Galaxy/The codex of Chryses

In Greek mythology, Chryses (Ancient Greek Χρύσης, Khrýsēs, "golden") is the Trojan priest of Apollo at Chryse, near Troy, whose daughter Chryseis (Astynome) Agamemnon refuses to ransom at the opening of Homer's Iliad. Chryses' prayer brings Apollo's plague upon the Achaeans until the girl is restored. This atlas node is the Sminthean priest of Iliad 1 — not Chryses son of Minos on Paros.

Adapted from Wikipedia, "Chryses (priest of Apollo)" · CC BY-SA 4.0

I.Ransom and plague

Before the Iliad's main action Agamemnon has taken Chryses' daughter as a war prize. The priest comes to the Achaean ships with boundless ransom and the god's fillets on a golden staff. The army urges acceptance, but Agamemnon threatens him and drives him away. Chryses walks the shore in fear and prays to Apollo; the god hears and for nine days shoots plague through the camp.

When Calchas names the cause, Agamemnon must return Chryseis. Odysseus escorts her with a hecatomb to Chryse; Chryses receives his daughter joyfully, performs the sacrifice, and the Achaeans raise the paean until the plague is stayed. Eustathius preserves a tradition that Chryses and Briseus (father of Briseis) were brothers, sons of Ardys.

II.Homonym care

Apollodorus names a different Chryses, son of Minos on Paros, slain by Heracles — unrelated to the Troad priest. The atlas id chryses-apollo is the Iliadic figure only; chryses-paros holds the Minoid.

AT A GLANCE

Greek nameChrysēs (Χρύσης)
Typemortal
Domainspriest of Apollo Smintheus · Chryse · supplication
SymbolsGolden staff and wreaths of Apollo · Ransom gifts · Plague arrows of Apollo
Cult centersChryse (Troad) · Sanctuary of Apollo Smintheus
EtymologyGreek Χρύσης from chrysos ("gold"), matching the golden staff and wreaths of Apollo he carries when he comes to the ships.
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