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POLIXENA, POLIXENE. Polyxena was one of King Priam's daughters. According to medieval recensions of the Troy story, Achilles fell in love with her and proposed marriage. He arranged to meet Paris and Hecuba in the temple of Apollo Thymbraeus to discuss the proposal, but instead he was ambushed and killed (Benoît, Roman de Troie 21838-22334; Dares, De excidio Troiae historia 24; Dictys, Ephemeridos belli Troiani IV.10-11).

Achilles died for love of Polixena, BD 1067-1071. Criseyde is more beautiful than Polixena, Tr I.455. Troilus promises Pandarus Polixene if he would help him in his love suit to Criseyde, Tr III.409. Polixene is among love's martyrs, LGW F 258, LGW G 212. Achilles's ghost claimed her, and she was sacrificed at his tomb (HDT XXX). [Achille: Antylegyus: Dares Frygius: Dite]

Polixena appears once in final rhyming position, BD 1071. Polixene, a spelling variant, appears twice with final silent -e, LGW F 258, LGW G 212, and twice in final rhyming position, with final syllabic -e, Tr I.455; Tr III.409.

Benoît, Roman de Troie, ed. L. Constans, III: 373-399; Dares Phrygius, De excidio Troiae historia, ed. F. Meister, 40-42; Dictys Cretensis, Ephemeridos belli Troiani, ed. W. Eisenhut, 88-90; Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis, The Trojan War, trans. R.M. Frazer, 93-94, 160-161; Guido delle Colonne, Guido de Columnis: HDT, ed. N.E. Griffin, 207-208; ibid., HDT, trans. M.E. Meek, 177-182, 198-203.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.
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