What is "euphorbus"

Euphorbus , the son of Panthous and Phrontis, was a Trojan hero during the Trojan War. He wounded Patroclus before Patroclus was killed by Hector. In the fight for Patroclus' body, Euphorbus was killed by Menelaus. He was apparently one of Troy's finest warriors. Menelaus later took Euphorbus' shield to the temple of Hera in Argos. There are some accounts that claim that it was Euphorbus, not Aeneas, Cycnus or Hector, that killed Protesilaus.

The philosopher Pythagoras claimed to be a reincarnation of Euphorbus, according to Heraclides of Pontus (as reported by Diogenes Laertius). In the Metamorphoses of Ovid (15, 160–164), Pythagoras also claims to be Euphorbus' reincarnation.

Euphorbus was the Greek physician of Juba II. He wrote that a succulent plant, similar to the Euphorbia, was a powerful laxative. In 12 BC, Juba named this plant after his physician Euphorbus in response to Augustus dedicating a statue to Antonius Musa, Augustus's own personal physician and Euphorbus' brother.

Botanist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus assigned the name Euphorbia to the entire genus in the physician's honor.