Character · Individual
Read-only identity and editorial metadata.
Son of Aesculapius
Descriptive reference · Direct
Phase 6 currently covers 24 processed books.
No presence observations in the processed scope.
Machaon, a son of Aesculapius, is skilled in healing and jointly commands the thirty-ship force.
“Those, again, of Tricca and the stony region of Ithome, and they that held Oechalia, the city of Oechalian Eurytus, these were commanded by the two sons of Aesculapius, skilled in the art of healing, Podalirius and Machaon. And with them there came thirty ships.”
Agamemnon says the surgeon will examine Menelaus’s wound and apply herbs to relieve his pain.
“And Agamemnon answered, ‘I trust, dear Menelaus, that it may be even so, but the surgeon shall examine your wound and lay herbs upon it to relieve your pain”
Machaon is identified as the great physician Aesculapius’s son and is summoned to see Menelaus immediately.
“He then said to Talthybius, ‘Talthybius, tell Machaon, son to the great physician, Aesculapius, to come and see Menelaus immediately”
Machaon enters the ring, pulls out the arrow so forcefully that its barbs bend back, undoes Menelaus’s layered armour, examines the wound, wipes away the blood, and applies soothing drugs.
“Machaon passed into the middle of the ring and at once drew the arrow from the belt, bending its barbs back through the force with which he pulled it out. He undid the burnished belt, and beneath this the cuirass and the belt of mail which the bronze-smiths had made; then, when he had seen the wound, he wiped away the blood and applied some soothing drugs”
Machaon is stopped by a triple-barbed arrow in his right shoulder; Idomeneus says the physician’s skill at extracting arrows and applying herbs makes him worth several men.
“stayed the prowess of Machaon, shepherd of his people, by wounding him in the right shoulder with a triplebarbed arrow. The Achaeans were in great fear that as the fight had turned against them the Trojans might take him prisoner, and Idomeneus said to Nestor, ‘Nestor son of Neleus, honour to the Achaean name, mount your chariot at once; take Machaon with you and drive your horses to the ships as fast as you can. A physician is worth more than several other men put together, for he can cut out arrows and spread healing herbs”
Achilles tentatively identifies the wounded man by his back as Machaon because the horses hid his face.
“from his back I should say it was Machaon son of Aesculapius, but I could not see his face”
Nestor reports Machaon among the Achaean leaders disabled by wounds.
“our most valiant chieftains lie disabled, brave Diomed, son of Tydeus, is wounded; so are Ulysses and Agamemnon; Eurypylus has been hit with an arrow in the thigh, and I have just been bringing this man from the field—he too wounded with an arrow”
Eurypylus reports hearing that Machaon lies wounded in his tent and needs healing.
“Machaon, I hear that the one is lying wounded in his tent and is himself in need of healing”
Nestor identifies Machaon as blood-clotted and in need of a heated bath and washing.
“stay here, therefore, and sit over your wine, while fair Hecamede heats you a bath and washes the clotted blood from off you.”
Evidence records not already represented by a claim.
“Machaon”
“Son of Aesculapius”
“Machaon son of the famed physician Aesculapius”
“noble Machaon”