Nestor - Nestor (English spelling)

King Pylos in Greek mythology. He was a great mediator between hotheaded generals, such as mediating between Agamemnon and Achilles. He is portrayed in a very favorable light in Homer as a good-natured veteran general who lived through three generations of men, welcoming Telemachus, who asked about the whereabouts of his father Odysseus, and sharing nostalgic stories with him, and occasionally bragging about the Trojan War in which he and his two sons fought. Perhaps because he was such a friendly character, many stories about him were created in later generations, such as his participation in the Argonauts' expedition and the Calydonian boar hunt.

[Teruo Ito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ギリシア神話のピロス王。アガメムノンとアキレウスの間を調停するなど、血気盛んな諸将の仲裁役として本領を発揮した。父オデュッセウスの行方を尋ねるテレマコスを歓待して懐旧談を語ったり、おりに触れて2人の息子とともに参戦したトロヤ戦争の自慢話に興ずるなど、人間の三代を生きたお人好しの老将として、ホメロスではかなり好意的に描かれている。親しみやすい人物像のゆえか、アルゴナウタイの遠征やカリドンの猪(いのしし)狩りに参加したなど、後世にはさまざまなエピソードが創作された。

［伊藤照夫］

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