AMYCUS (king of the Bebryces)

Amycus owned the oxstalls and farm at that location, and he and the Bebrycians set their boundary at the meadows of Hypius.^5,6 He required strangers to box against him before leaving, a habit that led him to kill those who were compelled to fight and many of his neighbors.^5,7 When the Argonauts arrived, he approached the ship and scorned to ask the visitors' purpose, speaking out among them all at once without asking questions.⁵ He challenged the strongest member of the Argo's crew to a boxing contest, forcing arriving strangers to fight him.⁷ His henchman Lyeoreus placed pairs of raw hide gauntlets at their feet as the confrontation began.⁴

The son of Tyndareus brought war on the Bebrycians by slaying their champion.⁶ Amycus refused to allow Polydeuces to drink from a spring without a fight, demanding single combat with fists to settle the dispute.⁸ He stated that the loser of the fight would become the winner's slave, claiming he had no gifts to offer and was not trespassing on Polydeuces' land.⁸ Before the match, Amycus threw down his cloak and crook, addressing the hero with arrogant words while standing apart in silence.⁴ He blew a hollow shell to summon the Bebryces, then fought Polydeuces in a boxing match using ox-skin gloves.²

The bout was fierce, with Amycus attempting to strike Polydeuces with a powerful punch from his right side while Polydeuces struck him on the left temple.³ Black blood flowed, and Polydeuces hit Amycus in the mouth, causing his teeth to rattle, and repeatedly punched him in the face until his cheeks were damaged.³ Amycus was struck on the chin by Polydeuces while charging forward, spitting out red blood and having bruises around his mouth and jaws.² Polydeuces struck him on the nose, skinning his brow to the bone, until Amycus fell onto his back among flowers and grasses.² Rising again, Amycus continued fighting, targeting the chest and neck, but his flesh melted away in sweat, making him appear smaller.²

He died during a boxing match with Pollux, who killed him by striking him on the elbow, while Amycus held out both hands to signal he was giving up the fight.^7,3 In one version, he swore an oath to Poseidon that he would never harm strangers again before dying on the sand.^3,9 The Bebrycians paid the penalty for their actions through the Argonauts' hands, who possessed sheep that had been taken from the spoils of Amycus.^6,10 A port named after Amycus is located on a gulf near Nicopolis, in the same country as Heraclea in Pontus.^11,12