Laomédon

In the Greek Mythology, Laomédon (in Greek old Λαομέδων / Laomédôn ), wire of Ilos and Eurydice, is the second mythical king of Troy. He is the father in particular of Priam, of Hésione, Tithon, Antigone and Procléia.

Caption

According to Apollodore, it makes build the walls of its city by Apollon and Poséidon, punished to have displeased with Zeus - according to Diodore of Sicily or Homère, only Poséidon builds the walls, while Apollon keeps the royal herds on the mount Ida de Troade. When the gods completed their work, Laomédon refuses to them the promised wages, i.e. thirty Drachme S Trojan. In punishment, Apollon strikes the city of the plague ( λοίμος / loímos ), however that Poséidon releases a marine monster ( κῆτος / kễtos ) which devours the inhabitants.

A oracle then reveals in Laomédon that it should regularly sacrifice a young virgin to alleviate the monster. One day, the fate falls on Hésione, its own daughter. Héraclès then proposes to him to save the young girl against the pair of divine horses given by Zeus to Tros, grandfather of Laomédon, in compensation for the removal of Ganymède. Laomédon agrees, but once Hésione saved, again refuses to discharge its due. Diodore specifies that it makes imprison the two heralds sent by Héraclès, Iphiclès and Télamon. The latter are saved in extremis by Priam. Furious, Héraclès kills Laomédon and its family, except for Priam and of Hésione.

Interpretation

Georges Dumézil notices that the legend of Laomédon shows three type of Hybris :

economic disloyalty towards Apollo and Poséidon, which it does not pay for their labor;
heroic disloyalty against Héraclès;
disloyalty against the heralds, whose person is crowned.

Thus, it finds the Indo-European trifonctionnality there:

shepherd and craftsman;
hero;
Zeus, protective god of the heralds.

Sources

(II, 5,9; 6,4).
(IV, 42,1-7; 3-6).
(XXI, 441-458).
Lucien de Samosate, Of the sacrifices , 4.
( Pythique , IV, 41-45).

See too

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