Copreus

Also known as: COP. · Family: Argos · Role: herald of Eurystheus · First appears: Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 1

Life events

• Demophoon prevents Copreus from removing the suppliants from the altars.(Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 1 · 📍 Athens)
  • With: Iolaus Demophon
  • “and when Copreus, the herald of Eurystheus, wished to remove the suppliants, he prevented him.”
• Copreus violently drags Iolaus from the altar.(Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 1)
  • With: Iolaus
  • “IOL. This man, O strangers, dishonoring your Gods, drags me violently from the altar of Jupiter.”
• Eurystheus sends Copreus to seize the exiled Heraclids and return them to Mycenae.(Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 2)
  • With: Eurystheus
  • “Eurystheus, the king of Mycenæ, sends me hither to lead away these men; and I have come”
• Copreus attempts to drag Iolaus from the altar by force and trips him.(Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 2)
  • With: Iolaus
  • “This man caused the noise, seeking to lead him by force from this hearth; and he tripped up the legs of the old man”
• Demophoon orders Copreus to report his refusal to Eurystheus and submit any charges to justice.(Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 2 · 📍 Argos)
  • With: Demophon Eurystheus
  • “going to Argos, both tell this to Eurystheus; and besides that, if he has any charge against these strangers, he shall meet with justice”
• Copreus departs to bring the Argive army against Athens under Eurystheus’s command.(Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 3)
  • With: Eurystheus
  • “I go; for the struggle of a single hand is powerless. But I will come, bringing hither many a brazen spear of Argive war; and ten thousand shield-bearers await me, and Eurystheus, the king himself, as general.”

Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 1

• employer: Eurystheus “Copreus, the herald of Eurystheus”
• enemies with Iolaus “This man, O strangers, dishonoring your Gods, drags me violently from the altar of Jupiter.”
• with Demophon (Demophoon prevents Copreus from removing the suppliants.) “when Copreus, the herald of Eurystheus, wished to remove the suppliants, he prevented him.”

Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 2

• enemies with Iolaus “This man caused the noise, seeking to lead him by force from this hearth; and he tripped up the legs of the old man, so that I shed the tear for pity.”
• enemies with Demophon “But do you depart, and then will I drag them thence.”

Euripides, The Heraclidæ — Scene 3

• enemies with Demophon (Copreus threatens Demophon and Athens with an Argive attack.) “I will come, bringing hither many a brazen spear of Argive war; and ten thousand shield-bearers await me, and Eurystheus, the king himself, as general.”
• parent: Sthenelus (The preceding address identifies the addressee as “the son of Sthenelus, king in Argos.”) “But, O foolish king, I tell thee, if thou comest to this city, thou wilt not thus obtain what thou thinkest for. You are not the only one who has a spear and a brazen shield; but, O lover of war, mayest thou not with the spear disturb my city dear to the Graces; but restrain thyself.”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Tragedy. Made with Rho MD.