Agelaus

Agelaus, son of Damastor, is one of the more prominent suitors of Penelope who, after the deaths of the ringleaders Antinous and Eurymachus, briefly assumes command of the surviving wooers and attempts both a diplomatic appeal and a military reorganization before being slain by Odysseus in the climactic slaughter. His role illustrates the suitors' belated recognition of their danger and their inability to escape the doom that has been prepared for them.

Identity and Role Among the Suitors

Agelaus is identified as the son of Damastor and is counted among the chief men of the suitors. He is not one of the original instigators of violence—Antinous and Eurymachus hold that position—but he rises to prominence in the crisis. When the suitors are debating whether to murder Telemachus, Agelaus speaks against the plot, noting that an eagle with a dove in its talons has flown past them on the left, an omen he interprets as unfavorable to their plan. He urges the others to abandon the ambush and go to dinner instead, a decision that temporarily spares Telemachus but does nothing to avert the larger catastrophe.

Attempt at Diplomacy

After Odysseus has revealed himself and killed Antinous, Agelaus is the first suitor to attempt a negotiated surrender. He addresses Odysseus directly, acknowledging that the suitors have done wrong and that Antinous was the chief offender, having sought not only to marry Penelope but to kill Telemachus and become king of Ithaca. Agelaus offers to make full restitution, proposing that each suitor pay a fine of twenty oxen and continue giving gold and bronze until Odysseus' anger is appeased. This appeal to material compensation, however, fails utterly. Odysseus rejects it with a flat declaration that no amount of treasure will stay his hand until every suitor has paid in full.

Leadership in the Final Battle

When diplomacy fails, Agelaus shifts to military leadership. He rallies the remaining suitors, urging them to draw their swords, use the tables as shields against Odysseus' arrows, and rush him in a mass assault to drive him from the doorway. This plan is tactically sound—it would allow the suitors to break out into the town and raise an alarm—but it is thwarted by Odysseus' superior archery and the intervention of Athena. Agelaus himself is killed by Odysseus with a spear in close combat, struck down as he leads the charge. His death marks the effective end of organized resistance among the suitors.

Narrative Significance

Agelaus serves as a foil to the more reckless Antinous and Eurymachus. He is pragmatic enough to recognize the danger Odysseus poses and to attempt a settlement, yet he is also brave enough to lead a last-ditch military effort when negotiation fails. His failure on both fronts underscores the inescapability of the suitors' collective guilt and the completeness of Odysseus' vengeance. Agelaus' brief moment of command—from the failed peace offer to the doomed assault—condenses the suitors' trajectory from arrogant consumption to desperate resistance to utter annihilation.