Скачать или смотреть AGELAUS - a servant of King Priam in Greek mythology

The name of Agelaus is a common one in Greek mythology, but one of these men named Agelaus played a role, although unwittingly, in the destruction of Troy.

AGELAUS THE HERDSMAN

​Agelaus of Troy was a servant of King Priam in Greek mythology; some call him a common herdsman, whilst others give him the title of chief herdsman of the Trojan king.

THE PROPHECY ABOUT PARIS

​Agelaus was in the employment of King Priam at the time when Hecabe, King Priam’s second wife became pregnant with a son.

When Hecabe started to have dreams about a burning torch setting fire to the city of Troy, this was interpreted by the seer Aesacus, that the son to be born to Priam and Hecabe was to bring the destruction to the city of Troy. Thus it was determined that that when Hecabe gave birth the son was to be killed.

Hecabe of course gave birth to a son, but neither Hecabe nor Priam could kill their son, and so the task was given to Agelaus instead.

AGELAUS AND THE ABANDONMENT OF PARIS

​Now Agelaus had no more gumption than Priam or Hecabe to take a weapon to the new-born boy, and so instead determined instead to leave the son of Priam exposed. Exposure was a common method in Greek mythology of killing, or attempting to kill children, for it was thought that if the child died it was the will of the gods, and hence when they survived it was also the will of the gods.

Thus it was that Agelaus left the new-born upon Mount Ida.

AGELAUS RAISES PARIS

Agelaus would return to the spot where he had abandoned the boy after a number of days; some say it was 5 days and some say 9 days. Of course, the boy had survived being exposed, for it was said he had been suckled by a she-bear.

Determining that it was the will of the gods that the boy should survive, Agelaus took the baby to his own home, to raise as his own. Though fearful of the reaction of Priam, Agelaus told his master that the boy was dead.

Some tell of how it was Agelaus who gave the boy his name, Paris, and gave him a second name also of Alexander.

Agelaus would raise Paris as his own son, with Paris growing up as a herdsman, like his “father”, defending the sheep and cattle of King Priam from man and beast.

​Agelaus, having rescued Paris, disappears from the tales of Greek mythology, but Paris of course is central to the destruction of Troy, just as Aesacus had foretold.