LYCURGUS OF THRACE (king of the Edoni)

He was the brother of Cepheus and Auge, and the older brother of Butes, though they had different mothers.^7,8 He exiled Mopsus the Thracian from his realm, and he ordered his brother Butes to gather ships and leave with his accomplices.^9,8 This exile served as a punishment for Butes rather than a harsher penalty.⁸ Lycurgus formed a treaty of friendship with Dionysus before the god's army crossed into Europe.¹⁰

He subsequently ordered his soldiers to attack and kill Dionysus and the Maenads by night.¹⁰ He attacked the Maenads in the city of Nysium and killed them all.¹⁰ He chased the nurses of Dionysus along the sacred mountain Nysa, driving them through the land and beating them with an oxgoad until they dropped their thyrsi.^11,12 Lycurgus chased Dionysus across the earth with murderous intent, reviling the god with such fury that he fled in terror.^11,13 He was the first person to insult and expel Dionysus.² Dionysus defeated the Thracians in battle and captured Lycurgus alive.¹⁰

The god blinded Lycurgus and inflicted various outrages upon him.¹⁰ Dionysus drove him mad, causing him to kill his son with an axe.² The land remained barren until the god declared Lycurgus must be put to death.² The Edonians bound him on Mount Pangaeum.² He was struck down by the god Dionysus.^3,14 A son of Cronus struck him blind, and the gods were angry with him for his actions against Dionysus.¹¹ According to the epic poem Great Eoeae, he was killed by Oenomaus.^15,16

According to Stesichorus, Lycurgus was reportedly raised from the dead by Aesculapius.¹⁷ He did not live long after becoming hateful to the immortals, though he reportedly lived longer than both of his sons.^11,18 His kingdom served as an old ally to Troy, and his realm's gods shared a brotherly bond with Troy's deities.¹ Eventually, his kingdom submitted to the dominion of Dionysus.¹⁹