Nycteus

Greek mythological Theban king

In Greek mythology, Nycteus (/ˈnɪktjuːs/; Greek: Νυκτεύς, romanized: Nukteús, lit. 'nocturnal') was a king of Thebes. His rule began after the death of Polydorus, and ended when he was succeeded by his brother Lycus.

Family

Nycteus and his brother Lycus were the sons of either Chthonius, one of the Spartoi,[1] or of the nymph Clonia and Hyrieus, the son of Poseidon and the Atlantid Alkyone,[2] or of Poseidon and the Pleiad Celaeno. Nycteus had two daughters by Polyxo, Nycteis and Antiope.

Mythology

The Nycteus and Lycus fled from Euboea after they murdered King Phlegyas, settling in Hyria and then moving to Thebes, because they were friends with Pentheus, its king.[3] Nycteus's daughter, Nycteis married Polydorus, who was the successor of Pentheus, and their son was Labdacus. However, Pentheus and Polydorus both died soon after, and Nycteus became regent for Labdacus.[1]

After Antiope was impregnated by Zeus and fled to marry king Epopeus in Sicyon, the Bibliotheca reports that Nycteus killed himself in shame, after asking Lycus to punish her.[4] Pausanias, however, states that Nycteus led the Thebans against Epopeus, but was wounded and carried back to Thebes, where he died after asking Lycus to continue the battle.[5] Lycus succeeded him as regent of Thebes.

Regnal titles
Preceded by
Polydorus
 Regent of Thebes Succeeded by
Lycus

Theban royal family tree

Royal house of Thebes family tree
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  • Solid lines indicate descendants.
  • Dashed lines indicate marriages.
  • Dotted lines indicate extra-marital relationships or adoptions.
  • Kings of Thebes are numbered with bold names and a light purple background.
    • Joint rules are indicated by a number and lowercase letter, for example, 5a. Amphion shared the throne with 5b. Zethus.
  • Regents of Thebes are alphanumbered (format AN) with bold names and a light red background.
    • The number N refers to the regency preceding the reign of the Nth king. Generally this means the regent served the Nth king but not always, as Creon (A9) was serving as regent to Laodamas (the 10th King) when he was slain by Lycus II (the usurping 9th king).
    • The letter A refers to the regency sequence. "A" is the first regent, "B" is the second, etc.
  • Deities have a yellow background color.

Harmonia1.
Cadmus		PolyxoA4.
Nycteus (Regent)		DirceB4 & A6.
Lycus (Regent)
ZeusZeus
InoAgaveEchion3.
Polydorus		NycteisAntiope
SemeleAutonoë
Dionysus2.
Pentheus		Epeiros4.
Labdacus		5a.
Amphion		5b.
Zethus
Menoeceus
EurydiceA7, A8 & A9.
Creon (Regent)		Jocasta6.
Laius		MeropePolybus
HipponomeAlcaeus
Zeus
AlcmeneAmphitryonPerimede7.
Oedipus
MegaraHeraclesIphiclesAnaxo
HeniocheMegareusHaemonAntigone8b.
Eteocles		Argea8a.
Polynices
PyrrhaLycomedesIsmene9.
Lycus II
A12.
Peneleos (Regent)		10.
Laodamas		Demonassa11.
Thersander
Opheltes12.
Tisamenus
14.
Damasichthon		13.
Autesion
15.
Ptolemy		TherasArgeiaAristodemus
16.
Xanthos		EurysthenesProcles


Notes

  1. ^ a b Apollodorus, 3.5.5.
  2. ^ Apollodorus, 3.10.1.
  3. ^ Apollodorus, 3.5.
  4. ^ Apollodorus, 3.5.5
  5. ^ Pausanias, 2.6.2

References

  • Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
  • Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. ISBN 0-674-99328-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
  • Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
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