Eurystheus

Mortal man

In Greek mythology, Eurystheus (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρυσθεύς, lit. 'broad strength', IPA: [eu̯rystʰěu̯s]) was king of Tiryns, one of three Mycenaean strongholds in the Argolid, although other authors including Homer and Euripides cast him as ruler of Argos.

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Mentions
3
Connected characters
6
Books
3

Mentions in the Iliad

A. T. Murray, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1924 · Homer, Iliad with an English Translation · CC BY-SA 3.0 US

“howbeit mine own father rageth with evil mind, cruel that he is, ever froward, a thwarter of my purposes; neither hath he any memory of this, that full often I saved his son when he was fordone by reason of Eurystheus' tasks. For verily he would make lament toward heaven and from heaven would Zeus”
Il. 8.360–364
“to the mighty Heracles. Of him, a father baser by far, was begotten a son goodlier in all manner of excellence, both in fleetness of foot and in fight, and in mind he was among the first of the men of Mycenae; he it was who then yielded to Hector the glory of victory.”
Il. 15.640–644
“And herself spake to Zeus, son of Cronos, to bear him word: ‘Father Zeus, lord of the bright lightning, a word will I speak for thy heeding. Lo, even now, is born a valiant man that shall be lord over the Argives, even Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus, of thine own lineage; not unmeet is it that he be lord over the Argives.’”
Il. 19.120–124

Connections

Father · Sources
Father · Sources
And herself spake to Zeus, son of Cronos, to bear him word: ‘Father Zeus, lord of the bright lightning, a word will I speak for thy heeding. Lo, even now, is born a valiant man that shall be lord over the Argives, even Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus, of thine own lineage; not unmeet is it that he be lord over the Argives.’
Il. 19.123

Il. 19.123

Grandfather · Sources
Grandfather · Sources

Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Персей → Сфенел → Еврисфей.

And herself spake to Zeus, son of Cronos, to bear him word: ‘Father Zeus, lord of the bright lightning, a word will I speak for thy heeding. Lo, even now, is born a valiant man that shall be lord over the Argives, even Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus, of thine own lineage; not unmeet is it that he be lord over the Argives.’
Il. 19.123

Il. 19.123

Great-grandfather · Sources
Great-grandfather · Sources

Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Зевс → Персей → Сфенел → Еврисфей.

who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,
Il. 14.320
And herself spake to Zeus, son of Cronos, to bear him word: ‘Father Zeus, lord of the bright lightning, a word will I speak for thy heeding. Lo, even now, is born a valiant man that shall be lord over the Argives, even Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus, of thine own lineage; not unmeet is it that he be lord over the Argives.’
Il. 19.123

Il. 14.320 · Il. 19.123

Great-grandmother · Sources
Great-grandmother · Sources

Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Даная → Персей → Сфенел → Еврисфей.

who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,
Il. 14.320
And herself spake to Zeus, son of Cronos, to bear him word: ‘Father Zeus, lord of the bright lightning, a word will I speak for thy heeding. Lo, even now, is born a valiant man that shall be lord over the Argives, even Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus, of thine own lineage; not unmeet is it that he be lord over the Argives.’
Il. 19.123

Il. 14.320 · Il. 19.123

Ancestor · Sources
Ancestor · Sources

Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Кронос → Зевс → Персей → Сфенел → Еврисфей.

one king, to whom the son of crooked-counselling Cronos hath vouchsafed the sceptre and judgments, that he may take counsel for his people. Thus masterfully did he range through the host, and they hasted back to the place of gathering from their ships and huts with noise, as when a wave of the loud-resounding sea
Il. 2.205–206
and the mother fluttered around them, wailing for her dear little ones; howbeit he coiled himself and caught her by the wing as she screamed about him. But when he had devoured the sparrow's little ones and the mother with them, the god, who had brought him to the light, made him to be unseen; for the son of crooked-counselling Cronos turned him to stone;
Il. 2.319
Even in such wise as the son of crooked-counselling Cronos sendeth a star to be a portent for seamen or for a wide host of warriors, a gleaming star, and therefrom the sparks fly thick; even so darted Pallas Athene to earth, and down she leapt into the midst; and amazement came upon all that beheld,
Il. 4.75

Il. 2.205–206 · Il. 2.319 · Il. 4.75 · Il. 9.37 · Il. 9.171 · Il. 9.236 · Il. 9.419 · Il. 9.502 · Il. 9.686 · Il. 10.71 · Il. 14.320 · Il. 15.187 · Il. 16.431 · Il. 18.293 · Il. 19.123

Ancestor · Sources
Ancestor · Sources

Происхождение выведено по цепочке родителей: Рея → Зевс → Персей → Сфенел → Еврисфей.

who bare Perseus, pre-eminent above all warriors; nor of the daughter of far-famed Phoenix, that bare me Minos and godlike Rhadamanthys; nor of Semele, nor of Alcmene in Thebes, and she brought forth Heracles, her son stout of heart,
Il. 14.320
Out upon it, verily strong though he be he hath spoken overweeningly, if in sooth by force and in mine own despite he will restrain me that am of like honour with himself. For three brethren are we, begotten of Cronos, and born of Rhea,—Zeus, and myself, and the third is Hades, that is lord of the dead below. And in three-fold wise are all things divided, and unto each hath been apportioned his own domain.
Il. 15.187
And herself spake to Zeus, son of Cronos, to bear him word: ‘Father Zeus, lord of the bright lightning, a word will I speak for thy heeding. Lo, even now, is born a valiant man that shall be lord over the Argives, even Eurystheus, son of Sthenelus, the son of Perseus, of thine own lineage; not unmeet is it that he be lord over the Argives.’
Il. 19.123

Il. 14.320 · Il. 15.187 · Il. 19.123

In art

Storage jar with Herakles carrying the Erymanthean boar
Storage jar with Herakles carrying the Erymanthean boarLeagros Group · 510 BCJ. Paul Getty MuseumInv. 86.AE.83

Leagros Group. Storage jar with Herakles carrying the Erymanthean boar. J. Paul Getty Museum. CC0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q125154185

04 / PROVENANCE

Sources and verification

The character is matched to the catalogue.

Wikidata Q212087

Reference material remains distinct from the poem’s assertions. Characters who share a name retain separate pages.