POLITES (Trojan prince)

He relied on his speed of foot to fulfill these watchman responsibilities from his station on the tomb of old Aesyetes.^3,4 Strabo argued that his actions from that specific location were both absurd and unnecessary for the war effort.³

When the battle intensified, Polites proved himself battle-staunch and strong in the fight, holding back enemies with arrows and large stones.⁵ He defended the Scaean gate alongside many comrades, raising a loud battle-cry as he engaged the enemy.^5,6 In one fierce exchange, he killed Echius during the front lines of the battle.⁷

Despite his strength, he faced moments of peril, such as when Meriones attempted to kill him with an arrow but missed.⁸ He passed his arms around Deiphobus's waist and bore his wounded brother away from the battlefield to their horses positioned behind the fighting lines.²

His fate was sealed when he was struck by a javelin thrown by Achilles' son.⁹ As he fled through crowded corridors while being pursued by Pyrrhus, he leaped into his father's view while dying.¹⁰ Wounded to death by Pyrrhus's spear, his life-blood ebbed away as he lay prostrate, and his blood flowed on the ground where Priam's feet slipped.¹⁰