Funeral Games for Patroclus: Wrestling (*Iliad* 23)

Funeral Games for Patroclus: Wrestling (Iliad 23)

Catalogue ID: 04-trojan-cycle/146-funeral-games-wrestling-ajax-odysseus-iliad-23

Cycle: Trojan — Homeric *Iliad* / Book 23 games

Version line: Homeric — wrestling draw (Ajax Telamonian and Odysseus)

Sources: Homer, *Iliad* 23.700–739

Source file: /workspace/greek-myth-catalogue/04-trojan-cycle/146-funeral-games-wrestling-ajax-odysseus-iliad-23.md

Characters

Ajax — wrestles Odysseus to a standstill
Odysseus — matches Ajax by craft and grip
Patroclus — honoree of the games
Trojan assembly — host; awards equal prizes

Places

Trojan shore — wrestling ground

Themes

Narrative

Achilles offers a great tripod worth twelve oxen for the wrestling winner and a skilled woman worth four oxen for the second. Ajax son of Telamon and Odysseus stand forth—the two strongest and craftiest of the Achaeans after Achilles. They grip, and neither can throw the other: Ajax lifts Odysseus a little but cannot topple him; Odysseus hooks Ajax’s knee but cannot bring him down cleanly. Exhausted, they ask Achilles to award equal prizes. He does, urging them to divide the gifts and leave strength for other contests. The draw foreshadows their later fatal rivalry over Achilles’ arms (04/032): here fellowship still holds under the funeral’s temporary peace.