Eurytus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Eurytus

18 passages from 11 ancient authors that tell of Eurytus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Eurytus was the name given to various figures in Greek mythology. The most prominent of all was King Eurytus of the area of Oechalia, Thessaly. He was... For the story in one place, read our article on Eurytus.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Fragments 1.72–85Athens, Crete and central GreeceThese fragments name Butes, Breyon and Cychreus, and then Minos, Androgeos and Ariadne. They end with the families of Eurytus, Autolycus, Locrus, Ileus, Clymene and Thoas.

Homer (4)

Homer, Homerica 2.1–4.2Lost epics, Margites and CercopesThe first pieces are ancient notes on epics ascribed to Homer: the Expedition of Amphiaraus, the Taking of Oechalia and the Phocais. The Margites, a comic poem about a man who knew many things badly, survives in a few lines, and the Cercopes in a note on the thieving brothers Passalus and Acmon.
Homer, Odyssey 21.1–100Penelope fetches the bowAthena puts it into the heart of Penelope to set the contest of the bow before the suitors. She goes to the store-room, takes down the great bow of Odysseus, which he had been given by Iphitus in Messene, and weeps over it. She comes down to the hall with her maids and announces that she will marry the man who strings the bow and shoots through twelve axes.
Homer, Iliad 2.559–644The Catalogue of Ships (2): Argos to AetoliaThe Catalogue continues with the men of Argos under Diomedes, the men of Mycenae under Agamemnon, who has the most and best ships, and Menelaus's men from Lacedaemon. It then lists Nestor's men from Pylos, the Arcadians, the Epeians, Odysseus's Cephallenians and the Aetolians under Thoas.
Homer, Odyssey 8.131–255Euryalus' taunt; Odysseus throws the discusLaodamas invites Odysseus to take part in the games. Odysseus declines, being heavy with troubles, but Euryalus taunts him, saying that he looks like a merchant counting his cargo and not an athlete. Odysseus answers him sharply, picks up a larger discus than any yet thrown and hurls it far beyond the marks. He challenges the Phaeacians in everything but running, and Alcinous smooths things over and says that the Phaeacians are better at the dance and the feast.

Apollodorus (3)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.6.1–4Heracles, Iphitus and OmphaleAfter the labours Heracles wins the archery contest for Iole but is refused, and later, in a fresh fit of madness, throws Iphitus from the walls of Tiryns. Struck with disease, he tries to carry off the Delphic tripod, and is told to be sold into slavery for three years; he serves Omphale of Lydia, binds the Cercopes and kills Syleus. Afterwards he sails against Troy, sacks it and kills Laomedon, and Telamon gets Hesione, whose brother Podarces is ransomed and renamed Priam.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.7.1–8Heracles' wars, Deianira and the death of HeraclesHera's storms drive Heracles to Cos on his way back from Troy, and he then fights beside the gods against the Giants. He campaigns against Augeas and the Molionides in Elis, against Pylos and against Hippocoon in Sparta, and fathers Telephus by Auge. He wins Deianira from Achelous and kills the centaur Nessus at the Evenus; after taking Oechalia, he puts on the robe stained with Nessus's blood and burns on Mount Oeta, rising to heaven and marrying Hebe. The section ends with a long list of his children, among them his sons by the daughters of Thespius.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.4.6–12Amphitryon, Alcmene and the youth of HeraclesElectryon's sons are killed in a cattle raid by the Taphians, and Amphitryon accidentally kills Electryon and takes refuge at Thebes, where he wins the Teleboan war with the help of Cephalus's dog. Zeus lies with Alcmene in Amphitryon's likeness and she bears Heracles and Iphicles; the infant Heracles strangles the serpents Hera sends. Heracles is taught by several masters, kills the lion of Cithaeron after fathering children by Thespius's fifty daughters, and defeats the Minyans of Erginus. Hera then drives him mad and he kills his children, and the Pythia at Delphi names him Heracles and sends him to serve Eurystheus.

Pindar (1)

Pindar, Pythian Odes 4.143–299Pythian 4: for Arcesilas — the Argonauts and the golden fleeceJason offers Pelias the flocks and herds but asks for the sceptre and throne of his father Aeson, and Pelias answers softly, sending him to fetch the golden fleece and the spirit of Phrixus. Jason gathers the Argonauts, including Orpheus, Echion and Eurytus, who sail after his prayer to Zeus. At Colchis Aeëtes sets him a task, and with Medea's charms Jason wins the fleece, kills the serpent and carries Medea off, and the ode ends with a plea that Arcesilas recall the exile Damophilus.

Sophocles (2)

Sophocles, Women of Trachis 335–430Second episode (cont.): the Messenger exposes LichasThe Messenger stops Deianeira from going in and tells her that Lichas has been lying. He says that he heard Lichas declare in public that Heracles destroyed the city of Eurytus for love of the girl, who is Iole, Eurytus' daughter. Deianeira is shocked, and when she questions Lichas he says that the girl is a Euboean of unknown birth, and denies that he ever said otherwise.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 205–292First stasimon; Lichas arrives with the captive womenThe Chorus call on the women to raise a cry of joy for the return of Heracles and for Apollo and Artemis. Lichas arrives with a group of captive women and tells Deianeira that her husband is alive and about to offer sacrifice at Cape Cenaeum in Euboea. He says that Heracles was kept for a year in servitude to Omphale in Lydia as a penalty for killing Iphitus by treachery, and that he then sacked the city of Eurytus.

Apollonius Rhodius (1)

Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1.1–121Pelias' oracle and the catalogue of the ArgonautsThe poet invokes Phoebus and tells how Pelias, warned by an oracle to beware the man with one sandal, sends Jason after the Golden Fleece when Jason loses a sandal crossing the Anaurus. The catalogue of the Argonauts begins with Orpheus and goes on through Asterion, Polyphemus, Admetus, Mopsus, Peleus and Telamon and Tiphys, who steers the ship Athena and Argus built. It closes with Phlias and the sons of Bias from Argos.

Theocritus (1)

Theocritus, Idylls 24.1–140Idyll 24: The infant HeraclesAlcmena lulls Heracles and Iphicles to sleep, but at midnight two snakes sent by Hera crawl into the room. Alcmena wakes and calls Amphitryon, who hurries in with armed servants and finds the child Heracles clutching both snakes. Tiresias is called and foretells the labours of Heracles, and the poem ends with the boy's upbringing and training.

Diodorus Siculus (2)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.31.1–4.33.12Heracles: servitude, Troy, Elis and SpartaAfter his labours Heracles gives Megara to Iolaüs and asks for Iole, daughter of Eurytus; he is refused, falls ill, and is told by Apollo to be sold as a slave to pay the sons of Iphitus. He then makes war on Laomedon at Troy and gives the kingdom to Priam, fights Augeas and the Eleans, and defeats the sons of Hippocoön at Sparta, restoring Tyndareüs. The section ends with Augê's secret child.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.36.1–4.39.4The death of HeraclesHeracles takes the field with the Calydonians against the Thesprotians and, after he kills a serving boy by accident, goes into exile with Deïaneira. At the river Euenus the centaur Nessus attacks her; dying, he gives her a charm, and years later she uses it on a robe to win Heracles back from Iole. The robe consumes Heracles, who has himself burned on a pyre on Mount Oeta; the section closes with the honours paid to him as hero and god.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 12.210–326The Lapiths and the Centaurs: the wedding feastNestor describes the wedding of Pirithous, king of the Lapiths, and Hippodame, to which the centaurs are invited as guests. The centaur Eurytus, drunk, seizes the bride, and the rest follow his example, and a general brawl begins. Theseus strikes Eurytus down with a bowl, and the centaurs seize tables and weapons, and the Lapiths fight them, with many dead on both sides.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.15.1–5Cleonae and Nemea; Mycenae and the early Argive legends of Inachus and PhoroneusOn the road to Argos Pausanias describes Cleonae, with its Athena by Scyllis and Dipoenus and the tomb of Eurytus and Cteatus, and the Nemean region: the lion’s cave, the temple of Nemean Zeus, the grave of Opheltes and Mount Apesas. He then begins the Argive legends, covering Inachus, the dispute of Poseidon and Hera over the land, and Phoroneus, who first gathered mankind.

Quintus Smyrnaeus (1)

Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 8.108–236Neoptolemus kills EurypylusEurypylus kills Eurytus, Menoetius and many other Argives, and then meets Neoptolemus, who answers his challenge by naming his father and his horses. Neoptolemus leaps down from his chariot, and after Eurypylus hurls a huge stone at his shield they fight a long, even duel on foot. His spear passes through Eurypylus' throat, and he strips the arms and charges on among the Trojans in his chariot.