Greek Mythology
Pylos — Greek Mythology
Pylos is the city ruled by Nestor in Greek mythology and one of the important kingdoms in the homecoming traditions of the Trojan War heroes. It is especially significant in narratives connected with the *Odyssey*, because Telemachus first goes there to ask about the whereabouts of Odysseus.
Overview
In the story setting, Pylos lies by the sea, and Telemachus reaches it by ship from Ithaca. Its people are associated with coastal sacrifice, and Nestor later arranges for his son to accompany Telemachus by chariot from Pylos to Sparta.
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Role in Greek Mythology
Pylos appears chiefly as the kingdom of the aged king Nestor. Nestor is an old Greek hero who fought in the Trojan War; at Pylos he receives the visiting Telemachus and recalls the scattered returns of the Greek kings after the fall of Troy. Pylos therefore serves, in the tradition of Odysseus' homecoming, as the place where a younger generation seeks out a living witness of the old war.
In stories surrounding the Trojan War, Pylos is also counted among the Greek cities and royal houses. Narratives about Helen's suitors and the expedition against Troy mention men or warriors from Pylos, showing it as one of the royal city-states within the network of the Greek coalition.
Geographic Background
Pylos is a city that can be reached by sea. After Telemachus leaves Ithaca by night, his ship arrives at Pylos at daybreak; there he sees a sacrifice to Poseidon being performed beside the shore. The journey from Pylos to Sparta then continues overland by chariot, so in the narrative Pylos functions both as a maritime landfall and as the starting point for a road toward an inland royal palace.
Related Stories
"Telemachus and the Suitors" mentions this place: Athena urges Telemachus to visit Nestor at Pylos first, and then go to Sparta to ask Menelaus for news.
"The Oath of Tyndareus" mentions Pylos, which appears alongside other Greek cities as part of the world from which Helen's suitors come.
"The Greeks Gather and Send an Embassy" mentions Pylos: Nestor, as the aged king of Pylos, answers the oath and joins the Greek mustering for the expedition against Troy.
"Iphigenia at Aulis" mentions Pylos: warriors from Pylos wait at Aulis for the fleet to sail together with forces from Argos, Sparta, Salamis, and other places.