Lynceus

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For other persons named Lynceus, see Lynceus (disambiguation).

In Greek mythology, Lynceus was a descendant of Belus through Aegyptus, twin brother of Danaus, who had fifty daughters, the Danaides, while Aegyptus had fifty sons including Lynceus. Aegyptus commanded that his sons marry the Danaides and Danaus fled to Argos, ruled by King Pelasgus with his daughters. When Aegyptus and his sons arrived to take the Danaides, Danaus gave them to spare the Argives the pain of a battle. However, he instructed his daughters to kill their husbands on their wedding night. Forty-nine followed through, but one, Hypermnestra refused because her husband, Lynceus, honored her wish to remain a virgin. Danaus was angry with his disobedient daughter and threw her to the Argive courts. Aphrodite intervened and saved her. Lynceus later killed Danaus as revenge for the death of his brothers. Lynceus and Hypermnestra then began a dynasty of Argive kings (the Danaan Dynasty) beginning with Abas. In some versions of the legend, the Danaides were punished in the underworld by being forced to carry water through a jug with holes, or a sieve, so the water always leaked out.[1][2][3]

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[edit] References

  1. ^ Apollodorus. Bibliotheke. Book I, Chapter VIII, p. 2 and Chapter 9, p. 16; Book III, Chapter X, p. 3 and Chapter IX, p. 2.
  2. ^ Apollonius Rhodius. Argonautica. Book I, 151-155.
  3. ^ Ovid, Metamorphoses. Book VIII, 304.