Megareus of Thebes

Megareus (or Menoeceus) of Thebes was the son of Eurydice of Thebes and Creon, a king of Thebes,^[1] who appears in Antigone, a play by Sophocles.

Megareus, also called Menoeceus in some versions of Antigone, had died fighting for Eteocles in the first attack on Thebes; after Creon warned him to stay away from the battle because he feared for his safety, Megareus, feeling overly confident, joined the battle because he didn't want to be thought of as a coward. Being an inexperienced soldier, he was killed at once. He is mentioned in Sophocles' Antigone, when his mother kills herself after learning that her son Haemon and his betrothed, Antigone, had both committed suicide. She thrusts a sword into her heart and curses Creon for the death of her two sons: Haemon and Megareus. In traditional Greek mythology, Megareus is known for his large stature, and is considered an anthropomorphic representation of his father's pride by some literary scholars.

In the struggle between the twins, Creon supports Eteocles. Megareus wants to fight on Eteocles' side, but Creon doesn't want him to. He even less wants him to, once he hears what Teiresias the blind prophet has to say. Teiresias says that Eteocles will win if Creon sacrifices Megareus. But Creon doesn't want to sacrifice his own son, Neither does he want Teiresias to share this vital piece of information with the rest of Thebes. So he has Megareus leave, to be sheltered outside the city and away from the conflict. But Megareus sneaks back, and dies during the struggle, to make sure that his city wins against the army of invading Argives and discontented Thebans.

References

1. ^ Sophocles. Antigone, 1307-1308, ed. David Grene and Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991