View source for Megareus of Onchestus

{{Other uses|Megareus}}In [[Greek mythology]], '''Megareus''' ([[Ancient Greek]]: Μεγαρέας or Μεγαρέως), also called '''[[Megarus]]''' (Μέγαρος), was king of [[Onchestos|Onchestus]] in [[Boeotia]]. In some myths, he was the eponymous king of [[Megara]].<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.39.5&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 1.39.5]–[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.39.6&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 6] & [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.41.5&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 1.41.5]; [[Pseudo-Scymnus|Pseudo-Scymnos]], ''Circuit de la terre'' 500 ff.</ref>

== Family ==
Megareus was either son of [[Poseidon]] and [[Oenope]], daughter of [[Epopeus]],<ref>[[Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#157 157]</ref> or of [[Onchestos (mythology)|Onchestus]] ([[eponym]] of their kingdom),<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Quaestiones Graecae'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0215%3Asection%3D16 16]; Pseudo-Scymnos, ''Circuit de la terre'' 500 ff.</ref> or of [[Apollo]] or of [[Aegeus]],<ref>[[Stephanus of Byzantium]], s.v. ''[https://topostext.org/work/241#M438.13 Megara (Μέγαρα)]''</ref> or of [[Hippomenes]].<ref name="Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, 3. 15. 8">[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.15.8&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 3.15.8]</ref> 

== Mythology ==
Megareus came with his army to the assistance of [[Nisos]], husband of his sister [[Abrota]],<ref name=":0">Plutarch, ''Quaestiones Graecae'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0215%3Asection%3D16 16]</ref> against [[Minos]]. In one version, he died in the battle, and the city of Nisa (Nisos' domain) was renamed Megara in his honor;<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.15.8&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 3.15.8]; Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.39.5&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 1.39.5]</ref> in another, he married [[Iphinoe (mythology)|Iphinoe]], daughter of Nisos, and succeeded to his father-in-law's power over Megara.<ref>Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.39.6&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 1.39.6] & [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.41.5&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 1.41.5]</ref> His children by Iphinoe were [[Evippus]], [[Timalcus]], and [[Evaechme]]; he also had a son [[Hippomenes]] by [[Merope (Messenia)|Merope]].<ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#185 185]</ref> With the aid of the god [[Apollo]], [[Alcathous, son of Pelops|Alcathous]] killed the [[Cithaeronian lion]], for which Megareus gave him his daughter [[Euaechme]] as wife. He subsequently made Alcathous his successor, because his own sons did not outlive him: Evippus was killed by the lion, and Timalcus was slain by [[Theseus]], having joined the [[Dioscuri]] in the campaign against him.<ref>Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.41.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Megareus 1.41.3]</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Megareus Of Onchestus}}
[[Category:Kings in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Children of Poseidon]]
== References ==

* [[Gaius Julius Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Plutarch|Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus]], ''Moralia'' with an English Translation by Frank Cole Babbitt. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1936. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0215 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0213 Greek text available from the same website].
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.1.1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
* Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.  [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Pseudo-Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
* [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], ''Stephani Byzantii Ethnicorum quae supersunt,'' edited by August Meineike (1790-1870), published 1849. A few entries from this important ancient handbook of place names have been translated by Brady Kiesling. [https://topostext.org/work/241 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]


{{Greek-myth-stub}}
[[Category:Mythological Boeotians]]
[[Category:Mythological Megarians]]
[[Category:Attic mythology]]