Myrmidons
Encyclopedia
The Myrmidons or Myrmidones were legendary people of Greek history. They were very brave and skilled warriors commanded by Achilles
, as described in Homer's Iliad
. Their eponym
ous ancestor was Myrmidon
, a king of Thessalian Phthia
, who was the son of Zeus
and "wide-ruling" Eurymedousa
, a princess of Phthia. She was seduced by Zeus in the form of an ant. An etiological myth
of their origins, expanding upon their etymology — the name in Classical Greek was interpreted as "ant
-people", from μυρμηδών (murmedon) "ant's nest" and that from μύρμηξ (murmex) "ant" — was first mentioned by Ovid
, in Metamorphoses
: in Ovid's telling, King Aeacus
of Aegina
, father of Peleus
, pleaded with Zeus to populate his country after a terrible plague. Zeus said his people would number as the ants on his sacred oak, and from the ants sprang the people of Aegina
, the Myrmidons.
According to Homer's Iliad
, the Myrmidons were the fiercest warriors in all of Greece. As said in Iliad, "Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it over the Myrmidons".
the word "myrmidon" carried many of the same connotations that "minion" does today. Myrmidon later came to mean "hired ruffian" (according to the Oxford English Dictionary
) or "a loyal follower, especially one who executes orders without question, protest, or pity - unquestioning followers." (Dictionary.com
).
Myrmidons is also the title of the first of a trilogy of plays by Aeschylus
, collectively known as the Achilleïs. The other plays in the trilogy are Nereids and Phrygians (see Achilleis (trilogy) for more). One of their closest extant references is their musical parody in The Frogs
, 405 BC, per the line "why you come not to our rescue?"
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Plato named Achilles the handsomest of the heroes assembled against Troy....
, as described in Homer's Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
. Their eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous ancestor was Myrmidon
Myrmidon (hero)
In Greek mythology, Myrmidon was the eponymous ancestor of the Myrmidons.He was the son of Zeus and Eurymedusa, daughter of Cleitor of Arcadia or of the river god Achelous...
, a king of Thessalian Phthia
Phthia
Phthia , Phthíē ) in ancient Greece was the southernmost region of ancient Thessaly, on both sides of Othrys Mountain. It was the homeland of the Myrmidones tribe, who took part in the Trojan War under Achilles....
, who was the son of Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
and "wide-ruling" Eurymedousa
Eurymedousa
Eurymedousa is a name attributed to several women in Greek mythology.*Eurymedousa, daughter of Cletor or Achelous. Zeus had intercourse with her in the shape of an ant and she gave birth to Myrmidon.*Eurymedousa, an old woman from Apeire and the nanny and attendant of Nausicaa.*Eurymedousa,...
, a princess of Phthia. She was seduced by Zeus in the form of an ant. An etiological myth
Etiology
Etiology is the study of causation, or origination. The word is derived from the Greek , aitiologia, "giving a reason for" ....
of their origins, expanding upon their etymology — the name in Classical Greek was interpreted as "ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
-people", from μυρμηδών (murmedon) "ant's nest" and that from μύρμηξ (murmex) "ant" — was first mentioned by Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
, in Metamorphoses
Metamorphoses (poem)
Metamorphoses is a Latin narrative poem in fifteen books by the Roman poet Ovid describing the history of the world from its creation to the deification of Julius Caesar within a loose mythico-historical framework. Completed in AD 8, it is recognized as a masterpiece of Golden Age Latin literature...
: in Ovid's telling, King Aeacus
Aeacus
Aeacus was a mythological king of the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf.He was son of Zeus and Aegina, a daughter of the river-god Asopus. He was born on the island of Oenone or Oenopia, to which Aegina had been carried by Zeus to secure her from the anger of her parents, and whence this...
of Aegina
Aegina
Aegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.-Municipality:The municipality...
, father of Peleus
Peleus
In Greek mythology, Pēleus was a hero whose myth was already known to the hearers of Homer in the late 8th century BCE. Peleus was the son of Aeacus, king of the island of Aegina, and Endeïs, the oread of Mount Pelion in Thessaly; he was the father of Achilles...
, pleaded with Zeus to populate his country after a terrible plague. Zeus said his people would number as the ants on his sacred oak, and from the ants sprang the people of Aegina
Aegina
Aegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.-Municipality:The municipality...
, the Myrmidons.
According to Homer's Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
, the Myrmidons were the fiercest warriors in all of Greece. As said in Iliad, "Go home, then, with your ships and comrades to lord it over the Myrmidons".
Later use of the term
The Myrmidons of Greek myth were known for their skill in battle and loyalty to their leaders. In pre-industrial EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
the word "myrmidon" carried many of the same connotations that "minion" does today. Myrmidon later came to mean "hired ruffian" (according to the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
) or "a loyal follower, especially one who executes orders without question, protest, or pity - unquestioning followers." (Dictionary.com
Reference.com
Reference.com is an online encyclopedia, thesaurus, and dictionary. The site also provides machine translation and web search.Reference.com was launched by InReference, Inc in February, 1997. The site was later acquired by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. In 2005, Lexico announced that Reference.com...
).
Myrmidons is also the title of the first of a trilogy of plays by Aeschylus
Aeschylus
Aeschylus was the first of the three ancient Greek tragedians whose work has survived, the others being Sophocles and Euripides, and is often described as the father of tragedy. His name derives from the Greek word aiskhos , meaning "shame"...
, collectively known as the Achilleïs. The other plays in the trilogy are Nereids and Phrygians (see Achilleis (trilogy) for more). One of their closest extant references is their musical parody in The Frogs
The Frogs
The Frogs is a comedy written by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It was performed at the Lenaia, one of the Festivals of Dionysus, in 405 BC, and received first place.-Plot:...
, 405 BC, per the line "why you come not to our rescue?"