He fought on the side of the Trojans, and after greatly distinguishing himself by his bravery, was slain by Patroclus.
He was a favourite of the gods, and an intimate friend of Achilles, to whom he was commissioned to announce the death of Patroclus.
Patroclus, the friend of Achilles, who came to the help of the Greeks, was slain by Hector with the help of Apollo.
Then Achilles, to revenge his friend's death, returned to the war, slew Hector, dragged his body behind his chariot to the camp, and afterwards round the tomb of Patroclus.
Among the travellers of whose information he was thus able to avail himself were Pytheas of Massilia, Patroclus, who had visited the Caspian (285-282 B.C.), Megasthenes, who visited Palibothra on the Ganges, as ambassador of Seleucus Nicator (302-291 B.C.), Timosthenus of Rhodes, the commander of the fleet of Ptolemy Philadelphus (284-246 B.C.) who wrote a treatise " On harbours," and Philo, who visited Meroe on the upper Nile.