anaxibia, the daughter of Cratieus.

Regardless of who he married, Nestor had nine children including Pisidice, Thrasymedes, Perseus, Peisistratus, Polycaste, and Aretus. The others were Echephron, Stratichus, and Antilochus with later accounts adding Epicaste, the mother of the poet Homer.

Conclusion

This article has covered the family and role of Nestor, a minor but key character in the epic poem the Iliad. Here is a recap of all that we have read so far:

• Nestor's father was King Neleus of Pylos and his mother was either Chloris of Minyae or Polymede, depending on the source of the myth.

• He married either Eurydice of Pylos or Anaxibia, the daughter of Craetius and had nine children including Antilochus, Aretus, Perseus, Polycaste, Echephron and Stratichus.

• He took part in the Trojan War alongside his sons and led the Pylians in his chariot but one of his horses was shot and killed by an arrow from Paris's bow.

• Nestor's advice to Patroclus set in motion events that would eventually lead to the victory of the Greeks over the Trojans though it cost the life of Patroclus.

At the funeral games for Patroclus, Nestor's advice helped his son Antilochus come second and Nestor was rewarded for his old age and wisdom. Though he was garrulous and tended to tout his own achievements during his lengthy advice, his audience loved him and revered him greatly.