Tydeus
In
Greek mythology,
Tydeus was the
father of
Diomedes and
husband of
Deipyle. He was a
son of
Oeneus and either
Periboea, his second wife, or
Gorge, his daughter. He was one of the
Seven Against Thebes; during the
battle to take the
city, he was killed by
Melanippus.
Tydeus was banished from
Calydon by his uncle
Agrius, because he killed either his brother or a different uncle or eight of his cousins. He travelled to
Argos, where he married the
Deipyle, the daughter of king
Adrastus. The king agreed to help Adrastus regain the rule of Calydon, but chose to first help
Polynices regain the kingship of
Thebes.
In the
Illiad,
Homer alludes several times to Tydeus's role in the attack on Thebes. Before the fighting began, Tydeus was sent into the city bearing a message for the Cadmeians. He found them feasing in the house of
Eteocles, and challenged them to contests, all of which he won with the help of
Athena. Enraged, the leaders sent a force of fifty men to attack Tydeus on his way back to the army, with
Maion and
Polyphontes leading them. Tydeus killed all of them but Maion, whom Athena advised him to spare.
In the attack on Thebes, Tydeus was severely wounded by
Melanippus, but killed him and ate his brains. This shocked Athena, who would have made him immortal.
