Erginus (king of Minyans)


In Greek mythology, Erginus was king of Minyan Orchomenus in Boeotia.

Family

Erginus was the son of Clymenus, his predecessor, and Buzyge and his brothers were Arrhon, Azeus, Pyleus, and Stratius. Some authors identify him with another Erginus, a Milesian Argonaut.

Mythology

Erginus avenged his father's death at the hands of Perieres, charioteer of Menoeceus of Thebes; he made war against Thebans, inflicting a heavy defeat. The Thebans were compelled to pay King Erginus a tribute of 100 oxen per year for twenty years. However, the tribute ended earlier than Erginus expected, when Heracles attacked the Minyan emissaries sent to exact the tribute. This prompted a second war between Orchomenus and Thebes, only this time Thebes was victorious, and a double tribute was imposed on the Orchomenians. Erginus was slain in battle according to the version of the story given by most ancient writers. But according to Pausanias, Erginus was spared by Heracles and lived to a ripe old age, and even fathered two sons on a younger woman.