Clytius

Clytius is a minor figure in the Odyssey, known only through his son Piraeus, yet his name carries a quiet structural weight in the poem's second half. He appears exclusively as a patronymic—"Piraeus, son of Clytius"—a formula that anchors Piraeus's identity within Ithaca's social fabric and signals that his household belongs to the class of reliable, well-born families who remain loyal to Odysseus's house during the crisis of the suitors' occupation.

Identity and Background

Clytius himself never acts or speaks in the poem; his entire presence is mediated through his son. The patronymic "son of Clytius" is used twice in the narrative, both times in Book XV, when Telemachus returns from his journey to Pylos and Sparta. On the first occasion, Telemachus addresses Piraeus directly, acknowledging him as "Piraeus, son of Clytius," and praises him as "the most willing to serve me of all those who have accompanied me to Pylos." This single line establishes that Piraeus—and by extension his father's house—has been a steadfast companion on Telemachus's dangerous voyage. The second use occurs when Piraeus takes charge of the seer Theoclymenus, whom Telemachus has brought back from Pylos, and promises to host him until Telemachus can come for him. The patronymic here reinforces that Piraeus acts with the authority and resources of his father's household.

Role Through the Plot

Clytius's significance unfolds entirely through Piraeus's actions. After Telemachus lands secretly on Ithaca, he instructs his crew to take the ship on to the town while he himself goes to the swineherd Eumaeus's hut. Piraeus is the man Telemachus entrusts with the stranger Theoclymenus, telling him to "take this stranger to your own house and entertain him hospitably till I can come for him." Piraeus agrees without hesitation, and later, when the suitors have been killed, he brings Theoclymenus to the assembly where the seer delivers his prophecy of doom. The hospitality that Piraeus extends—rooted in the resources and reputation of Clytius's house—mirrors the larger theme of xenia that runs through the poem, contrasting sharply with the suitors' abuse of Odysseus's household.

Relationships and Significance

Clytius's relationship to the story is entirely mediated by his son, but that mediation is crucial. Piraeus is one of the few Ithacans whom Telemachus trusts absolutely; he is the only companion named as having gone with Telemachus to Pylos, and he is the man chosen to safeguard the prophet Theoclymenus. This trust reflects well on Clytius's household, suggesting that the father raised a son of loyalty and good judgment. In a poem where many Ithacan families either support the suitors or remain passive, Clytius's name stands for the minority who uphold the laws of hospitality and allegiance to Odysseus's line. The patronymic thus functions as a quiet but persistent reminder that not all of Ithaca has abandoned its king.

Thematic Significance

Clytius embodies the principle that a household's honor is carried forward by its children. Though he never appears, his name authenticates Piraeus's actions and links them to a tradition of loyalty that predates Odysseus's absence. In the Odyssey's moral economy, where hospitality and fidelity are the measures of a man's worth, Clytius's unseen presence helps define the network of good faith that enables Telemachus to survive and ultimately to reclaim his father's house. The patronymic is a small but deliberate narrative device, grounding Piraeus's heroism in the inherited virtue of his father's name.