The Story of Tydeus
Tydeus was a son of Oeneus, king of Calydon, which made him a half brother of Meleager. After killing a relative, he was forced to leave Calydon and came to Argos, where King Adrastus took him in. Adrastus married his daughter Deipyle to Tydeus, and their son Diomedes became one of the greatest heroes of the Trojan War.
Tydeus was small, but ferocious and fearless, and he joined the war of the Seven Against Thebes to help Polynices win the throne. Before the war he went to Thebes as an envoy, challenged the Thebans to contests of strength and beat them all. On his way back fifty men ambushed him, and he killed all but one, whom he sent home to tell the tale.
At Thebes, Tydeus was mortally wounded by Melanippus, though he killed his attacker. His patron Athena was on her way to make him immortal, but when Tydeus was handed his enemy's head and gnawed on it in his fury, the goddess turned away in disgust and withheld her gift. Homer often recalls him in the Iliad as the brave father whom Diomedes had to live up to.
Famous Myths About Tydeus
The Ambush of Fifty
Before the war, Tydeus went to Thebes as an envoy and boldly challenged the Thebans to contests, beating them all. On his way back fifty men ambushed him, and he killed all but one, whom he sent home to tell the tale.
The Lost Gift of Athena
Mortally wounded at Thebes, Tydeus was about to receive immortality from his patron Athena. But he killed the man who had wounded him and gnawed on his enemy's head, and the goddess turned away in disgust and withheld her gift.
Tydeus's Family Tree
Parents of Tydeus
Partners of Tydeus
Children of Tydeus
Frequently Asked Questions About Tydeus
Who was Tydeus in Greek mythology?
Tydeus was a fierce warrior from Calydon who settled in Argos and became one of the Seven Against Thebes. He was the father of the hero Diomedes.
Who was Tydeus's father?
Tydeus was a son of King Oeneus of Calydon, which made him a brother of Meleager through their father.
Why did Athena refuse to make Tydeus immortal?
Athena planned to make the dying Tydeus immortal, but he was eating the brains of his enemy Melanippus when she arrived. Disgusted, she turned away and left him to die.
Explore More Heroes of Greek Mythology
