# Lycus (son of Lycus)

In Greek mythology, Lycus (/ˈlaɪkəs/ LY-kəs; Ancient Greek: Λύκος, romanized: Lúkos, lit. 'wolf') was the son of King Lycus of Thebes, the brother of Nycteus. He appeared in Euripides's Heracles.

## Genealogy

Royal house of Thebes family tree :
| | | | | | | Harmonia | Harmonia | Harmonia | Harmonia | Harmonia | Harmonia | | | 1. Cadmus | 1. Cadmus | 1. Cadmus | 1. Cadmus | 1. Cadmus | 1. Cadmus | | | | | | | | | Polyxo | Polyxo | Polyxo | Polyxo | Polyxo | Polyxo | | | A4. Nycteus (Regent) | A4. Nycteus (Regent) | A4. Nycteus (Regent) | A4. Nycteus (Regent) | A4. Nycteus (Regent) | A4. Nycteus (Regent) | | | Dirce | Dirce | Dirce | Dirce | Dirce | Dirce | | | B4 & A6. Lycus (Regent) | B4 & A6. Lycus (Regent) | B4 & A6. Lycus (Regent) | B4 & A6. Lycus (Regent) |
| Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus |
| | | | | | | Ino | Ino | Ino | Ino | Ino | Ino | | | Agave | Agave | Agave | Agave | Agave | Agave | | | Echion | Echion | Echion | Echion | Echion | Echion | | | 3. Polydorus | 3. Polydorus | 3. Polydorus | 3. Polydorus | 3. Polydorus | 3. Polydorus | | | Nycteis | Nycteis | Nycteis | Nycteis | Nycteis | Nycteis | | | Antiope | Antiope | Antiope | Antiope | Antiope | Antiope | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Semele | Semele | Semele | Semele | Semele | Semele | | | Autonoë | Autonoë | Autonoë | Autonoë | Autonoë | Autonoë | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Dionysus | Dionysus | Dionysus | Dionysus | Dionysus | Dionysus | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2. Pentheus | 2. Pentheus | 2. Pentheus | 2. Pentheus | 2. Pentheus | 2. Pentheus | Epeiros | Epeiros | Epeiros | Epeiros | Epeiros | Epeiros | | | 4. Labdacus | 4. Labdacus | 4. Labdacus | 4. Labdacus | 4. Labdacus | 4. Labdacus | 5a. Amphion | 5a. Amphion | 5a. Amphion | 5a. Amphion | 5a. Amphion | 5a. Amphion | 5b. Zethus | 5b. Zethus | 5b. Zethus | 5b. Zethus | 5b. Zethus | 5b. Zethus | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Menoeceus | Menoeceus | Menoeceus | Menoeceus | Menoeceus | Menoeceus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Eurydice | Eurydice | Eurydice | Eurydice | Eurydice | Eurydice | | | A7, A8 & A9. Creon (Regent) | A7, A8 & A9. Creon (Regent) | A7, A8 & A9. Creon (Regent) | A7, A8 & A9. Creon (Regent) | A7, A8 & A9. Creon (Regent) | A7, A8 & A9. Creon (Regent) | | | | | | | | | | | | | Jocasta | Jocasta | Jocasta | Jocasta | Jocasta | Jocasta | | | 6. Laius | 6. Laius | 6. Laius | 6. Laius | 6. Laius | 6. Laius | | | Merope | Merope | Merope | Merope | Merope | Merope | | | Polybus | Polybus | Polybus | Polybus | Polybus | Polybus |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Hipponome | Hipponome | Hipponome | Hipponome | Hipponome | Hipponome | | | Alcaeus | Alcaeus | Alcaeus | Alcaeus | Alcaeus | Alcaeus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | Zeus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Alcmene | Alcmene | Alcmene | Alcmene | Alcmene | Alcmene | | | Amphitryon | Amphitryon | Amphitryon | Amphitryon | Amphitryon | Amphitryon | | | Perimede | Perimede | Perimede | Perimede | Perimede | Perimede | | | | | 7. Oedipus | 7. Oedipus | 7. Oedipus | 7. Oedipus | 7. Oedipus | 7. Oedipus | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Megara | Megara | Megara | Megara | Megara | Megara | | | Heracles | Heracles | Heracles | Heracles | Heracles | Heracles | | | Iphicles | Iphicles | Iphicles | Iphicles | Iphicles | Iphicles | | | Anaxo | Anaxo | Anaxo | Anaxo | Anaxo | Anaxo | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Henioche | Henioche | Henioche | Henioche | Henioche | Henioche | | | Megareus | Megareus | Megareus | Megareus | Megareus | Megareus | | | Haemon | Haemon | Haemon | Haemon | Haemon | Haemon | | | | | Antigone | Antigone | Antigone | Antigone | Antigone | Antigone | | | 8b. Eteocles | 8b. Eteocles | 8b. Eteocles | 8b. Eteocles | 8b. Eteocles | 8b. Eteocles | | | Argea | Argea | Argea | Argea | Argea | Argea | | | 8a. Polynices | 8a. Polynices | 8a. Polynices | 8a. Polynices | 8a. Polynices | 8a. Polynices |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pyrrha | Pyrrha | Pyrrha | Pyrrha | Pyrrha | Pyrrha | | | Lycomedes | Lycomedes | Lycomedes | Lycomedes | Lycomedes | Lycomedes | | | | | | | | | | | Ismene | Ismene | Ismene | Ismene | Ismene | Ismene | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9. Lycus II | 9. Lycus II | 9. Lycus II | 9. Lycus II | 9. Lycus II | 9. Lycus II |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | A12. Peneleos (Regent) | A12. Peneleos (Regent) | A12. Peneleos (Regent) | A12. Peneleos (Regent) | A12. Peneleos (Regent) | A12. Peneleos (Regent) | | | | | | | 10. Laodamas | 10. Laodamas | 10. Laodamas | 10. Laodamas | 10. Laodamas | 10. Laodamas | | | Demonassa | Demonassa | Demonassa | Demonassa | Demonassa | Demonassa | | | 11. Thersander | 11. Thersander | 11. Thersander | 11. Thersander | 11. Thersander | 11. Thersander | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Opheltes | Opheltes | Opheltes | Opheltes | Opheltes | Opheltes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12. Tisamenus | 12. Tisamenus | 12. Tisamenus | 12. Tisamenus | 12. Tisamenus | 12. Tisamenus | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14. Damasichthon | 14. Damasichthon | 14. Damasichthon | 14. Damasichthon | 14. Damasichthon | 14. Damasichthon | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 13. Autesion | 13. Autesion | 13. Autesion | 13. Autesion | 13. Autesion | 13. Autesion | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15. Ptolemy | 15. Ptolemy | 15. Ptolemy | 15. Ptolemy | 15. Ptolemy | 15. Ptolemy | | | | | | | | | | | Theras | Theras | Theras | Theras | Theras | Theras | | | Argeia | Argeia | Argeia | Argeia | Argeia | Argeia | | | Aristodemus | Aristodemus | Aristodemus | Aristodemus | Aristodemus | Aristodemus |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16. Xanthos | 16. Xanthos | 16. Xanthos | 16. Xanthos | 16. Xanthos | 16. Xanthos | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Eurysthenes | Eurysthenes | Eurysthenes | Eurysthenes | Eurysthenes | Eurysthenes | | | Procles | Procles | Procles | Procles | Procles | Procles |

## Mythology

Originally from Euboea, Lycus seized power in Ancient Thebes (Boeotia) by killing King Creon who at the time was regent for the son of Eteocles, Laodamas. Lycus mistreated Creon's family, throwing them out of their house and depriving them food and clothing. However, Creon was the father-in-law of the hero Heracles, who returned unexpectedly to Thebes and slew Lycus. Laodamas succeeded him as king.
Regnal titles :
| Preceded byCreon | King of Thebes | Succeeded byLaodamas |