The Lycian warrior Sarpedon was a son of Zeus and in the
Trojan War he was an ally of the Trojans. Sarpedon has a significant appearance in Book
5 of Homer's Iliad, where he spurs Hector on to action and then
later kills Tlepolemus, who was a son of Heracles (Hercules). In the process of killing
Tlepolemus, Sarpedon himself was wounded because "two long spears flew from their hands
together" (Iliad 5.657).
We also find
Sarpedon playing a significant role in Iliad 12, as the Trojans
make an assault on the Greek camp. It is Sarpedon who first makes a massive hole in the
wall of the Greek fortifications, before he is driven back by Ajax and
Teucer.
Sarpedon's final appearance in the Iliad
occurs in Book 16, as Sarpedon is killed in battle by Patroclus. Because
Sarpedon was a son of Zeus, Zeus briefly considers rescuing his son from death, but Hera
persuades him not to do this. Zeus agrees not to go against what is fated to happen and
thus Sarpedon dies.
A beautiful vase painting exists
showing Sleep and Death, under the direction of Hermes, carrying Sarpedon off of the
battlefield (see the theoi.com link).
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