Eurytus
Encyclopedia
Eurytus, Erytus or Eurytos (Εὔρυτος) is the name of eleven characters in Greek mythology
, and of at least one historical figure.
, was the son of Melaneus
and either Stratonice
or Oechalia.
He married Antiope
, daughter of Pylon (son of Naubolus) and had these children: Iphitus, Clytius
, Toxeus
, Deioneus
, Molion, Didaeon, and a very beautiful daughter, Iole
. A late legend also attributes Eurytus as the father of Dryope
, by his first wife.
Eurytus' grandfather was Apollo
, the archer-god, and was also a famed archer. Eurytus has been noted by some as the one who taught Heracles
the art of archery.
According to Homer
, Eurytus became so proud of his archery skills that he challenged Apollo. The god killed Eurytus for his presumption, and Eurytus' bow was passed to Iphitus, who later gave the bow to his friend Odysseus
. It was this bow that Odysseus used to kill the suitors
who had wanted to take his wife, Penelope
.
A more familiar version Eurytus' death involves a feud with Heracles. Eurytus promised the hand of his daughter Iole to whoever who could defeat him and his sons in an archery contest. Heracles won the archery contest, but Eurytus reneged on his promise, fearing that Heracles would go mad and kill any children he had with Iole, just as he has slew the children he had with Megara
.
Heracles left in anger, and soon after twelve of Eurytus' mares were stolen. Some have written that Heracles stole the mares himself, while others have said Autolycus
stole the mares and sold them to Heracles.
In the search for the mares, Iphitus, who was convinced of Heracles' innocence, invited Heracles to help and stayed as Heracles' guest at Tiryns. Heracles invited Iphitus to the top of the palace walls and, in a fit of anger, threw Iphitus to his death. For this crime, Heracles was forced to serve the Lydian queen Omphale as a slave for either one or three years.
After Heracles had married Deianeira, he returned to Oechalia with an army. Revenge-driven, Heracles sacked the city and killed Eurytus and his sons, then took Iole as his concubine. The act eventually led to Heracles' own death, as Deianeira, fearing that Heracles loved Iole more, gave Heracles a robe smeared with the blood of the Centaur
Nessus
, believing it was a love-charm. The blood was poisoned by the blood of the hydra
(which the arrow that Heracles shot Nessus with had been dipped in). When the robe goes to Heracles, it eats into Heracles' flesh and causes his death.
were twin sons of Molione, by either Poseidon
or Actor
. They were called by the matronymic
Molionides.
and Antianeira or Laothoe
, and brother of Echion
. He was one of the Argonauts
, and also hunted the Calydonian Boar
.
, one of the men who hunted the Calydonian Boar..
was killed, along with his brothers, by Heracles
.
(from Elis
) and Taphians
(who lived in the islands off the coast of Acarnania
) during the Trojan War
, and an ally of Elephenor
. He was killed by Eurypylus
.
, and was killed by Perseus
during the battle between the latter and Phineus
.
and the father of Eidothea, who was one of the possible spouses of Miletus
.
. He was killed by Dionysus
during the battle of the Giants versus the gods.
present at the wedding of Pirithous
and Hippodamia
, and the one that caused the conflict between the Lapiths and the Centaurs by trying to carry the bride off. The most violent of the centaurs involved in the battle with the Lapiths, he was killed by Theseus
.
.
n warrior, one of the Three Hundred sent to face the Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae
in 480 BC. Eurytus and a companion, Aristodemus
were stricken with eye infections and ordered to return home. Eurytus turned back and ordered his helot
attendant to lead him back to the battle. He entered the battle blind and was slain. Aristodemus
returned to Sparta disgraced, but redeemed himself at the battle of Plataea
the following year, by fighting with berserker
-like rage.
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, and of at least one historical figure.
King of Oechalia
King Eurytus, of Oechalia (Οἰχαλίᾱ – Oikhalíā), ThessalyThessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
, was the son of Melaneus
Melaneus
In Greek mythology, Melaneus was a son of Apollo. He was the founder of Oechalia , variously located in Thessaly, Messenia or Euboea....
and either Stratonice
Stratonice (mythology)
Stratonice is the name of four women in Greek mythology.1. Stratonice, one of the fifty daughters of Thespius and Megamede. She bore Heracles a son, Atromus.2. Stratonice, the daughter of Pleuron and Xanthippe....
or Oechalia.
He married Antiope
Antiope
Antiope can mean:* Greek mythology** Antiope , sister of Hippolyte kidnapped by Theseus, during Heracles' ninth labour** Antiope by Zeus, associated with the mythology of Thebes, Greece...
, daughter of Pylon (son of Naubolus) and had these children: Iphitus, Clytius
Clytius
Clytius is the name of many people in Greek mythology:# A son of Laomedon, brother of Priam, and an elder of Troy.# A young soldier in the army of Turnus who is loved by Cydon in Virgil's Aeneid, and was killed by Aeneas...
, Toxeus
Toxeus
In Greek mythology, the name Toxeus refers to:*A son of Thestius, brother of Althaea, who participated in the hunt for the Calydonian Boar. He was angry that the prize of the boar's hide had been given to a woman by his nephew Meleager, who then killed him in the ensuing argument.*A son of Oineus...
, Deioneus
Deioneus
In Greek mythology, Deioneus or Deion is a name attributed to the following individuals:*Son of Aeolus, king of Phocis, and father of Cephalus, Actor, Aenetus, Phylacus, Nisus and Asterodia....
, Molion, Didaeon, and a very beautiful daughter, Iole
Iole
In Greek mythology, Iolë was the daughter of Eurytus, king of the city Oechalia. According to the brief epitome by the so-called Apollodorus, Eurytus had a beautiful young daughter named Iole who was eligible for marriage. Iole was claimed by Heracles for a bride, but Eurytus refused her hand in...
. A late legend also attributes Eurytus as the father of Dryope
Dryope
In Greek mythology, Dryope is the name attributed to several distinct figures.-Dryope, lover of Apollo:The most prominent Dryope was the daughter of Dryops, king of Oeta or of Eurytus . She was sometimes thought of as one of the Pleiades . There are two stories of her metamorphosis into a black...
, by his first wife.
Eurytus' grandfather was Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
, the archer-god, and was also a famed archer. Eurytus has been noted by some as the one who taught Heracles
Heracles
Heracles ,born Alcaeus or Alcides , was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus...
the art of archery.
According to Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
, Eurytus became so proud of his archery skills that he challenged Apollo. The god killed Eurytus for his presumption, and Eurytus' bow was passed to Iphitus, who later gave the bow to his friend Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
. It was this bow that Odysseus used to kill the suitors
Suitors of Penelope
The suitors of Penelope, also known as the Proci, are one of the main subjects of Homer's Odyssey. Penelope's husband, Odysseus, king of Ithaca, goes off to fight in the 10-year Trojan war. While most survivors return relatively soon, it takes Odysseus another ten years to return home, and in this...
who had wanted to take his wife, Penelope
Penelope
In Homer's Odyssey, Penelope is the faithful wife of Odysseus, who keeps her suitors at bay in his long absence and is eventually reunited with him....
.
A more familiar version Eurytus' death involves a feud with Heracles. Eurytus promised the hand of his daughter Iole to whoever who could defeat him and his sons in an archery contest. Heracles won the archery contest, but Eurytus reneged on his promise, fearing that Heracles would go mad and kill any children he had with Iole, just as he has slew the children he had with Megara
Megara (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Megara was the oldest daughter of Creon, king of Thebes. In reward for Heracles' defending Thebes from Orchomenus in single-handed battle, Creon offered his daughter Megara to Heracles and he brought her home to the house of Amphitryon...
.
Heracles left in anger, and soon after twelve of Eurytus' mares were stolen. Some have written that Heracles stole the mares himself, while others have said Autolycus
Autolycus
In Greek mythology, Autolycus was a son of Hermes and Chione. He was the husband of Neaera, or according to Homer, of Amphithea...
stole the mares and sold them to Heracles.
In the search for the mares, Iphitus, who was convinced of Heracles' innocence, invited Heracles to help and stayed as Heracles' guest at Tiryns. Heracles invited Iphitus to the top of the palace walls and, in a fit of anger, threw Iphitus to his death. For this crime, Heracles was forced to serve the Lydian queen Omphale as a slave for either one or three years.
After Heracles had married Deianeira, he returned to Oechalia with an army. Revenge-driven, Heracles sacked the city and killed Eurytus and his sons, then took Iole as his concubine. The act eventually led to Heracles' own death, as Deianeira, fearing that Heracles loved Iole more, gave Heracles a robe smeared with the blood of the Centaur
Centaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
Nessus
Nessus (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Nessus was a famous centaur who was killed by Heracles, and whose tainted blood in turn killed Heracles. He was the son of Centauros. He fought in the battle with the Lapiths. He became a ferryman on the river Euenos....
, believing it was a love-charm. The blood was poisoned by the blood of the hydra
Lernaean Hydra
In Greek mythology, the Lernaean Hydra was an ancient nameless serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed many heads — the poets mention more heads than the vase-painters could paint, and for each head cut off it grew two more — and poisonous breath so virulent even...
(which the arrow that Heracles shot Nessus with had been dipped in). When the robe goes to Heracles, it eats into Heracles' flesh and causes his death.
Son of Poseidon
Eurytus and CteatusEurytus and Cteatus
Eurytus and Cteatus were twin brothers in Greek Mythology. Named the Moliones or Molionides for their mother, Molione, they were the sons of either Actor or Poseidon and nephew of Augeas...
were twin sons of Molione, by either Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
or Actor
Actor (mythology)
Actor is a very common name in Greek mythology. Here is a selection of characters that share this name :...
. They were called by the matronymic
Matronymic
A matronymic is a personal name based on the name of one's mother, grandmother, or any female ancestor. It is the female equivalent of a patronymic. In patriarchal societies, matronymic surnames are far less common than patronyms. In the past, matronymic last names were often given to children of...
Molionides.
Son of Hermes
Eurytus or Erytus was the son of HermesHermes
Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
and Antianeira or Laothoe
Laothoe
In Greek mythology, Laothoe can refer to five women:*Laothoe, a wife of Priam, king of Troy, and mother of Lycaon. Her father was Altes, king of the Leleges.*Laothoe, one of the daughters of Thespius and Megamede...
, and brother of Echion
Echion
In Greek mythology, the name Echion "son of the viper", cf. ἔχις echis "viper") referred to five different beings.*One of the Gigantes.*One of the surviving Spartoi, the "sown men" that sprang up from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus; "it was Echion who, for his great valor, was preferred by...
. He was one of the Argonauts
Argonauts
The Argonauts ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology who, in the years before the Trojan War, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, the Argo, which was named after its builder, Argus. "Argonauts", therefore, literally means...
, and also hunted the Calydonian Boar
Calydonian Boar
The Calydonian Boar is one of the monsters of Greek mythology that had to be overcome by heroes of the Olympian age. Sent by Artemis to ravage the region of Calydon in Aetolia because its king failed to honor her in his rites to the gods, it was killed in the Calydonian Hunt, in which many male...
.
Father of Hippasus
Eurytus was the father of HippasusHippasus (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Hippasus is the name of nine characters.*Hippasus, father of Hippomedon, by the nymph Ocyrrhoe, and also of Charops, Socus, Agelaus, and Pammon.*Hippasus, son of Eurytus...
, one of the men who hunted the Calydonian Boar..
Son of Hippocoön
Eurytus, son of HippocoönHippocoon
In Greek mythology, the name Hippocoön refers to several characters:*A son of the Spartan King Oebalus and Bateia. His brothers were Tyndareus and Icarius. When their father died, Tyndareus became king. Hippocoön, with the help of his sons, overthrew him, took the throne and expelled his...
was killed, along with his brothers, by Heracles
Heracles
Heracles ,born Alcaeus or Alcides , was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus...
.
Eurytus of Elis
Eurytus was the Greek leader of the EpeansEpeius
There were two characters named Epeius in Greek mythology.#A Greek soldier during the Trojan War. He was the son of Panopeus and had the reputation for being a coward. In the Iliad he participated in the boxing match at the funeral games for Patrocles against Euryalus and won...
(from Elis
Elis
Elis, or Eleia is an ancient district that corresponds with the modern Elis peripheral unit...
) and Taphians
Taphians
In Homeric Greece, the islands of Taphos lay in the Ionian Sea off the coast of Acarnania in northwestern Greece, home of sea-going and piratical inhabitants, the Taphians...
(who lived in the islands off the coast of Acarnania
Acarnania
Acarnania is a region of west-central Greece that lies along the Ionian Sea, west of Aetolia, with the Achelous River for a boundary, and north of the gulf of Calydon, which is the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. Today it forms the western part of the prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania. The capital...
) during the Trojan War
Trojan War
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and was narrated in many works of Greek literature, including the Iliad...
, and an ally of Elephenor
Elephenor
In Greek mythology, Elephenor was the son of Chalcodon and king of the Abantes of Euboea. He received the sons of Theseus of Athens, Acamas and Demophon, when they fled the usurper Menestheus...
. He was killed by Eurypylus
Eurypylus
In Greek mythology, Eurypylus was the name of several different people.-Son of Thestius:One Eurypylus was a son of Thestius. He participated in the hunt for the Calydonian Boar, during which he insulted Atalanta and was killed by Meleager.-Son of Euaemon:Another Eurypylus was a Thessalian king,...
.
Eurytus the Ethiopian
Eurytus was a chieftain at the court of king CepheusCepheus, King of Aethiopia
In Greek mythology, Cepheus is the name of two rulers of Ethiopia, grandfather and grandson.Cepheus son of Belus was the son of Belus and Achiroe, making him the brother of Danaus, King of Libya, and Aegyptus, King of Egypt. He had a wife named Iope and a son who he named Agenor after his paternal...
, and was killed by Perseus
Perseus
Perseus ,Perseos and Perseas are not used in English. the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty of Danaans there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths of the Twelve Olympians...
during the battle between the latter and Phineus
Phineus
Phineus may refer to:* Phineus, killed by Perseus. See Andromeda * Blind King Phineus or Phineas of Thrace, visited by Jason and the Argonauts* Phineas Nigellus, a deceased headmaster in the Harry Potter universe...
.
Eurytus the Carian King
Eurytus was the king of CariaCaria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
and the father of Eidothea, who was one of the possible spouses of Miletus
Miletus (mythology)
Miletus was a character from Greek mythology.Miletus was son of Apollo and Areia, daughter of Cleochus, of Crete. When Areia gave birth to her son she hid him at a place where the plant milax was growing; Cleochus found the child there and named him Miletus after the plant...
.
Eurytus the Giant
Eurytus was one of the giant sons of GaeaGaia (mythology)
Gaia was the primordial Earth-goddess in ancient Greek religion. Gaia was the great mother of all: the heavenly gods and Titans were descended from her union with Uranus , the sea-gods from her union with Pontus , the Giants from her mating with Tartarus and mortal creatures were sprung or born...
. He was killed by Dionysus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
during the battle of the Giants versus the gods.
Eurytus the Centaur
Eurytus was a CentaurCentaur
In Greek mythology, a centaur or hippocentaur is a member of a composite race of creatures, part human and part horse...
present at the wedding of Pirithous
Pirithous
In Greek mythology, Pirithous - Πειρίθοος was the King of the Lapiths in Thessaly and husband of Hippodamia, at whose wedding the famous Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs occurred....
and Hippodamia
Hippodamia (wife of Pirithous)
Hippodamia and δαμάζειν damazein , "Tamer of horses"; also known as Deidamia ), daughter of Atrax or Butes, was the bride of King Pirithous of the Lapiths. At their wedding, Hippodamia, the other female guests, and the young boys were almost abducted by the Centaurs. Pirithous and his friend,...
, and the one that caused the conflict between the Lapiths and the Centaurs by trying to carry the bride off. The most violent of the centaurs involved in the battle with the Lapiths, he was killed by Theseus
Theseus
For other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were...
.
Eurytus, father of Clonus
Eurytus was the father of Clonus. His son was known for having made the belt of PallasPallas (son of Evander)
In Roman mythology, Pallas was the son of King Evander. In Virgil's Aeneid, Evander allows Pallas to fight against the Rutuli with Aeneas, who takes him and treats him like his own son Ascanius. In battle, Pallas proves he is a warrior, killing many Rutulians, and compared to the Rutulian Lausus,...
.
Eurytus, the Spartan Warrior
Eurytus or Eurýtos was the name of a SpartaSparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
n warrior, one of the Three Hundred sent to face the Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August...
in 480 BC. Eurytus and a companion, Aristodemus
Aristodemus (Spartan)
Aristodemus was a Spartan warrior, one of the many sent to the Battle of Thermopylae. He was one of only two Spartan survivors, as he was not present at the last stand...
were stricken with eye infections and ordered to return home. Eurytus turned back and ordered his helot
Helots
The helots: / Heílôtes) were an unfree population group that formed the main population of Laconia and the whole of Messenia . Their exact status was already disputed in antiquity: according to Critias, they were "especially slaves" whereas to Pollux, they occupied a status "between free men and...
attendant to lead him back to the battle. He entered the battle blind and was slain. Aristodemus
Aristodemus (Spartan)
Aristodemus was a Spartan warrior, one of the many sent to the Battle of Thermopylae. He was one of only two Spartan survivors, as he was not present at the last stand...
returned to Sparta disgraced, but redeemed himself at the battle of Plataea
Battle of Plataea
The Battle of Plataea was the final land battle during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It took place in 479 BC near the city of Plataea in Boeotia, and was fought between an alliance of the Greek city-states, including Sparta, Athens, Corinth and Megara, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes...
the following year, by fighting with berserker
Berserker
Berserkers were Norse warriors who are reported in the Old Norse literature to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic which later gave rise to the English word berserk. Berserkers are attested in numerous Old Norse sources...
-like rage.