ELECTRYON (son of Perseus in Greek mythology)
Figure of myth · son of Perseus in Greek mythology
- Parents
- Perseus, Andromeda
- Siblings
- Sthenelus, Gorgophone, Perses, Erythras, Alcaeus, Mestor
- Consorts
- Anaxo, Mideia, Eurydice of Mycenae
- Children
- Alcmene, Licymnius, Archelaus, Amphimachus, Phylonomus, Celaineus, Stratobates, Gorgophonus, Anactor, Cheirimachus, Lysinomus
- In the sources
- 11 ancient passages
He married Anaxo, who was the daughter of Alcaeus, and also took the beautiful daughter of Pelops as a wife.1,2 He also fathered a bastard son with a Phrygian woman named Midea, and had a daughter who was left behind.1,2
Trouble arose when the sons of Pterelaus stole his cattle after he ignored their claim to Mestor's kingdom.3 His sons fought the sons of Pterelaus in defense of his property, but they were killed in the battle.3 Other accounts say the Taphians killed Electryon's sons during a battle over cattle and transported their victims across the sea in ships.2 Alcmene was left alone to please her parents after these deaths.2
Before leaving to wage war on the Teleboans to avenge his sons' deaths, Electryon entrusted his kingdom and his daughter Alcmene to Amphitryon.3 He bound Amphitryon by oath to keep his daughter a virgin until his return.3
Other traditions hold that he died accidentally when a club rebounded from a cow's horns and struck his head, an incident that caused Amphitryon to be exiled from Tiryns.3,4 Sthenelus used the incident of his death as a pretext to banish Amphitryon.3
The codex facts behind this entry
In the myths
Amphitryon killed Electryon to obtain his wide-browned oxen. Euripides, Heracles 1-59 +1
Fate
Electryon was accidentally killed when a club rebounded from a cow's horns and struck his head, causing Amphitryon to be exiled from Tiryns. Apollodorus 2.4.6 +1
