Lycomedes- Greek FigureMortal"King of Skyros"
Also known as: Λυκομήδης
Titles & Epithets
Description
King of Skyros who pushed the exiled Theseus from a cliff to his death when the hero sought refuge on his island. He later sheltered the young Achilles, hiding him disguised among his daughters to keep him from the Trojan War.
Mythology & Lore
The Cliff and the Disguise
Theseus came to Skyros in exile, driven from Athens by Menestheus. He claimed ancestral estates on the island. Lycomedes received him as a guest, led him to a high cliff as if to show him the lands, and pushed him off the edge.
Years later, when Thetis sought to hide her son Achilles from the call to Troy, she brought the boy to Lycomedes. He dressed Achilles in women's clothes and kept him among his own daughters. Odysseus came to Skyros disguised as a merchant, laid weapons among his wares, and Achilles reached for a sword. The disguise was over.
Relationships
- Slew