Tradition: Greek Mythology
Alternative Names: Eidola, Eidolons
Category: Ghost
The Myth
An Eidolon is a phantom or spirit-image that resembles a living or dead person. It appears in the likeness of a human being, taking the form of a shadowy double or an apparition of someone who has passed away. In Greek mythology, an Eidolon can represent the image of the dead or appear as the deceased person themselves, lingering in the world as a spectral presence.
One of the best-known examples concerns Helen of Troy. In some versions of the story, an Eidolon of Helen appeared in Troy during the Trojan War, while the real Helen was elsewhere. The phantom resembled Helen so perfectly that the Greeks and Trojans could believe she was physically present in the city. The existence of this double changed the meaning of the war, as the armies fought over an apparition rather than the actual woman.
Eidola also appear among the dead in the Greek underworld. In the Odyssey, after the suitors of Penelope are killed, their spirits gather in the palace as spectral images of the men they once were. These apparitions retain the appearance of the living but exist as shades separated from the world of the living. The Eidolon therefore represents the mysterious image that remains after death, a phantom likeness that can appear before the living even when the person it resembles is no longer present.
Sources
“Eidolon.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eidolon