Source-groundedThe Iliad
All entities

Animal · Individual

Xanthus

fleet horse yoked by Automedon

Published entity metadata

Read-only identity and editorial metadata.

Canonical name
Xanthus
Disambiguator
fleet horse yoked by Automedon
Kind
Animal
Scope
Individual
Editorial note
Distinct from inherited character, location, and Hector-team horse homonyms.

Aliases

0

No aliases recorded.

Location presence

Phase 6 currently covers 24 processed books.

0

No presence observations in the processed scope.

Claims

4
·Direct

Automedon yokes Xanthus, one of the fleet horses that can fly like the wind.

See evidence text
“Automedon therefore yoked the fleet horses Xanthus and Balius, steeds that could fly like the wind”
·Direct

Xanthus plunges and becomes entangled after Pedasus falls, then is righted when Automedon cuts the dead horse loose and pulls back into battle with Balius.

See evidence text
“The other two horses began to plunge; the pole of the chariot cracked and they got entangled in the reins through the fall of the horse that was yoked along with them; but Automedon knew what to do; without the loss of a moment he drew the keen blade that hung by his sturdy thigh and cut the third horse adrift; whereon the other two righted themselves, and pulling hard at the reins again went together into battle.”
·Direct

Xanthus is one of the famed offspring of Podarge whom Achilles addresses together, charging the pair to bring their driver safely back rather than leave him dead like Patroclus.

See evidence text
“Xanthus and Balius, famed offspring of Podarge—this time when we have done fighting be sure and bring your driver safely back to the host of the Achaeans, and do not leave him dead on the plain as you did Patroclus”
·Direct

Fleet Xanthus speaks with human speech under the yoke, then bows until his hanging mane touches the ground beneath the yoke-band.

See evidence text
“fleet Xanthus answered under the yoke—for whitearmed Juno had endowed him with human speech—and he bowed his head till his mane touched the ground as it hung down from under the yoke-band”

Additional evidence

Evidence records not already represented by a claim.

2
·Direct
“fleet horses Xanthus and Balius”
·Direct
“Xanthus and Balius, famed offspring of Podarge”

Passage preview

Book 16 · Passage 7

As he spoke Patroclus put on his armour. First he greaved his legs with greaves of good make, and fitted with ancleclasps of silver; after this he donned the cuirass of the son of Aeacus, richly inlaid and studded. He hung his silverstudded sword of bronze about his shoulders, and then his mighty shield. On his comely head he set his helmet, well wrought, with a crest of horse-hair that nodded menacingly above it. He grasped two redoubtable spears that suited his hands, but he did not take the spear of noble Achilles, so stout and strong, for none other of the Achaeans could wield it, though Achilles could do so easily. This was the ashen spear from Mount Pelion, which Chiron had cut upon a mountain top and had given to Peleus, wherewith to deal out death among heroes. He bade Automedon yoke his horses with all speed, for he was the man whom he held in honour next after Achilles, and on whose support in battle he could rely most firmly. Automedon therefore yoked the fleet horses Xanthus and Balius, steeds that could fly like the wind: these were they whom the harpy Podarge bore to the west wind, as she was grazing in a meadow by the waters of the river Oceanus. In the side traces he set the noble horse Pedasus, whom Achilles had brought away with him when he sacked the city of Eetion, and who, mortal steed though he was, could take his place along with those that were immortal.