PENELEUS (mortal Greek warrior)

He was among the nobles who assembled to sail on the Argo.¹ Peneleus traveled to Sparta to seek Helen's hand in marriage as part of a group of Greek kings.² He was selected to lead a second military expedition against Alexander at Troy.¹⁰ Peneleus contributed fifty ships to the military expedition, each carrying one hundred and twenty young men.⁶ He and other Boeotian captains collectively held Schoenus and Scolus, as well as the highlands of Eteonus and the city of Thespeia.⁶ Peneleus was a captain of the Boeotians who collectively held Graia and Mycalessus.⁶ He held the fortress of Thebes the less and Anthedon located upon the sea.⁶

In battle, Peneleus killed Ilioneus, the son of Phorbas, by wounding him in the eye with a spear that passed into the nape of his neck, then cutting off his head with his sword.¹¹ He held up the severed head of Ilioneus to taunt the Trojans and boasted that Ilioneus's wife would never see her husband return.¹¹ Peneleus attacked Acamas, who fled instead of fighting him.¹¹ He killed Lycon by striking him on the neck under the ear with his sword after their spears missed.⁵ Peneleus killed Coroebus with his blade at the altar of Athena.¹² He was more enraged by taunts than any other Argive warrior.¹¹

Peneleus was struck on the shoulder by a spear thrown by Polydamas, which grazed the top of the bone on his upper shoulder.⁴ He was present near the Greek ships where the Trojans were attacking and was exhorted by a speaker to fight with great effort to save the ships.³ Peneleus engaged Eurypylus in combat during the battle and was killed in battle by a spear thrown by Eurypylus.^13,14 The Argive soldiers carried Peneleos's body away from the battlefield and transported it to their ships.¹³ He was mourned by the Achaeans.^13,14 The Achaeans built a large burial mound for Peneleos as a lasting memorial.¹⁴ In some accounts, he entered the wooden horse constructed by Epeius.¹⁵