Calchas
mythological figure · 5 works · 6 mentions · 11 anchored passages
the seer · Thestor's son · a prophet · the priest · the prophet
in the texts
Iphigenia in Aulis
The Greek seer at Aulis who, when consulted about the becalmed fleet, declared that Iphigenia must be sacrificed to Artemis.
In our perplexity, we asked Calchas, the seer, and he answered that we should sacrifice my own child Iphigenia to Artemis, whose home is in this land, and we would sail and sack the Phrygians’ capital.
Calchas will tell the Argive army his oracles.
Menelaus:
On the Nature of the Gods
Legendary Greek seer of the Trojan War myth cycle.
And if we think those figures the inventions of fabling licence — Mopsus, Tiresias, Amphiaraus, Calchas, Helenus (whom, however, not even the fables would have made augurs if the thing were wholly to be rejected) — shall we not, taught by examples even from our own house, prove the divinity of the gods?
Iphigenia in Tauris
Greek prophet who declared that Iphigenia must be sacrificed to Artemis for the fleet to sail to Troy.
But when he met with dreadful winds that would not let him sail, he went to burnt sacrifices, and Calchas had this to say:
Has a certain Calchas, a prophet, come back from Troy?
Orestes: He is dead, as the story goes in Mycenae.
Chrestomathy
Seer who interprets omens and prescribes the sacrifice of Iphigenia.
and when Calchas had told them of the goddess's wrath and had bidden them sacrifice Iphigenia to Artemis, they send for her as though for marriage to Achilles and set about the sacrifice.
and the portent of the serpent and the sparrows is shown to them, and Calchas foretells to them what is to come about.
Ajax
The Greek seer who warns Teucer that Ajax must remain indoors for the day because Athena's anger threatens his life.
Leaving the royal circle of the chiefs who sat in council, Calchas separated himself from the Atreidae and put his right hand with all kindness into the hand of Teucer.
These words betray great foolishness, if there is any wisdom in the prophecies of Calchas.
Otherwise Calchas has no skill.