Editing Laertes (father of Odysseus)

{{Short description|Legendary king of Ithaca}}
[[File:Odysseus3.jpg|thumb|[[Odysseus]] meets his father Laertes on his return to Ithaca ([[Theodoor van Thulden]], 1600)]]

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Laertes''' ({{IPAc-en|l|eɪ|ˈ|ɜr|t|iː|z}}; {{langx|grc|Λαέρτης|Laértēs}} {{IPA|el|laː.ér.tɛːs}}; also spelled '''Laërtes''') was the king of the [[Cephallenians]], an ethnic group who lived both on the [[Ionian Islands]] and on the mainland.<ref>Entry [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0073%3Aentry%3D*kefallh%3Dnes "Κεφαλλῆνες"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195539/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0073:entry=*kefallh=nes |date=2021-06-24 }} in ''Homeric Dictionary'' by Georg Autenrieth.</ref> He presumably inherited the kingdom from his father [[Arcesius]] and grandfather [[Cephalus (son of Hermes)|Cephalus]]. His realm included [[Homer's Ithaca|Ithaca]] and surrounding islands, and perhaps even the neighboring part of the mainland of other Greek city-states. Laertes was also an [[Argonaut]],<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], 4.48.5; [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.9.16&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Laertes 1.9.16]</ref> and a participant in the hunt for the [[Calydonian Boar]].<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#173 173]</ref>

== Family ==
Laertes was the son of Arcesius<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' 13.144; Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.9.16&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Laertes 1.9.16]; Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#189 189]</ref> and [[Chalcomedusa (mythology)|Chalcomedusa]]; and the father of [[Odysseus]]<ref>Apollodorus, 3.10.8; Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#95 95] & [https://topostext.org/work/206#251 251]; [[Hesiod]], ''[[Ehoiai]]'' 68.1 as cited from ''[[Berlin Papyri]],'' No. 9739, ll. 21-27</ref> (who was thus called ''Laertiádēs'', Λαερτιάδης, "son of Laertes") and [[Ctimene]]<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' 15.363–364</ref> by his wife [[Anticlea]],<ref>Apollodorus, E.3.12; Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#97 97] & [https://topostext.org/work/206#201 201]</ref> daughter of the thief [[Autolycus]]. Another account says that Laertes was not Odysseus's true father; rather, it was [[Sisyphus]], who had seduced [[Anticlea]].<ref>Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#201 201]; [[Plutarch]], ''Quaestiones Graecae'' 43; [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]], Commentary on [[Virgil|Virgil's]] ''[[Aeneid]]'' 6.529; [[Suda]], s.v. ''[https://topostext.org/work/240#si.490 Sisyphus]''</ref>

== Mythology ==
[[File:Arte romana, frammento di sarcofago con ulisse e laerte, 150 dc ca., da roma (museo barracco).jpg|thumb|Fragment of a Roman sarcophagus with Odysseus and Laertes, 150s AD, Museo Barracco.]]

Laertes stays away from Odysseus' home while Odysseus is gone. He keeps to himself on his farm, overcome with grief over Odysseus' absence and alone after his wife, Anticleia, died from grief herself. Odysseus finally comes to see Laertes after he has killed all the suitors competing for Penelope. He finds his father spading a plant, looking old and tired and filled with sadness. Odysseus keeps his identity to himself at first, identifying himself only as Quarrelman, only son of King Allwoes (in the [[Fitzgerald translation of Homer]]),<ref>{{cite book |translator=Robert Fitzgerald |author=Homer |title=The Odyssey: The Fitzgerald Translation |year=1998 |publisher=Macmillan |pages=lx |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bafQVqR6O5kC&q=%22allwoes%22+laertes&pg=PR60 |isbn=9781466801479 |access-date=2020-11-01 |archive-date=2021-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930164938/https://books.google.com/books?id=bafQVqR6O5kC&q=%22allwoes%22+laertes&pg=PR60 |url-status=live }}</ref> but when he sees how disappointed Laertes is to learn that this "stranger" has no news of his son, Odysseus reveals himself, and proves his identity by reciting all the trees he received from Laertes when he was a boy. This emphasis on the land of Ithaca itself perhaps signifies that Odysseus has finally reconnected with his homeland, and his journey is over.<ref>Homer.  ''Odyssey.''  Trans. Stanley Lombardo.  Canada: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2000.  Print.</ref>

Laertes had trained Odysseus in [[husbandry]]. After their reunion, the two of them go to Odysseus' home to fend off the families of the dead suitors. [[Athena]] infuses vigour into Laertes, so he can help Odysseus. He kills [[Eupeithes]], father of [[Antinous son of Eupeithes|Antinous]].<ref>Homer, ''Odyssey'' 24; Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 8.315</ref> Three years after Odysseus' return, Laertes died.<ref>[[Dictys Cretensis]], 6.6</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

== References ==
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
*[[Dictys Cretensis]]'', from The Trojan War.'' ''The Chronicles of Dictys of Crete and [[Dares Phrygius|Dares the Phrygian]]'' translated by Richard McIlwaine Frazer, Jr. (1931–). Indiana University Press. 1966. [https://topostext.org/work/152 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
*[[Diodorus Siculus]], ''The Library of History'' translated by [[Charles Henry Oldfather]]. Twelve volumes. [[Loeb Classical Library]]. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/home.html Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site]
*Diodorus Siculus, ''Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2''. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888-1890. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0540 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[Gaius Julius Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
*[[Hesiod]], ''Catalogue of Women'' from ''Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle, Homerica'' translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Loeb Classical Library Volume 57. London: William Heinemann, 1914. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HesiodCatalogues.html Online version at theio.com]
*[[Homer]], [[Odyssey|''The Odyssey'']] with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, PH.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919. {{ISBN|978-0674995611|}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0136 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0135 Greek text available from the same website].
*[[Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus]], ''Moralia'' with an English Translation by Frank Cole Babbitt. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1936. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0215 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0213 Greek text available from the same website].
*[[Maurus Servius Honoratus]], ''In Vergilii carmina comentarii. Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii;'' recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen. Georgius Thilo. Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1881. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0053 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[Publius Ovidius Naso]], ''Metamorphoses'' translated by Brookes More (1859–1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0028 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
*Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Metamorphoses.'' Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0029 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[Suda|Suida]], ''Suda Encyclopedia'' translated by Ross Scaife, David Whitehead, William Hutton, Catharine Roth, Jennifer Benedict, Gregory Hays, Malcolm Heath Sean M. Redmond, Nicholas Fincher, Patrick Rourke, Elizabeth Vandiver, Raphael Finkel, Frederick Williams, Carl Widstrand, Robert Dyer, Joseph L. Rife, Oliver Phillips and many others. [https://topostext.org/work/240 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]

== External links ==
*{{Commons category-inline|Laertes|Laertes}}

{{Characters in the Odyssey}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Argonauts]]
[[Category:Kings in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Characters in the Odyssey]]
[[Category:Odysseus]]
[[Category:Mythological Ithacans]]
[[Category:Suicides in Greek mythology]]

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