Laertes was the son of Arcesius[4] andChalcomedusa; and the father ofOdysseus[5] (who was thus calledLaertiádēs, Λαερτιάδης, "son of Laertes") andCtimene[6] by his wifeAnticlea,[7] daughter of the thiefAutolycus. Another account says that Laertes was not Odysseus's true father; rather, it wasSisyphus, who had seducedAnticlea.[8]
Fragment of a Roman sarcophagus with Odysseus and Laertes, 150s AD, Museo Barracco.
Laertes stays away from Odysseus' home while Odysseus is gone. He keeps to himself on his farm, overcome with grief over Odysseus' absence and alone after his wife, Anticleia, died from grief herself. Odysseus finally comes to see Laertes after he has killed all the suitors competing for Penelope. He finds his father spading a plant, looking old and tired and filled with sadness. Odysseus keeps his identity to himself at first, identifying himself only as Quarrelman, only son of King Allwoes (in theFitzgerald translation of Homer),[9] but when he sees how disappointed Laertes is to learn that this "stranger" has no news of his son, Odysseus reveals himself, and proves his identity by reciting all the trees he received from Laertes when he was a boy. This emphasis on the land of Ithaca itself perhaps signifies that Odysseus has finally reconnected with his homeland, and his journey is over.[10]
Laertes had trained Odysseus inhusbandry. After their reunion, the two of them go to Odysseus' home to fend off the families of the dead suitors.Athena infuses vigour into Laertes, so he can help Odysseus. He killsEupeithes, father ofAntinous.[11] Three years after Odysseus' return, Laertes died.[12]
Hesiod,Catalogue of Women fromHomeric Hymns, Epic Cycle, Homerica translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Loeb Classical Library Volume 57. London: William Heinemann, 1914.Online version at theio.com
Suida,Suda Encyclopedia translated by Ross Scaife, David Whitehead, William Hutton, Catharine Roth, Jennifer Benedict, Gregory Hays, Malcolm Heath Sean M. Redmond, Nicholas Fincher, Patrick Rourke, Elizabeth Vandiver, Raphael Finkel, Frederick Williams, Carl Widstrand, Robert Dyer, Joseph L. Rife, Oliver Phillips and many others.Online version at the Topos Text Project.
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