Introduction

Abstract Two remarkably similar human sacrifices are recorded within the Trojan epic poems. Before setting sail from Aulis, the Achaian army sacrifices Iphigeneia to Artemis, and after conquering Troy, they sacrifice Polyxene to the shade of Achilles. The victim in each case is the daughter of a commander: Iphigeneia is a child of Agamemnon, most powerful of the Achaian chieftains, and Polyxene is a daughter of Priam, king of Troy. Achilles plays a part in both sacrifices: Iphigeneia is lured to Aulis upon the pretext of marriage with the hero, and Polyxene is sacrificed upon his tomb to serve as his concubine in death. Furthermore, each sacrifice is performed as a pre requisite to the departure of the Achaian fleet: they must sacrifice Iphigeneia in order to sail to Troy, and they must sacrifice Polyxene in order to sail home. Finally, the two sacrifices stand at complementary positions within the saga: the sacrifice of Iphigeneia comes at the beginning of the war, that of Polyxene at the war’s conclusion.