Thersites
Thersites, a Greek who served before Troy, despised for scurrility
- a Greek before Troy, famous for his ugliness and scurrility, Ov. M. 13, 233; id. P. 3, 9, 10; Juv. 11, 31.—Hence, a contemptible person, Juv. 8, 269; and for a calumniator, reviler, Sen. Ira, 3, 23, 3.
(Θερσίτης), a son of Agrius, the most ugly and most impudent talker among the Greeks at Troy. Once, when he had spoken in the assembly in an unbecoming manner against Agamemnon, he was chastised by Odysseus. (Hom. Il. 2.212, &c.; Apollod. 1.8.6.) According to the later poets he pulled the eyes out of the dead body of Penthesileia, the queen of the Amazons, who had been killed by Achilles, and also calumniated Achilles, for which, however, the latter slew him. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 999.) In the Lesche of Delphi he was represented by Polygnotus in the act of playing at dice with Palamedes. (Paus. 10.31.1; Soph. Philoct. 442.) [L.S]
- , Θερσίτης, a Greek who served before Troy, despised for scurrility, O., Iu. —Poet., a contemptible person, Iu.
(Θερσίτης). The son of Agrius. He was the most deformed man and impudent talker among the Greeks at Troy (Il. ii. 212). According to the later poets he was killed by Achilles, because he had ridiculed him for lamenting the death of Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons (Tzetz. ad Lycophr. 999; Quint.Smyrn. i. 800).
- slain by Achilles: Apollod. E.4.7
- painted by Polygnotus playing at dice with Ajax and Palamedes: Paus. 10.31.1
- flees from Diomedes to Peloponnese: Apollod. 1.8.5