Author(s):
Kearns, Emily (Oxford)
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Gottschalk, Hans (Leeds)
(Ἄδραστος;
Ádrastos). [German version] [1] Mythical figure, leader of the campaign of the Seven against Thebes Leader of the campaign of the Seven against Thebes. A. originally possessed connections to Sicyon, where his cult was old (see below). In the canonical history, however, he comes from Argus. According to the most detailed report of his youth (schol. Pind. N. 9,30 partly according to Menachmus of Sicyon, FGrH 131 F 10), he was the son of king Talaus, the son of Bias and leader of one of the three ruling houses of Argus. When members of both the other families including Amphiaraus, killed Talaus (or his successor, A.'s brother Pronax), A. fled to his maternal grandfather, Polybus, the king of Sicyon, whose daughter he married and whom he later succeeded to the throne. After the reconciliation with Amphiaraus, who thereafter married A.'s sister Eriphyle, he returned to Argus and ruled there. He received the banished Tydeus and Polyneices as sons-in-law, because he recognized from their shield symbols that they were lion and boar, with whom, according to an oracle, he was to marry his daughters; he intended to restore both to their kingdoms. In order to win back rulership for Polyneices, he organized the campaign of the Seven against Thebes. All accounts agree, despite slight differences regarding the participants, that the expedition failed, as Amphiaraus had prophesied; all its leaders were killed, with exception of A., who was saved by his wonderfully swift steed Areion. Ten years later, A. led the six sons of t…