Antenor (Trojan)

Antenor was a Trojan elder statesman and counselor to King Priam in Homer's Iliad. He was known for his wisdom, prudence, and persuasive oratory. Antenor is depicted as advocating for the return of Helen to the Greeks in order to avert the Trojan War, although his advice was largely ignored by Priam's sons, especially Paris.

His role and reputation are somewhat ambiguous throughout the epic. On one hand, he is respected by both Trojans and Greeks, and he is even said to have hosted Menelaus and Odysseus when they came to Troy as envoys. This hospitality led to later accounts where he was accused of treachery.

Later traditions, particularly those arising after Homer, portray Antenor as a traitor who betrayed Troy to the Greeks. These accounts claim he opened the city gates to the invading army, or otherwise aided the Greeks in their conquest. One version even suggests he collaborated with Odysseus and Diomedes. The reasons given for this betrayal vary, from a desire to end the war to a promise of leniency and rewards from the Greeks.

Virgil's Aeneid presents Antenor as the founder of Padua (Patavium) in Italy after the fall of Troy. Aeneas, wandering after the city's destruction, encounters Antenor and his followers already established in Italy. This narrative aligns with the tradition that Antenor was spared by the Greeks due to his past services.

The historical accuracy of Antenor's existence and actions is impossible to verify. He remains a figure of legend, representative of the internal conflicts and moral ambiguities inherent in the Trojan War narrative. His character has been reinterpreted and utilized in subsequent literature and art to explore themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of war.