Editing Tydeus

{{Short description|Figure in Greek mythology}}
{{For|the mite genus|Tydeus (mite)}}

'''Tydeus''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|aɪ|d|i|ə|s|,_|-|dj|uː|s|,_|ˈ|t|ɪ|d|i|ə|s}}; [[Ancient Greek]]: Τυδεύς ''Tūdeus'') was an [[Aetolia]]n hero in [[Greek mythology]], belonging to the generation before the [[Trojan War]]. He was one of the [[Seven against Thebes]], and the father of [[Diomedes]], who is frequently known by the [[patronymic]] ''Tydides''.

==Life==
Tydeus was a son of [[Oeneus]] and either [[Periboea]], Oeneus's second wife, or [[Gorge (mythology)|Gorge]], Oeneus's daughter. He was the husband of [[Deipyle]], the mother of Diomedes.

Tydeus was banished from [[Calydon]] by his uncle [[Agrius]] because he had killed either his brother or a different uncle or six of his cousins. He travelled to [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]], where he married Deipyle, daughter of king [[Adrastus]].

===Seven against Thebes===

====Gathering of the Seven====
While housing Tydeus, King Adrastus of Argos also lodged [[Polynices]], the exiled son of [[Oedipus]] who had shared the rule of [[Ancient Thebes (Boeotia)|Thebes]] with his brother [[Eteocles]] before he was expelled by the latter. Late one night, the two young exiles got into a fierce dispute over the guest room in Adrastus's palace. Awakened by the clamor, Adrastus rushed to the hall to find the two men locked in a brawl. It was then that Adrastus recalled a prophecy that had instructed him to "yoke his daughters to a boar and a lion".<ref name="auto">Apollodorus 3.6 (p. 51 ''Anthology of Classical Myth'' Translated by Stephen M. Trzaskoma)</ref> Adrastus recognized Tydeus as the boar and Polynices as the lion (either by the ferocious manner in which they fought, the animals emblazoned on their shields,<ref name="auto"/> or the animal skins they wore<ref>Hyginus (p. 237 ''Anthology of Classical Myth'' Translated by Stephen M. Trzaskoma)</ref>) and wed his daughters to them, keeping them as his sons-in-law in Argos.

Through marriage into Adrastus's family, Polynices and Tydeus became princes of Argos, had children, and generally lived well. Adrastus promised that he would help restore their kingdoms to them (or in other versions of the myth, Polynices asks Adrastus to help him take back Thebes)<ref>Hyginus (p. 237 ''Anthology of Classical Myth'' Translated by Stephen M. Trzaskoma).</ref> and he organized the expedition of the [[Seven against Thebes]], and their army raised from Argolis (the area around Argos), the largest army that had ever appeared in Greece to that time.

====Nemean Games====
Shortly after the expedition arrived in [[Nemea]], the young son of King Lycourgos was killed by a snake. In turn, Adrastus's men killed the serpent, buried the boy and held the first [[Nemean Games]] in his honor (other stories cite [[Heracles]]' triumph over the [[Nemean Lion]] as the cause of the first games). Tydeus won the boxing event at these games.<ref>Apollodorus 3.6 (Stephen M. Trzaskoma, ''Anthology of Classical Myth Translated'', pp. 51–52)</ref>

====Envoy to Thebes====
[[File:Tydeus by Ryabinin.jpg|thumb|Tydeus, fighting with the soldiers of Eteocles]]
When the expedition reached [[Cithaeron]], Tydeus was sent ahead to demand that the Thebans reinstate Polynices. Frustrated with being ignored by Eteocles, Tydeus issued one-on-one challenges to multiple men and vanquished each one with power granted to him by Athena.

While Tydeus returned to his allies, the Thebans amassed a force of fifty men, led by [[Maeon]] and [[Polyphontes]], and ambushed him. Tydeus killed every man with the exception of Maeon, whom he allowed to live due to signs from the gods.<ref>Apollodorus, 1.8.5 & 3.6.1-8; [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' 4.394 ff.</ref>

====Cannibalism====
During the war, Tydeus was mortally wounded by [[Melanippus]], the son of [[Astacus (mythology)|Astacus]]. The goddess [[Athena]] intended to make Tydeus immortal, but the seer [[Amphiaraus]], knowing this and hating Tydeus, cut off Melanippus' head and gave it to Tydeus, who proceeded to eat the brains of his killer. As was Amphiaraus's intention, Athena was so appalled that she changed her mind and let Tydeus die.

==In literature and art==

[[File:Tydeus Ismene Louvre E640.jpg|thumb|Tydeus and Ismene, [[Corinth]]ian black-figure [[amphora]], c. [[560s BC|560 BC]], [[Louvre]] (E&nbsp;640)]]

The 7th century poet [[Mimnermus]] attributes the murder of [[Ismene]], the sister of [[Antigone]], to Tydeus. No other Classical writer mentions the story, but the scene is represented on a 6th-century Corinthian [[Black-figure pottery|black-figure]] [[amphora]] now housed in the [[Louvre]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Easterling | first = P. E. | authorlink = P. E. Easterling | last2 = Knox | first2 = B. M. W. | title = Cambridge History of Classical Literature: Early Greek Poetry | publisher = Cambridge University Press | year = 1989 | volume = 1, part 1 | page = 95 | isbn = 0-521-35981-3 }}</ref>

Tydeus also appears in [[Aeschylus]]'s play ''[[Seven Against Thebes]]'', as one of the "Seven", and in the same role in [[Euripides]]' play ''[[The Phoenician Women]]''. He kills the defender [[Melanippus]], but is mortally wounded himself. In other versions of the myth, the detail is added that the goddess [[Athena]] planned to make him immortal but refuses after Tydeus in a hubristic fit devours the brain of the dead Melanippus.

Tydeus is mentioned multiple times in the ''[[Iliad]]''. One of the most notable mentions is in Book IV where [[Agamemnon]] reminds [[Diomedes]] of the deeds of his father Tydeus. Agamemnon recites the events told in the section above.<ref>Homer. ''The Iliad'' (translated by Richmond Lattimore). Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1951, p. 123.</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{EB1911 poster|Tydeus}}
* [[Aeschylus]], ''[[Seven Against Thebes]]'' 377-394
* [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' 4.396–435, 5.853–861
* [[Mimnermus]], fr. 21
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Pseudo-Apollodorus]] 1.8.5, 3.6.1–8

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Argonauts]]
[[Category:Characters in Seven against Thebes]]
[[Category:Characters in Book VI of the Aeneid]]
[[Category:Mythological Aetolians]]
[[Category:Deeds of Athena]]