The Betrayal of Palamedes - The Trojan War Saga Ep.13 - Greek Mythology in Comics - See U in History

After the failure of the assault on the walls of Troy, the Greeks realized that a long siege of the city would be necessary to make the Trojans fall to their knees. Days went by, and boredom took hold of the Greek troops in a never-ending wait. This discouragement could destroy the soldiers' morale in the long term. The cunning Palamedes, much admired by the soldiers, invented the game of dice, and the men were able to entertain themselves and pass the time. The Greeks began sending military expeditions to weaken Troy's neighbors and allies, who often sent supplies and men to reinforce the Trojan positions. The heroic Achaeans, who took part in these adventures, had as their greatest desire to plunder the treasures of these to improve their positions compared to the other Greek chieftains. Meanwhile, on the beaches of Ilion, the stocks of food for the troops were dangerously low. But with the return of Palamedes and his fleet, with grain, oil, and meat from Thrace, this critical situation was settled. The soldiers chanted songs in honor of Palamedes. He, in the eyes of the common men, was the only nobleman who cared about the welfare of the plebs. Agamemnon began to feel threatened by Palamedes' growing prestige. Odysseus, meanwhile, was even more displeased to see the man he hated most for dragging him into war, being carried on his shoulders by the people. But suddenly, rumors emerged that cast doubt on Palamedes' loyalty to the Greek cause. No one knows from where these rumors emerged that accused Palamedes of being a traitor. Because of these suspicions, evidence was sought in Palamedes' tent. Agamemnon's men tried to find evidence of this supposed treason. Odysseus found a small box buried in the sand, and inside it was a good amount of Trojan gold. Agamemnon read everyone the contents of a message that thanked them for the information passed on to Troy, and the message contained the seal of the Trojan royal house. This message was supposed to have been found in the hands of a Trojan messenger. Palamedes struggled as he was stopped by Agamemnon's men. He shouted that the whole thing was just a setup. Greek chiefs demanded that he confess, and others called him a traitor. Palamedes was tied to a pole and sentenced to death by stoning, the most degrading and dishonorable way to die. Before ordering the execution, Agamemnon asked Palamedes if he wished to say his last words. He said that he was not afraid of death, but that he felt sorry for the truth, which would die before him. Palamedes was stoned, and his body would have been thrown to the dogs and vultures had it not been for the intervention of Achilles and Ajax. Palamedes' father, feeling outraged, took his son's entire army back to Greece and promised to tell his countrymen of all the wrongdoings committed by the Greeks in their campaign abroad. He would spread news that, while the wives of the Greek chieftains suffered lonely at home, their husbands delighted in the beautiful and enslaved female enemies, treating them as their true wives. They would punish their husbands for adultery, and the most passionate ones even took their own lives.