Character · Individual
Read-only identity and editorial metadata.
son of Molus
Descriptive reference · Direct
Phase 6 currently covers 24 processed books.
Meriones crosses the Achaeans’ trench with the summoned chiefs before meeting beyond it.
“With this he passed the trench, and with him the other chiefs of the Achaeans who had been called to the council. Meriones and the brave son of Nestor went also, for the princes bade them. When they were beyond the trench that was dug round the wall they held their meeting on the open ground”
Meriones, one of the five drivers just placed in line, raced over the plain away from the ships.
“At the same instant they all of them lashed their horses, struck them with the reins, and shouted at them with all their might. They flew full speed over the plain away from the ships”
Meriones co-leads the Cretans and is described as a peer of murderous Mars.
“The famous spearsman Idomeneus led the Cretans, who held Cnossus, and the well-walled city of Gortys; Lyctus also, Miletus and Lycastus that lies upon the chalk; the populous towns of Phaestus and Rhytium, with the other peoples that dwelt in the hundred cities of Crete. All these were led by Idomeneus, and by Meriones, peer of murderous Mars. And with these there came eighty ships.”
Meriones brings up the rear battalions.
“Meriones was bringing up the battalions that were in the rear”
Meriones overtakes Phereclus and drives a spear through buttock, bone, and bladder, leaving him crying on his knees.
“Meriones overtook him as he was flying, and struck him on the right buttock. The point of the spear went through the bone into the bladder, and death came upon him as he cried aloud and fell forward on his knees.”
Meriones is among the nine Achaean champions who rise to answer Hector’s challenge.
“forthwith nine men started to their feet. Foremost of all uprose King Agamemnon, and after him brave Diomed the son of Tydeus. Next were the two Ajaxes, men clothed in valour as with a garment, and then Idomeneus, and Meriones his brother in arms. After these Eurypylus son of Euaemon, Thoas the son of Andraemon, and Ulysses also rose”
Meriones is among seven captains leading armoured sentinels, each with a hundred long-speared youths.
“The sentinels went out in their armour under command of Nestor’s son Thrasymedes, a captain of the host, and of the bold warriors Ascalaphus and Ialmenus: there were also Meriones, Aphareus and Deipyrus, and the son of Creion, noble Lycomedes. There were seven captains of the sentinels, and with each there went a hundred youths armed with long spears”
Agamemnon describes Meriones as Idomeneus’s brother-in-arms and a captain over the sentinels.
“Meriones brother in arms to Idomeneus, are captains over them.”
Meriones supplies Ulysses with bow, quiver, and a leather helmet.
“Meriones found a bow and quiver for Ulysses, and on his head he set a leathern helmet”
Meriones hits Deiphobus’s shield but breaks his spear, withdraws under cover, and turns toward the tents for another.
“Meriones took aim at him with a spear, nor did he fail to hit the broad orb of ox-hide; but he was far from piercing it for the spear broke in two pieces long ere he could do so; moreover Deiphobus had seen it coming and had held his shield well away from him. Meriones drew back under cover of his comrades, angry alike at having failed to vanquish Deiphobus, and having broken his spear. He turned therefore towards the ships and tents to fetch a spear which he had left behind in his tent.”
Meriones is Idomeneus’s sturdy squire and meets him near the tent while seeking a spear.
“Meriones his sturdy squire met him while he was still near his tent (for he was going to fetch his spear”
Idomeneus calls Meriones his fleet-footed best comrade.
“fleet son of Molus, best of comrades”
Meriones seeks a spear because his previous one broke against Deiphobus’s shield.
“I come for a spear, if I can find one in my tent; I have broken the one I had, in throwing it at the shield of Deiphobus.”
Meriones says he keeps Trojan spoils and has always held his own among the foremost in hard fighting.
“I too in my tent and at my ship have spoils taken from the Trojans, but they are not at hand. I have been at all times valorous, and wherever there has been hard fighting have held my own among the foremost.”
Idomeneus says no one could slight Meriones’s courage or feats if the best men were chosen for an ambush.
“If the best men at the ships were being chosen to go on an ambush—and there is nothing like this for showing what a man is made of; it comes out then who is cowardly and who brave; the coward will change colour at every touch and turn; he is full of fears, and keeps shifting his weight first on one knee and then on the other; his heart beats fast as he thinks of death, and one can hear the chattering of his teeth; whereas the brave man will not change colour nor be frightened on finding himself in ambush, but is all the time longing to go into action—if the best men were being chosen for such a service, no one could make light of your courage nor feats of arms.”
Meriones obtains a bronze spear from the tent.
“On this Meriones, peer of Mars, went to the tent and got himself a spear of bronze.”
Meriones advances as Idomeneus’s squire in richly wrought armour.
“him and his squire clad in their richly wrought armour”
Meriones spears Deiphobus’s arm, makes the helmet fall, recovers his spear, and withdraws under cover.
“Meriones sprang upon him, and struck him on the arm with a spear so that the visored helmet fell from his hand and came ringing down upon the ground. Thereon Meriones sprang upon him like a vulture, drew the spear from his shoulder, and fell back under cover of his men.”
Meriones pursues and transfixes Adamas below the navel, then draws out the spear as he dies.
“Meriones followed after and hit him with a spear midway between the private parts and the navel, where a wound is particualrly painful to wretched mortals. There did Meriones transfix him, and he writhed convulsively about the spear as some bull whom mountain herdsmen have bound with ropes of withes and are taking away perforce. Even so did he move convulsively for a while, but not for very long, till Meriones came up and drew the spear out of his body, and his eyes were veiled in darkness.”
Meriones shoots retreating Harpalion through buttock, bone, and bladder, killing him.
“Meriones aimed a bronze-tipped arrow at him as he was leaving the field, and hit him on the right buttock; the arrow pierced the bone through and through, and penetrated the bladder, so he sat down where he was and breathed his last in the arms of his comrades”
Meriones slays Morys and Hippotion.
“Meriones slew Morys and Hippotion,”
Meriones pursues Acamas on foot and spears him through the right shoulder as he mounts his chariot, making him fall headlong from the car.
“Meriones gave chase to Acamas on foot and caught him up just as he was about to mount his chariot; he drove a spear through his right shoulder so that he fell headlong from the car, and his eyes were closed in darkness.”
Evidence records not already represented by a claim.
“Meriones”
“his companion in arms Meriones”
“Meriones, Aphareus and Deipyrus”
“Meriones, fleet son of Molus”
“Meriones slew Morys and Hippotion”
“Teucer, Meriones, and Meges peer of Mars”
“Meriones his esquire”
“Thoas, Meriones”
“Meriones, squire to Idomeneus”