Eurystheus
Family: Greek mythology · Role: mythical king · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 27
In Book 1, Chapter 27, Eurystheus received the bull from Crete as one of Hercules’ twelve Labours. By Chapter 32, he was at odds with Hercules, who fled from him at Tiryns. At Athens, Theseus refused to surrender the children to Eurystheus despite his pleas, and the refusal brought about the first war between the Peloponnesians and Athenians. In Chapter 44, Eurystheus fled Attica after the battle with the Heraclidæ and was killed by Iolaus.
Later episodes also connect Eurystheus with Hercules’ Labours: in Book 3, Chapter 25, Hercules brought Cerberus from Tænarum to him; in Book 4, Chapter 36, Eurystheus ordered Hercules to drive off Geryon’s herd in Spain. Book 4, Chapter 34 recounts that the Dryopes became suppliants of Eurystheus, who granted them Asine in Argolis. Book 8 recalls Hercules being expelled from Tiryns by Eurystheus and a Labour imposed by him during which Athene saved Hercules from the Styx.
Relationship record
Life events
- Hercules fetched the bull from Crete to Eurystheus as one of his twelve Labours.(Book 1 · Chapter 27)
- With: Hercules
- “And they say that this bull crossed over from Crete to the Peloponnese, and that one of the twelve Labours of Hercules was to fetch it to Eurystheus.”
- Theseus refused to surrender the children to Eurystheus.(Book 1 · Chapter 32 · 📍 Athens)
- The refusal began the first war between the Peloponnesians and Athenians.(Book 1 · Chapter 32 · 📍 Athens)
- Eurystheus fled Attica and was killed by Iolaus.(Book 1 · Chapter 44)
- With: Iolaus
- “They say that he fled here from Attica after the battle with the Heraclidæ, and was killed by Iolaus.”
- Hercules dragged the deadly serpent Cerberus from Tænarum to Eurystheus.(Book 3 · Chapter 25 · 📍 Tænarum)
- With: Hercules
- “this serpent was dragged by Hercules to Eurystheus.”
- The Dryopes fled to the Peloponnese and Eurystheus granted them Asine in Argolis.(Book 4 · Chapter 34 · 📍 Asine)
- With: Dryops
- “afterwards crossing over in ships to the Peloponnese became suppliants of Eurystheus, and he being a bitter enemy of Hercules gave them Asine in Argolis to dwell in.”
- Eurystheus ordered Hercules to drive off Geryon’s famous herd.(Book 4 · Chapter 36 · 📍 Spain)
- Hercules was expelled from Tiryns by Eurystheus.(Book 8 · Chapter 14 · 📍 Tiryns)
- With: Hercules
- “when he was expelled from Tiryns by Eurystheus”
- Athene saved Hercules from the Styx during a labour imposed by Eurystheus.(Book 8 · Chapter 18 · 📍 Hades)
Book 1 · Chapter 27
- with Hercules (Hercules brought the bull to Eurystheus as a labor.) “one of the twelve Labours of Hercules was to fetch it to Eurystheus”
Book 1 · Chapter 32
- enemies with Hercules “When Hercules fled from Eurystheus at Tiryns, he went to his friend Ceyx the king of Trachis.”
- enemies with Theseus “And coming to Athens as suppliants, they brought about the first war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, as Theseus would not give them up to Eurystheus, though he begged hard for them.”
- with Theseus (Theseus refused to surrender Hercules's children to Eurystheus.) “And coming to Athens as suppliants, they brought about the first war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, as Theseus would not give them up to Eurystheus, though he begged hard for them.”
Book 1 · Chapter 44
- with Iolaus (Iolaus killed Eurystheus.) “They say that he fled here from Attica after the battle with the Heraclidæ, and was killed by Iolaus”
Book 3 · Chapter 25
- with Hercules (Hercules dragged the serpent Cerberus to Eurystheus.) “But Hecatæus the Milesian has a probable legend, that a dreadful serpent called Cerberus was reared at Tænarum, and that whoever was bitten by it was sure to die, so venomous was its bite, and this serpent was dragged by Hercules to Eurystheus.”
Book 4 · Chapter 34
- enemies with Hercules “afterwards crossing over in ships to the Peloponnese became suppliants of Eurystheus, and he being a bitter enemy of Hercules gave them Asine in Argolis to dwell in.”
Book 4 · Chapter 36
- with Hercules (Eurystheus ordered Hercules to raid Geryon's herd.) “Eurystheus ordered Hercules, in consequence of the fame of those oxen in Spain, to drive off the herd that belonged to Geryon.”
Book 8 · Chapter 14
- with Hercules (Eurystheus expelled Hercules from Tiryns.) “when he was expelled from Tiryns by Eurystheus”
Book 8 · Chapter 18
- with Hercules (interaction) “Athene says that Zeus does not remember that she saved Hercules in it in one of the Labours imposed by Eurystheus.”
Book 8 · Chapter 24
- with Hercules (interaction) “Hercules at the orders of Eurystheus hunted the boar”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.