Eurystheus

Family: Argos · Role: taskmaster of Heracles · First appears: Sophocles, The Trachinian Maidens — Scene 5

In Euripides’ Alcestis, Eurystheus employs Heracles for successive labours: he sends him to Thrace for a chariot and horses, and later commands him to capture Diomedes’ man-eating horses. Heracles describes Eurystheus as an enemy as well as the master of his labours, and eventually “each toil Eurystheus’ hate enjoined, now he hath finished.”

In The Heraclidæ, Eurystheus drives Heracles’ children from Greece and sends Copreus to seize them from Athens. When Demophon refuses, Copreus returns with the Argive army under Eurystheus’ command; Hyllus and Iolaus defeat the force, and Iolaus captures Eurystheus at the Scironian rocks. Brought before Alcmena, Eurystheus faces punishment for persecuting her and the children, though he reveals an oracle from Apollo that he will be buried at Pallene and protect the city. Alcmena orders his death, but Athens releases him instead, choosing divine honor over enmity.

Eurystheus recognizes Alcmena as his cousin and Heracles as her son, while explaining that Hera forced him into the conflict despite their kinship. His enemies include Iolaus, Hyllus, Demophon, Macaria, and Alcmena, while Copreus serves as his herald and Heracles carries out the labours he imposes.