History of the Peloponnesian War · Character
Eurystheus
Mythical king of Mycenae who set Hercules' labors.
minor
First appearance: book i
Eurystheus's tie to Atreus is one of the pressures that moves History of the Peloponnesian War—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.
Killed in Attica by the Heraclids; his dominions passed to Atreus, strengthening the Pelopid line.
Eurystheus first appears in 0002 book i.
With Atreus (family): Atreus and Eurystheus were mythological ancestors of the Spartan and Mycenaean royal lines, with Eurystheus being the cousin and rival of Atreus's father.
In The State of Greece from the Earliest Times to the Commencement of the Peloponnesian War: Killed in Attica by the Heraclids; his dominions passed to Atreus, strengthening the Pelopid line.
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Character Web
2 connectionsA slice of how Eurystheus sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Family
- Other
Character groups
- Mythical Mycenaean Kings
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it captures the Athenians' fateful psychological peak of hubris…
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- Atreus
family · negative
Atreus and Eurystheus were mythological ancestors of the Spartan and Mycenaean royal… How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Eurystheus in book iIn the story
Eurystheus appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
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See Eurystheus in book i