Helenus

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In Greek mythology, Helenus was the son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. He was also the twin brother of the prophetess Cassandra.

During the Trojan War, the Greeks captured Helenus, a prophet, and tortured him until he told them under what circumstances they could take Troy. Helenus said they would win if they retrieved Heracles' arrows (which were in Philoctetes's possession); steal the Trojan Palladium and persuade Achilles' son Neoptolemus to join the war. Neoptolemus was hiding from the war at Scyros but the Greeks retrieved him. Alternatively, he told them that they could win if Troilius, Helenus' brother, was killed before he turned twenty. Achilles ambushed Troilius and his sister, Polyxena.


After Paris's death Helenus had a fight with his brother Deiphobus for the hand of Helen Queen of Sparta /Princess of Troy. After losing the fight with his brother he married Deidamia Princess of Troy and left Troy for Mount Ida. After the fall of Troy Helenus and Deidamia, their son Zenter Prince of Troy left to go to Epirus with Helenus's stepson Neoptolemus, Deidamia's son.

Neoptolemus had taken Hector's wife Andromache as a slave after Hector's death. Neoptolemus later married Andromache. There is no record if she bore him any offsprings.

Virgil III, 295, 334, 374.fr:Hélénos it:Eleno lt:Helenas nl:Helenus pt:Heleno