Everything about The Myrmidons totally explained
The
Myrmidons (or
Myrmidones;
Greek: Μυρμιδόνες) were an ancient nation of
Greek mythology. They were very brave and skilled warriors as described in Homer's
Iliad, and were commanded by
Achilles. Their
eponymous ancestor was
Myrmidon, a king of
Phthiotis who was a son of
Zeus and "wide-ruling"
Eurymedousa, a princess of
Phthiotis. She was seduced by him in the form of an ant. An
etiological myth of their origins, simply expanding upon their supposed etymology— the name in Classical Greek was interpreted as "
ant-people", from
murmekes, "ants"— was first mentioned by
Ovid, in
Metamorphoses: in Ovid's telling, the Myrmidons were simple worker ants on the island of
Aegina.
Later use of the term
The Myrmidons of Greek myth were known for their loyalty to their leaders, so that in pre-industrial
Europe the word "myrmidon" carried many of the same connotations that "
robot" does today. "Myrmidon" later came to mean "hired ruffian" (according to the
Oxford English Dictionary) or "a loyal follower, especially one who executes orders without question, protest, or pity, unquestioning followers." (
Dictionary.com).
Myrmidons is also the title of the first of a trilogy of plays by
Aeschylus, collectively known as
Achilleis. The other plays in the trilogy are
Nereids and
Phrygians. See
Achilles (play) for more.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Myrmidons'.
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