Sthenelus

Family: Egyptian · Role: prince · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 2.1

🌐 Also appears in: The Iliad (as Sthenelus) · The Metamorphoses of Ovid (as Sthenelus)

Sthenelus, an Egyptian prince, married Sthenele. In one account, Perseus was his parent, and Sthenelus had Alcyone and Medusa daughter of Sthenelus by Nicippe, daughter of Pelops; he later had a son, Eurystheus, and sons by Andromeda. Another account names Androgeus as his father.

At Argos, after Amphitryon accidentally killed Electryon while returning the cattle, Sthenelus used the incident to banish Amphitryon from all Argos and seized the thrones of Mycenae and Tiryns. He entrusted Midea to Atreus and Thyestes, sons of Pelops, whom he had summoned.

Sthenelus was also named among the Greek kings who came to Sparta to seek Helen’s hand. In another genealogy, he was the son of Capaneus and the father of Cometes.

Relationship record

Life events

Amphitryon accidentally killed Electryon; Sthenelus banished him and seized Mycenae and Tiryns.(Apollodorus, Library 2.4 · 📍 Argos)
- With: Amphitryon Electryon Atreus Thyestes
- “However, as he was receiving the cows back, one of them charged, and Amphitryon threw at her the club which he had in his hands. But the club rebounded from the cow's horns and striking Electryon's head killed him. Hence Sthenelus laid hold of this pretext to banish Amphitryon from the whole of Argos, while he himself seized the throne of Mycenae and Tiryns; and he entrusted Midea to Atreus and Thyestes, the sons of Pelops, whom he had sent for.”

Apollodorus, Library 2.1

married with Sthenele “Sthenelus got Sthenele”

Apollodorus, Library 2.4

parent: Perseus “and in Mycenae he had Alcaeus and Sthenelus and Heleus and Mestor and Electryon”
child: Alcyone “Sthenelus had daughters, Alcyone and Medusa, by Nicippe, daughter of Pelops”
child: Medusa daughter of Sthenelus “Sthenelus had daughters, Alcyone and Medusa, by Nicippe, daughter of Pelops”
child: Eurystheus “and he had afterwards a son Eurystheus”
parent: Andromeda “he had sons by Andromeda”
with Amphitryon (interaction) “Sthenelus laid hold of this pretext to banish Amphitryon from the whole of Argos”
ward: Atreus “he entrusted Midea to Atreus and Thyestes, the sons of Pelops”
ward: Thyestes “he entrusted Midea to Atreus and Thyestes, the sons of Pelops”

Apollodorus, Library 2.5

parent: Androgeus “taking on board the sons of Androgeus, son of Minos, to wit, Alcaeus and Sthenelus”

Apollodorus, Library 3.7

parent: Capaneus “Sthenelus, son of Capaneus”

Apollodorus, Library 3.10

courtship with Helen “Now the kings of Greece repaired to Sparta to win the hand of Helen. The wooers were these: — Ulysses, son of Laertes; Diomedes, son of Tydeus; Antilochus, son of Nestor; Agapenor, son of Ancaeus; Sthenelus, son of Capaneus;”

Apollodorus, Epitome 6

child: Cometes “Cometes, son of Sthenelus”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places → · 🌳 Family orrery →

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