AineiasAeneas

The son of the mortal Ankhises (Anchises) and Aphrodite (goddess of Love).

His name might be translated as Awful, i.e. the Greek word ainos.

Aineias sailed with Alexandros (Paris) when he went to Sparta and kidnapped Helen.

When the Greeks arrived at Troy, one of the first things that Akhilleus (Achilles) did was to steal the cattle of Aineias.

Aineias fought in the defense the city of Troy and was one of the few survivors when the city fell to the Greeks.

Zeus promised that Aineias and his descendants would be the rulers of Troy after the reign of Priam was ended; the lord of the Sea, Poseidon, entered the battle of Troy to save Aineias when the young hero became too aggressive and wanted to fight Akhilleus.

There are several accounts of Aineias’ fate after the fall of Troy:

1. During the siege of Troy, Aineias was constantly protected by Aphrodite and was able to escape with his father, his wife, Kreusa (Creusa), and his son, Iulus;
2. Aineias was captured by the son of Akhilleus, Neoptolemus; and
3. The Romans later claimed that Aineias had escaped to Italy and that his ancestors founded Rome, this story is told in the epic poem Aeneid by Virgil.

Iliad, book 2, line 820 and 822; book 5, lines 312+, 468 and 534; book 13, lines 459+; book 20, lines 307 and 325-336)

Theogony, line 1008

Hymn to Aphrodite, line 198

Kypria, fragment 1

Little Iliad, fragment 14

Sack of Ilion, fragment 1