Was anybody going to tell me than in some versions, both Achilles and Patroklos have sisters?
@t0yearnf0r made me discover Patroklos’ sister, through my little research I found out about Achilles’.
Polydora (Achilles’ sister) do is mentioned in one passing line during the iliad (which I can’t believe I forgot) but it’s have been up for debate. The line is
"Menestheus of the dancing-breastplate led one contingent, son of the swift-flowing river Sperkheios whom the daughter of Peleus, beautiful PoludĂ´rĂŞ bore when she shared the bed with the indomitable river-god, Sperkheios, although by reputation he was the son of Boros, the son of PeriĂŞrĂŞs who wooed her openly by offering countless gifts."
(No idea who the translator is, I got that passage from the internet + my copy of the iliad is not in English)
Some say she’s the daughter of another Peleus, that’s she’s a bastard child and she’s just never mentioned because her birth is shameful, or that Achilles never mentions her because she’s dead.
What’s more confusing, she has different possible mothers regarding who you ask (she might be a child of Peleus, but certainly not of Thetis). Some say her mother was Antigone (not our tragic girl Antigone, but Antigone, supposed wife of Peleus and daughter of Eurytion).
She must have been a bit older than Achilles since by all accounts Peleus fathered her before (1) the Kalydonian Boar Hunt, (2) the sacking of Iolkos and (3) the Voyage of the Argo. She would likely have been raised in a separate household from Achilles and married off before he went to study with the centaur Chiron!
Excerpt from this article
Another version makes her the daughter of Patroklos' mother and Peleus. Which makes her both Achilles and Patroklos’ half sister. Wtf happened over there.
We know less about Myrto (Patroklos’ sister), but she’s mentioned once by Plutarch.
Now Eucleia is regarded by most as Artemis, and is so addressed; but some say she was a daughter of Heracles and of that Myrto who was daughter of Menoetius and sister of Patroclus, and that, dying in virginity, she received divine honors among the Boeotians and Locrians. For she has an altar and an image built in every market place, and receives preliminary sacrifices from would-be brides and bridegrooms.
-Plutarch, Life of Aristides 20. 5
(Don’t know the translator either)
She was apparently one of herakles’ lovers, and mothered a daughter who is pretty successful (has an altar and image in every market place and is regarded by most as artemis).
I don’t know if she’s related to Patroklos’ by mother too