Eurysthée

In the Greek Mythology, Eurysthée (in Greek old Εὐρυσθεύς / Eurystheús ), wire of Sthénélos and Nicippé (or Ménippé), is king of the Argolide (area including/understanding Mycènes and Tirynthe). He is the enemy more the relentless of Héraclès, which is its slave during his twelve work.

Birth

Alcmène gives rise to Héraclès, most important of wire of Zeus. Héra, jealous not to have had any role in the design of largest of all the heroes, decides to deprive the child of the throne of Argolide, which returns to him from right. Zeus lets escape the secrecy from the imminent birth of the hero. He declares in front of the other gods that “This day a man will be born from a mortal, pertaining to a race of the blood of Zeus itself, and that he will reign on those which live around him”.

In addition, the woman of Sthénélos is pregnant seven months at this time, and as Sthénélos is downward of Persée, his/her son is as capable to achieve prophecy as Héraclès. Moreover, after Amphitryon accidentally kills king de Mycènes, Électryon, the brother of Sthénélos, this last seized the throne. Héra charges then Ilithyie, the goddess who governs the childbirth, to hasten the birth of Eurysthée and to delay the delivery of Alcmène. A maidservant, Galanthis, lead by trick the goddess to give up her project. Time passes and it is too late so that Héraclès carries out the prophecy of Zeus. Thus Eurysthée inherits the Argolide.

Constraint of Héraclès

Héraclès, in an access of madness kills his wife Mégara and their children. The Oracle de Delphes, orders to the hero to be put at the service of Eurysthée and to achieve ten work. Jealous of the power and the force of Héraclès, as well as its rights to the throne of Argolide, Eurysthée imposes to him a succession of exploits so formidable that only a true son and protected from Zeus can conclude them. Eurystée, in addition shown cowardice. When Héraclès brings the skin of the to him Lion of Némée, it hides in a bronze earthenware jar. Following that, it defends in Héraclès to penetrate in the city (either Tirynthe or Mycènes) and sends to him his/her uncle Coprée, a herald, to carry his orders to him. (In the part of Euripide, Héraclides , it is crueler than coward.)

Eurysthée will refuse by twice recognizing completed work by Héraclès (the hydre of Lerne and stables of Augias). Thus, Héraclès will have to achieve two work in addition to the ten imposed at the beginning.

Persecution of Héraclides

After the apotheosis of Héraclès on the Olympe, Eurysthée continues to persecute it through its descendants. Céyx, the king of Trachis, refuses to grant its protection to them, because Eurysthée attacked it, ordering to him to deliver them to him. The descendants flee in Attique. Démophon, the son of Thésée, installs them with Marathon and successfully fights battle to Eurysthée. This last flees of the Attic, and the son of Héraclès, Hyllos, keep silent its persecutors from the Roches Scironniennes, in the Isthme of Corinth.

According to a different version, Eurysthée is captured alive, but is put at died by order of Alcmène, in spite of the protests of the Athenians. Because they tried to save it, Eurysthée promises to the inhabitants of Athens that its body will protect their country from the invasions; also, those bury it at the border.

Sources

  • (II, 4,5; II, 5,9; II, 8,1; III, 9,2).

  • (IV, 9,5; IV, 57,6).
  • .
  • (I, 32,6, I, 44,9).
  • ( Pythiques , IX, 79; XI).

See too

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