In Ancient Greek epic tradition recounted in Homer

Homer

In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...

's Odyssey

Odyssey

The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...

, Polybus was the father of a suitor, Eurymachus

Eurymachus

The name Eurymachus, Evrimahos, or Eurýmakhos , is attributed to the following individuals:-Greek mythology:*In Homer’s Odyssey, Eurymachus, son of Polybus, is an Ithacan nobleman and one of the two leading suitors of Penelope, the other being Antinous...

, who was killed by Odysseus

Odysseus

Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....

 once he returned from his 7-year journey during the Trojan War

Trojan War

In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and was narrated in many works of Greek literature, including the Iliad...

. Polybus himself was one of the suitors of Penelope

Suitors of Penelope

The suitors of Penelope, also known as the Proci, are one of the main subjects of Homer's Odyssey. Penelope's husband, Odysseus, king of Ithaca, goes off to fight in the 10-year Trojan war. While most survivors return relatively soon, it takes Odysseus another ten years to return home, and in this...

, the wife of Odysseus. Polybus was actually described as wise, contradictory to his foolish son. In Book XXII of the Odyssey, after Odysseus and Telemachus had slain most of the suitors, only six remained: Agelaus, Eurynomus, Amphimedon, Demoptolemus, Peisander and Polybus. The aforementioned Agelaus tried rousing the men to throw their spears collectively at the avengers, but Athena guided them elsewhere. Polybus was killed by the spear of the swineherd Eumeaus.