# Porthos — The Three Musketeers character guide > Porthos in The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. **Role:** major **Also known as:** M. Porthos, Monsieur Porthos, the Baldric of Porthos **First appearance:** 0004-iii-the-audience ## Snapshot A giant Musketeer with a taste for gold chains and grand titles, whose vanity is as transparent as glass and whose loyalty is just as clear. ## Who they are Porthos invents baronesses and borrows finery to keep up appearances, yet he is the first to empty his purse for his friends and the last to flinch in a fight. His strength is proverbial among the Musketeers, and his vanity is so readable that D'Artagnan sees straight through him. He supplies the comedy and the muscle that hold the four together when money and luck run out. ## In the story ### [Author's Preface](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/author-s-preface) Name found in the manuscript Memoirs of the Comte de la Fère. ### [The Three Musketeers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/the-three-musketeers) A musketeer characterized by his love of fine clothes and good living. ### [The Antechamber of M. de Tréville](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/ii-the-antechamber-of-m-de-tr-ville) A tall musketeer with a magnificent baldric, boasting about its cost and engaging in banter with comrades. ### [III: The Audience](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/iii-the-audience) Defends the Musketeers' actions to Tréville, explaining the circumstances of the fight. ### [IV: The Shoulder of Athos, the Baldric of Porthos and the Handkerchief of Aramis](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/iv-the-shoulder-of-athos-the-baldric-of-porthos-and-the-handkerchief-of-aramis) Vainglorious and sensitive about his baldric, he is enraged when D'Artagnan exposes its false gold front. ### [The Kings’s Musketeers and the Cardinal’s Guards](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/v-the-kings-s-musketeers-and-the-cardinal-s-guards) Fights Bicarat, receives a thrust through the arm, and jests during the combat. ### [His Majesty King Louis XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/vi-his-majesty-king-louis-xiii) One of the three Musketeers; present at the audience with the king. ### [VII: The Housekeeping of the Musketeers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/vii-the-housekeeping-of-the-musketeers) Vain and indiscreet, he boasts of his successes and lives in a sumptuous apartment, but his real wealth is unknown. ### [Concerning a Court Intrigue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/viii-concerning-a-court-intrigue) Also supports the group financially and loses money at the gaming table. He meets d'Artagnan on the stairs during the chase. ### [IX: d’Artagnan Shows Himself](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/ix-d-artagnan-shows-himself) Initially confused by D'Artagnan's ruse; grumbles but ultimately swears the oath. ### [Plan of Campaign](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xix-plan-of-campaign) Initially questions the mission but agrees to join, contributing to the discussion of the travel plan. ### [The Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xx-the-journey) Mentioned as having been left behind earlier; his horse is used but later injured. ### [Porthos](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxv-porthos) Found in bed recovering from a duel (claims a knee strain); admits losing his money and horse at dice; awaits funds from his mistress. ### [The Return](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxviii-the-return) Shares his financial situation after giving away his horse and paying for Mousqueton's wound, and later proposes an idea to raise money. ### [Hunting for the Equipments](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxix-hunting-for-the-equipments) Actively pursues his idea of obtaining equipment by flirting with a lady in church, leading to a confrontation with Madame Coquenard. ### [English and French](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxxi-english-and-french) Present during the aftermath of the duel and the discussion of the purse. ### [A Procurator's Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxxii-a-procurator-s-dinner) Visits the procurator's wife for dinner, hoping for a lavish meal and financial support, but is disappointed by the meager fare and stingy household. ### [In Which the Equipment of Aramis and Porthos Is Treated Of](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxxiv-in-which-the-equipment-of-aramis-and-porthos-is-treated-of) Hints at a lady of elevated rank relieving his financial embarrassment; later confronts Madame Coquenard about the poor horse and mule, securing a promise of proper equipment. ### [A Vision](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xxxix-a-vision) Proud of his new horse; eager for a skirmish and to display new equipments. ### [A Terrible Vision](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xl-a-terrible-vision) Supports d'Artagnan's decision to refuse the cardinal's offer. ### [The Anjou Wine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xlii-the-anjou-wine) Proposes carrying Constance off from the convent after the siege; breaks the poisoned bottles. ### [The Sign of the Red Dovecot](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xliii-the-sign-of-the-red-dovecot) Accompanies Athos and Aramis; admits to striking a brigand with a bench during the quarrel. ### [The Utility of Stovepipes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xliv-the-utility-of-stovepipes) Plays dice with Aramis while Athos investigates the stovepipe; later listens to the conversation. ### [XLV: A Conjugal Scene](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xlv-a-conjugal-scene) Plays dice with Aramis while awaiting the cardinal, and later confirms Athos's return to the cardinal. ### [The Bastion of Saint-Gervais](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xlvi-the-bastion-of-saint-gervais) Twists his mustache and agrees to the bet; shows concern about lacking muskets. ### [The Council of the Musketeers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xlvii-the-council-of-the-musketeers) Proposes killing Milady directly; participates in the battle and praises Athos's generalship. ### [XLVIII: A Family Affair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/xlviii-a-family-affair) Boasts of Mousqueton's strength; present during the planning and revelation. ### [Officer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/li-officer) Comments on the siege and the hanging of a spy, showing his characteristic bluntness and humor. ### [LX: In France](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/lx-in-france) Travels with the group; jokes about Aramis's cousin and comments on d'Artagnan's buzzing ears. ### [Two Varieties of Demons](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/lxii-two-varieties-of-demons) Dismissed as a fool and not worth troubling about. ### [The Drop of Water](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/lxiii-the-drop-of-water) Weeps at Constance's death and assists in caring for D'Artagnan. ### [The Man in the Red Cloak](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/lxiv-the-man-in-the-red-cloak) Present with the others, preparing for the expedition. ### [Judgment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/lxv-judgment) Serves as a witness and judge, confirming the accusations against Milady. ### [Execution](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/lxvi-execution) Present as one of the musketeers during the execution. ### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/lxvii-conclusion) Declines the commission, planning to marry his wealthy duchess. ### [Epilogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/chapters/epilogue) Leaves the service and marries Madame Coquenard, inheriting a fortune of eight hundred thousand livres. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/characters/porthos - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_three_musketeers_se/characters