Eidolon

In ancient Greek literature, an eidolon (/aɪˈdoʊlɒn/;[1] Ancient Greek: εἴδωλον 'image, idol, double, apparition, phantom, ghost'; plural: eidola or eidolons) is a spirit-image of a living or dead person; a shade or phantom look-alike of the human form.[2][3] Both Euripides and Stesichorus, in their works concerning the Trojan Horse, use the concept of the eidolon to claim that Helen was never physically present in the city at all.[2] Homer's use of eidola also extends to the Odyssey where, after the death of the suitors of Penelope, Theoclymenus notes that he sees the doorway of the court filled with them.[5] In Dream-Land, an 1844 poem by Edgar Allan Poe, an Eidolon rules over a realm haunted by "ill angels only" and reserved for the ones whose "woes are legion" and who "walk in shadow".[7] Clark Ashton Smith wrote a story called The Dark Eidolon, which chronicles the life and death of the dread sorcerer Namirrha.
Achilles' sacrifice of Trojan prisoners, 4th-century BC fresco from Vulci . The eidolon of Patroclus is second from left.
Eidolon (disambiguation)Patroclusancient Greek literatureAncient Greekspiritlook-alikeHelen of TroyEuripideslife after deathStesichorusTrojan HorsePenelopeClytemnestraOdysseysuitors of PenelopeTheoclymenusEdgar Allan PoeWalt WhitmanClark Ashton SmithThe Dark EidolonThe Heroes of OlympusRick Riordanspirit possessionThe Mark of AthenaDoppelgängerEtiäinenFetch (folklore)Vardøger