Myth and Folklore Wiki
Register
Advertisement
350px-Erymanthian Boar Louvre G17

Eurystheus hiding in a storage jar while Heracles shows him the Erynamthian boar

King Eurystheus of Tiryns and Mycenae, was the son of Sthelenus and Nicippe, and thus paternal grandson of Pelops and maternal grandson of Perseus (great-grandson on both sides, of Zeus), making him cousin of Theseus, Agamemnon, Menelaus and Heracles.

In Myth[]

Birth[]

According to a prophecy, the first-born grandson of Perseus would inherit Mycenae. Both Nicippe and Alcmene, Heracles' mother, were pregnant. However, Heracles, who was going to be born first, was the subject of Hera's personal vendetta, who sent her daughter, Eilytheia, to prolong Alcmene's labour. When Heracles was born, he was to late and the jealous and cowardly Eurystheus took the throne.

Twelve Labours[]

He is most well-known in myth as being the master of Heracles, setting him the 12 labors in punishment for having killed his wife. He was also notoriously cowardly, hiding in storage jars whenever Heracles brought back whichever creature assigned.

Family[]

Inachid Genealogy in Greek mythology
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Inachus
 
Melia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Zeús
 
Io
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Phoroneus
 
Teledice
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Epaphus
 
Memphis
 
 
 
 
 
 
Apis
 
 
 
 
 
 
Argos
 
Evadne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Libya
 
Poseidôn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Criasos
 
Melantho
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Belos
 
Achiroe
 
 
 
 
 
 
Agenor
 
Telephassa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Phorbas
 
Cleobea
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Danaus
 
Pieria
 
Aegyptus
 
Cadmus
 
Cilix
 
Europa
 
Phoenix
 
Gelanor
 
 
 
Triopas
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jasus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hypermnestra
 
 
 
Lynceus
 
Kings of Thebes
 
Kings of Cilicia
 
Kings of Crete
 
Kings of Phoenicia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sosis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nepeira
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lacadaemon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SpartaAbas
 
 
 
 
 
Ocalea
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Crotopos
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sthenelos
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eurydice
 
 
 
 
Acrisius
 
Proetus
 
Hipponoe
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Zeús
 
Danaë
 
 
 
 
 
Megapenthes
 
Demophile
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Perseus
 
Andromeda
 
 
 
 
 
Argeos
 
Pyrante
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Electyron
 
 
Alcaeus
 
Sthenelus
 
 
Anaxagoras
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hyrmine
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eurydice
 
 
 
 
 
Astydamia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nicippe
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amphitryon
 
 
 
 
Alcmene
 
 
Zeús
 
Eurystheus
 
 
 
 
 
Alector
 
Iphis
 
Helice
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Automedusa
 
Iphicles
 
 
 
 
Heracles
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Itea
 
 
 
 
 
Sthenelius
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cylabares
 
 
 
 
 
Iolaus
 
Megara
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Heraclidae (see Heraclid genealogy)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bacchiadae
After Eurystheus, the kingdom of Mycenae passed to the Atreids in the person of Atreus After Cylabares, the kingdom of Argos passed to the Atreids of Mycenae in the person of Orestes (Atreus' grandson)
Preceded by:
Sthelenus
King of Mycenae
Mythic
Succeeded by
Atreus
Advertisement