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The Epic Cycle

Epic Cycle

Aethiopis

fragment 1

Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii

The Kypria, described in the preceding book, has its sequel in the Iliad of Homer, which is followed in turn by the five books of the Aethiopis, the work of Arktinos of Miletos. Their contents are as follows. The Amazon Penthesileia, the daughter of Ares and of Thrakian race, comes to aid the Trojans, and after showing great prowess, is killed by Akhilleus and buried by the Trojans. Akhilleus then slays Thersites for abusing and reviling him for his supposed love for Penthesileia. As a result a dispute arises amongst the Akhaians over the killing of Thersites, and Akhilleus sails to Lesbos and after sacrificing to Apollon, Artemis, and Leto, is purified by Odysseus from bloodshed.

Then Memnon, the son of Eos (Dawn), wearing armor made by Hephaistos, comes to help the Trojans, and Thetis tells her son about Memnon. A battle takes place in which Antilokhos is slain by Memnon and Memnon by Akhilleus. Eos then obtains from Zeus and bestows upon her son immortality; but Akhilleus routs the Trojans, and, rushing into the city with them, is killed by Paris (Trojan Prince Alexandros) and Apollon. A great struggle for the body then follows, Aias (son of Telamon) taking up the body and carrying it to the ships, while Odysseus drives off the Trojans behind. The Akhaians then bury Antilokhos and lay out the body of Akhilleus, while Thetis, arriving with the Muses and her sisters, bewails her son, whom she afterwards catches away from the pyre and transports to White Island. After this, the Akhaians pile him a cairn and hold games in his honor. Lastly a dispute arises between Odysseus and Aias over the arms of Akhilleus.

fragment 2

Schol. on Il. xxiv. 804

Some read: "Thus they performed the burial of Hektor. Then came the Amazon, the daughter of great-souled Ares the slayer of men."

fragment 3

Schol. on Pindar, Isth. iii. 53

The author of the Aethiopis says that Aias (son of Telamon) killed himself about dawn.

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