View source for Podalirius

{{For|the former butterfly genus Podalirius|Heliconius}}

[[File:Statue of Podalirius.JPG|thumb|right|150px|Statue of Podalirius - [[Archaeological Museum of Dion]]]]
In [[Greek mythology]], '''Podalirius''' or '''Podaleirius''' or '''Podaleirios''' ({{langx|grc| Ποδαλείριος}}) was a son of [[Asclepius]].

== Mythology ==

=== Trojan war ===
With [[Machaon (physician)|Machaon]], his brother, he led thirty ships from [[Tricca]], [[Thessaly]] in the [[Trojan War]] on the side of the Greeks.<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]''  2.729–733; [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], Epitome 3.14</ref> Like Machaon, he was a legendary healer. He healed [[Philoctetes]], holder of the bow and arrows of [[Heracles]] required to end the war.<ref>Apollodorus, Epitome 5.8</ref> He was one of those who entered the [[Trojan Horse]].<ref>[[Quintus Smyrnaeus]], 12.321</ref> Alongside [[Amphilochus I of Argos|Amphilochus]], [[Calchas]], [[Leonteus (mythology)|Leonteus]] and [[Polypoetes]] he traveled to [[Colophon (city)|Colophon]], where Calchas died.<ref>Apollodorus, Epitome 6.2</ref>

=== Aftermath ===
[[File:Podaleirios at Ancient Messene.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Marble torso from the [[Asclepieion]] at the Ancient [[Messene]]]] 
Unlike his brother, Podalirius survived the war, and subsequently settled in [[Caria]]. Accounts vary as to how he ended up there. According to one version, he returned to [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]] after the war but later went on to consult the [[Delphi]]an oracle about a preferable place for himself to live, and was instructed to stay at a place where he would suffer no harm should the sky fall; thus he chose the Carian peninsula which was surrounded by mountains.<ref>Apollodorus, Epitome 6.18</ref><ref name="Tzetzes">[[Tzetzes]] on [[Lycophron]], 1047</ref> Others relate that on the way back from Troy Podalirius' ship was blown off course so he landed in [[Syrna (Caria)|Syrnus]], Caria, where he settled.<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 3.26.10</ref> In yet another version, he got shipwrecked near the Carian coast but was rescued by a shepherd named Bybassus, the [[eponym]]-to-be of a city in Caria.<ref>[[Stephanus of Byzantium]], s.v. ''Bybassos''</ref> Podalirus could be the founder of Syrnus, which he became after the following series of events. Podalirius arrived at the court of the Carian king Damaethus and healed the king's daughter Syrna, who had fallen off a roof. In reward, Damaethus gave him Syrna in marriage and handed the power over the peninsula over to him. Podalirus founded two cities, one of which he named Syrnus after his wife and the other [[Bybassus]] after the shepherd to whom he owed his life.<ref>Stephanus of Byzantium, s.v. ''Syrnos''</ref>

According to [[Strabo]], a [[heroön]] of Podalirius, and another of Calchas, were located in [[Daunia]], Italy, on a hill known as Drium. By the hero-shrine of Podalirius there flowed a stream believed to cure animals of any diseases.<ref>[[Strabo]], 6.3.9</ref> [[Lycophron]] writes that Podalirius was buried in Italy near the [[cenotaph]] of Calchas,<ref>Lycophron, 1047</ref> but [[John Tzetzes]] accuses him of providing false information and defends the versions cited above.<ref name="Tzetzes" />

In the account of [[Dares Phrygius|Dares the Phrygian]], Podalirius is described as "sturdy, strong, haughty, and moody."<ref>[[Dares Phrygius]], ''History of the Fall of Troy'' [https://www.theoi.com/Text/DaresPhrygius.html 13]</ref>
== See also ==
* [[4086 Podalirius]], a Jovian asteroid
* ''[[Podalyria]]'', a plant genus in [[Fabaceae]], was named for Podalirius.
* ''[[Iphiclides podalirius]]'', the scarce swallowtail butterfly.

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==

* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
* [[Dares Phrygius]], ''from The Trojan War.'' ''The Chronicles of [[Dictys Cretensis|Dictys of Crete]] and Dares the Phrygian'' translated by Richard McIlwaine Frazer, Jr. (1931–). Indiana University Press. 1966. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/DaresPhrygius.html Online version at theio.com]
* [[Homer]], [[Iliad|''The Iliad'']] with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. {{ISBN|978-0674995796|}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0134 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Homer, ''Homeri Opera'' in five volumes. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 1920. {{ISBN|978-0198145318|}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0133 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Lycophron]], ''The Alexandra''  translated by Alexander William Mair. Loeb Classical Library Volume 129. London: William Heinemann, 1921. [https://topostext.org/work/128 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* Lycophron, ''Alexandra'' translated by A.W. Mair. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1921. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0484 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* [[Quintus Smyrnaeus]], ''[[Posthomerica|The Fall of Troy]]'' translated by Way. A. S. Loeb Classical Library Volume 19. London: William Heinemann, 1913. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/QuintusSmyrnaeus1.html Online version at theio.com]
* Quintus Smyrnaeus, ''The Fall of Troy''. Arthur S. Way. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1913. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0490 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], ''Stephani Byzantii Ethnicorum quae supersunt,'' edited by August Meineike (1790–1870), published 1849. A few entries from this important ancient handbook of place names have been translated by Brady Kiesling. [https://topostext.org/work/241 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Strabo]], ''[[Geographica|The Geography of Strabo]].'' Edition by H.L. Jones. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0198%3Abook%3D6%3Achapter%3D1%3Asection%3D1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Strabo, ''Geographica'' edited by A. Meineke. Leipzig: Teubner. 1877. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0197 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.]

== External links ==
* {{wiktionary-inline|Podaleirios}}

{{Characters in the Iliad}}

[[Category:Children of Asclepius]]
[[Category:Achaean Leaders]]
[[Category:Thessalians in the Trojan War]]
[[Category:Greek mythological heroes]]
[[Category:Mythological Greek physicians]]