Classic Mythology, Nestor Was the Wise King

¶ … classic mythology, Nestor was the wise king of Pylos, and son of Neleus (or Peleus) and father of Antilochus. He was one of the Argonauts and fought the centaur with the Lapiths. In the "Iliad," he was on the side of the Greeks at the Trojan War. He survived three generations, but he throughout that time, he remained strong and brave and continued to be an honored counselor to the warriors. In the "Odyssey," we see that the same wisdom and piety in him led the gods to allow him to return to Pylos after the Trojan War, without incurring any harm.

In Book 1 of the "Iliad," the elderly Nestor tries to pacify the quarrel between King Agamemnon and Achilles, a foremost Greek soldier. It was the last year of that War and that time, the god Apollo punished the Greeks for the crime of their king, Agamemnon. He violated the daughter of one of the priests of the god.

They soon found out that Agamemnon was responsible for the crime, but Agamanon is not willing to give the girl up so that the god Apollo will withdraw the plague from among them. Instead, he angrily asks Achilles to give a slave girl in exchange. Achilles turns furious too and Athena, the goddess of wisdom, comes to calm them down and prevent bloodshed between them. The two engage in a heated argument, neither willing to give up, and Achilles sulks, leaves the Greek camp and will not come out to fight unless and until Agamemnon asks for forgiveness.

At this point, Nestor enters the scene, counseling them that their quarrel is a victory to their enemies and a loss to them:

Of a truth... A great sorrow has befallen the Achaean land. Surely Priam with his sons would rejoice, and the Trojans be glad at heart if they could hear this quarrel between you two, who are so excellent in fight and counsel." (254-256)

Nestor tells them how those who listened to him - greater men than them -- were correctly guided and succeeded:

I am older than either of you; therefore be guided by me. Moreover, I have been the familiar friend of men even greater than you are, and they did not disregard my counsels. Never again can I behold such men as Pirithous and Dryas shepherd son of Aegeus, peer of immortals. These were the mightiest men ever born upon this earth:

mightiest were they, and when they fought the fiercest tribes of mountain savages, they utterly overthrew them. I came from distant Pylos, and went about among them, for they would have me come, and I fought as it was in me to do. Not a man now living could withstand them, but they heard my words, and were persuaded by them. So be it also with yourselves, for this is the more excellent way. Therefore, Agamemnon, though you be strong, take not this girl away, for the sons of Achaeans have already given her to Achilles; and you, Achilles, strive not further with the king, for no man who by the grace of Jove wields a sceptre has like honour with Agamemnon. You are strong, and have a goddess for your mother; but Agamemnon is stronger than you, for he has more people under him. son of Atreus, check your anger, I implore you; end this quarrel with Achilles, who in the day of battle is a tower of strength to the Achaeans." (257-284)

His advice is for Agamemnon to give up the daughter of Apollo's priest because she belongs to Achilles, an important warrior in battle to the Achaeans. And for Achilles, his advice is to give up the argument with the king because he is the leader of the Greeks by right from the gods. He comforts Achilles that he is strong and has a goddess mother, but he has to recognize the authority of Agamemnon over him and that Agamemnon, as king, has more followers than he has. Once more, he asks Agamemnon to control his anger and end his misunderstanding with Achilles for what he is worth and what it means to their common cause.

In Book 9, Agamemnon decides that they should really retreat this time, but Diomedes does not agree with him and asks the Greeks to remain in battle. As the soldiers applause Diomed, Nestor rises and addresses him:

Son of Tydeus... In war your prowess is beyond question, and in council, you excel all who are of your own years; no one of the Achaeans can make light of what you say nor gainsay it, but you have not yet come to the end of the whole matter. You are still young - you might be the youngest of my own children - still you have spoken wisely and have counseled the chief of the Achaeans not without discretion; nevertheless I am older than you and I will tell you everything; therefore let no man, not even King Agamemnon, disregard my saying, for he that foments civil discord is a clanless, hearthless outlaw