Deidamia was one of King
Lycomedes's seven daughters with whom
Achilles was concealed.[2] Some versions of
this story state that Achilles was hidden in Lycomedes's court as one of the king's daughters, some say as a lady-in-waiting under the name "
Pyrrha".[3][4] The two soon became romantically involved to the point of intimacy.[5] After
Odysseus arrived at Lycomedes's palace and exposed Achilles as a young man, the hero decided to join the
Trojan War, along with his
therapon, Patroclus, leaving behind his wife Deidamia.[6][7]
Years later, Deidamia tried to persuade their son, Neoptolemus, not to join his father in the same war, but after the death of Achilles, his father, Neoptolemus went for the Trojan war as the next Aristos Achaion. After the war, she was given in marriage by Neoptolemus to his slave
Helenus, son of Priam, whom he had brought to Epirus.[8] Later on, Neoptolemus was eventually killed by
Orestes when the son of
Agamemnon went mad.[9]
In one account by
Photius, Achilles and Deidamia had another son,
Oneiros (Ὄνειρος). He was killed by Orestes, who didn't recognize him, in
Phocis while fighting with him over a place to pitch a tent.[10] However, he is not recognized as their official son.