Talthybius
mythological figure · 5 works · 7 mentions · 16 anchored passages
the herald
in the texts
Iphigenia in Aulis
Herald of the Greek army whom Agamemnon ordered to proclaim disbandment of the host rather than sacrifice Iphigenia.
When I heard this, I commanded Talthybius with loud proclamation to disband the whole army, as I could never bear to slay my daughter.
But in the midst Talthybius stood up, for this was his duty, and bade the army refrain from word or deed;
The Trojan Women
Reluctant Achaean herald who repeatedly brings news of the captives' assignments and the army's fatal decrees to Hecuba and Andromache.
Go, servants, and bring Cassandra forth to me here at once, that I may place her in our captain’s hands, and then conduct to the rest of the chiefs the captives each has had assigned.
Take the child and bear him hence, hurl him down if you wish, then feast upon his flesh!
For if you say anything to anger the army, this child will find no burial nor pity either.
Hecuba
Herald of the Achaeans who summons Hecuba and delivers the messenger speech narrating Polyxena's sacrifice.
To Talthybius Go and proclaim to the Argives that they do not touch my daughter’s body but keep the crowd away.
There she lies near you, Talthybius, stretched full length upon the ground, wrapped in her robe.
All Achaea’s army was gathered there in full array before the tomb to see your daughter sacrificed;
Orestes
A herald who had served Agamemnon at Troy, described by the Messenger as speaking evasively at Orestes' trial to favor whichever side held power.
Then up stood Talthybius, who helped your father sack the Phrygians.
Such is that tribe; heralds always trip across to the lucky side; the one who has power in the city or a post in the government is their friend.
The Histories
Legendary herald of Agamemnon, worshiped at Sparta, whose divine wrath is blamed for the deaths of Spartans across generations after the killing of Darius's heralds.
Be that as it may, the anger of Talthybius, Agamemnon 's herald, fell upon the Lacedaemonians.
This conduct on the part of the Spartans succeeded for a time in allaying the anger of Talthybius, in spite of the fact that Sperthias and Bulis returned to Sparta.
The venting of it, however, on the sons of those men who went up to the king to appease it, namely on Nicolas son of Bulis and Aneristus son of Sperthias (that Aneristus who landed a merchant ships crew at the Tirynthian settlement of Halia and took it), makes it plain to me that this was the divine result of Talthybius ' anger.