Eumelus of Pherae was a king in Greek mythology, son of Admetus and Alcestis, who led the contingent from Pherae and the region of Lake Boebeis to Troy. Homer numbers him among the finest Achaean charioteers; at the funeral games for Patroclus his horses were first until Athena wrecked his chariot, after which Achilles compensated him with a bronze corselet.
Adapted from Wikipedia, "Eumelus" (entry on the son of Admetus) · CC BY-SA 4.0
I.Family and kingdom
Eumelus succeeded his father Admetus as king of Pherae; his mother was Alcestis, daughter of King Pelias of Iolcus. Later tradition names his wife as Iphthime, daughter of Icarius of Sparta, and by her a son Zeuxippus. He is counted among the suitors of Helen, and therefore among the oath-bound leaders who sailed against Troy.
In the Iliad Catalogue of Ships he leads eleven ships from Pherae beside Lake Boebeis, bringing men from Boebe, Glaphyrae, and Iolcus; his mares, reared by Apollo in Pereia, are called the swiftest in the Achaean host.
II.At Troy
Although one of the best Achaean charioteers, Eumelus finished last in the chariot race at Patroclus's funeral games after Athena sabotaged his car. Achilles made good the loss with a bronze corselet taken from Asteropaeus. Later accounts also place him among the Greeks inside the Trojan Horse.
III.Homonyms
This atlas entry (eumelus-pherae) is the Pheraean king, son of Admetus and Alcestis. Distinct from the Ithacan or Same Eumelus (eumelus-same) and from the herald Eumedes / Eumelus, father of Dolon.