THESPIUS (legendary founder and king of Thespiae)
Figure of myth · legendary founder and king of Thespiae, Boeotia
- Parents
- Erechtheus, Praxithea
- Siblings
- Creusa
- Consorts
- Megamede
- Children
- Euboea, Procris, Antiope, Asopis, Hesychia, Oria, Chryseis, Anthea, Phyleis, Calametis, Eubote, Xanthis and 38 more
- In the sources
- 11 ancient passages
Thespius, son of Erechtheus, ruled the city of Thespiae, a land that some accounts say bears his name.1,2,3 As a man of Athenian origin, he commanded a great number of wives and fathered many children, including the notable Hypermnestra.1,2,4
When the lion of Cithaeron began to harass his cattle, Thespius sought the aid of Heracles.5 The king hosted the hero for fifty days, entertaining him in brilliant fashion while the beast was hunted.3,1 During this time, Thespius arranged for Heracles to sleep with each of his fifty daughters so they could bear children.3,6,1
After Heracles suffered madness, Thespius performed the ritual purification for the hero.7 Later, following an oracle, Heracles commanded Thespius to dispatch forty of his sons to Sardinia to establish a colony.8,9 The hero also ordered three of the sons to go to Thebes, while instructing Thespius to retain seven of them.8
His sons were selected to join the crew of the ship Argo, becoming some of the most famous chieftains in the expedition.10 During the battle with the Colchi, the sons of Thespius were wounded, but they were healed by Medea using roots and herbs.11
Thespius’s eldest daughter gave birth to twins, adding to the legacy of his extensive lineage.6 Though his fate is not detailed, his character is defined by his desire for his daughters to bear children by Heracles and his role as the king of the land that bears his name.3,1
The codex facts behind this entry
Thespius was a man from Athens and the son of Erechtheus. Diodorus 4.29 +1
In the myths
Thespius arranged for Heracles to sleep with each of his fifty daughters so they could bear children. Apollodorus 2.4.10 +2 Heracles commanded Thespius to dispatch forty of his sons to Sardinia to establish a colony following an oracle. Apollodorus 2.7.6 +1
