.

In Greek mythology, Sarpedon referred to several different people.

Sarpedon (son of Zeus and Europa)

The first Sarpedon was a son of Zeus and Europa, and brother to Minos and Rhadamanthys. He was raised by King Asterion and then banished by Minos, and sought refuge with his uncle, King Cilix. Sarpedon conquered the Milyans, and ruled over them; his kingdom was named Lycia, sfter his successor, Lycus, son of Pandion.

Sarpedon (son of Zeus and Laodamia)

Death of Sarpedon, MNA Policoro

The second Sarpedon was a son of Zeus and Laodamia and a Lycian King. He fought on the side of the Trojans during the Trojan War and was killed by Patroclus.

Then Patroclus, in his turn, threw his bronze spear,
which did not leave his hand in vain. It struck
right between Sarpedon's midriff and his beating heart.
Sarpedon toppled over, as an oak tree falls,
or poplar or tall mountain pine which craftsmen cut
with sharpened axes, to harvest timber for a ship—
that's how he lay there stretched out before his chariot
and horses, groaning and clawing at the bloody dust. Illiad

Zeus ordered Apollo to move the body back to Lycia. Iliad V, 471; XVI, 419

"Up now,
dear Phoebus, and move Sarpedon out of range.
When you've cleaned the dark blood off his body,
take him somewhere far away and wash him
in a flowing river. Next, anoint him
with ambrosia, and put immortal clothes
around him. Then you must hand him over
to those swift messengers Sleep and Death,
twin brothers, to carry off with them.
They'll quickly place him in his own rich land,
wide Lycia, where his brothers and his kinsmen
will bury him with mound and headstone,
as is appropriate for those who've died."

Zeus finished. Apollo did not disobey his father.
Descending from Mount Ida to that lethal war,
he carried lord Sarpedon quickly out of range.
Once he'd taken him a long way off, he washed him
in a flowing river. Next, he anointed him
with ambrosia and put immortal clothing round him.
Then Apollo gave Sarpedon up to Sleep and Death,
swift messengers, twin brothers, to take with them.
They quickly set him down in spacious Lycia,
his own rich land. Iliad XVI

Euphronios Krater, Death of Sarpedon (a Trojan ally, leader of the Lycians and son of Zeus, killed by the spear of Patroklos). Hermes Psychopompos (psyche = soul, pompe = escort, procession , "who escorts the souls") in the middle with the twin brothers Thanatos and Hypnos (Death and Sleep) moving (Sarpedon) to Hades the world of the dead. Calyx-krater, ca. 515 B.C.; Archaic; red-figure, Metropolitan Museum of Art. Signed by Euxitheos, as potter; Signed by Euphronios, as painter, Greek, Attic Purchase, Bequest of Joseph H. Durkee, Gift of Darius Ogden Mills and Gift of C. Ruxton Love, by exchange, 1972 (1972.11.10)

Greek Mythology

Death of Sarpedon

Sarpedon (of Aenus)

A third Sarpedon was a Thracian son of Poseidon, and brother to Poltys, King of Aenus. Unlike the other two Sarpedons, this Thracian Sarpedon was not a hero, but an insolent individual who was killed by Heracles.

Greek Mythology