Eurytus

Eurytus (/ˈjʊərᵻtəs/), Erytus (Greek: Ἔρυτος), or Eurytos (Εὔρυτος) is the name of several characters in Greek mythology, and of at least one historical figure.

King of Oechalia

King Eurytus of Oechalia, Thessaly, was the son of Melaneus and either Stratonice or the eponymous heroine 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.

According to Homer, Eurytus became so proud of his archery skills that he challenged Apollo. The god killed Eurytus for his presumption.

A more familiar version of Eurytus' death involves a feud with Heracles.^[1]

Others

• Eurytus and Cteatus were twin sons of Molione, by either Poseidon or Actor. They were called by the matronymic Molionides.
• Eurytus or Erytus was the son of Hermes and Antianeira or Laothoe, and brother of Echion. He was one of the Argonauts, and also hunted the Calydonian Boar.^[2][3][4]
• Eurytus was the father of Hippasus, one of the men who hunted the Calydonian Boar.^[5]
• Eurytus, son of Hippocoön was killed, along with his brothers, by Heracles.^[6]
• Eurytus was the Greek leader of the Epeans (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.^[7]
• Eurytus was a chieftain at the court of king Cepheus, and was killed by Perseus during the battle between the latter and Phineus.^[8]
• Eurytus was the king of Caria and the father of Eidothea, who was one of the possible spouses of Miletus.^[9]
• Eurytus was one of the Giants, sons of Gaia, killed by Dionysus during the Gigantomachy, the battle of the Giants versus the Olympian gods.^[10]
• Eurytus was a Centaur 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.^[11]
• Eurytus was the father of Clonus. His son was known for having made the belt of Pallas.^[12]
• Eurytus was an alternate name for Eurypylus of Cyrene.
• Eurytus of Sparta was a Spartan warrior, one of the Three Hundred sent to face the Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC.

References

1. "Eurytus". Mlahanas.de. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
2. Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica, 1. 52 - 56
3. Bibliotheca 1. 9. 16
4. Hyginus, Fabulae, 14, 160, 173
5. CALYDONIAN BOAR : Giant boar of Aetolia, labor Meleager ; Greek mythology ; pictures : HUS KALYDONIOS
6. Bibliotheca 3. 10. 5
7. Euripides, Iphigenia in Aulis, 253ff.; Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy, 8.111
8. Ovid, Metamorphoses, 5. 79 ff
9. Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses, 30
10. Bibliotheca 1. 6. 2
11. Ovid, Metamorphoses, 12. 220 & 235 ff
12. Virgil, Aeneid, 10. 499

Sources

• March, J., Cassell's Dictionary Of Classical Mythology, London, 1999. ISBN 0-304-35161-X