Pentheus in the context of Harmonia (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Menoeceus (/məˈniːsiəs, -sjuːs/; Ancient Greek: Μενοικεύς Menoikeús "strength of the house" derived from menos "strength" and oikos "house") was the name of two Theban characters. They are related by genealogy, the first being the grandfather of the second.

• Menoeceus, father of Creon, Jocasta and Hipponome and both grandfather and father-in-law of Oedipus. He was the Theban son of Pentheus and a descendant of the Spartoi through his grandfather Echion.
• Menoeceus, son of Creon and possibly Eurydice, named after his grandfather. According to Hyginus and Statius, during the reign of Eteocles when the Seven against Thebes laid siege to the city, Creon's son committed suicide by throwing himself from the walls. This was in concordance with Tiresias foretelling that if anyone of the Spartoi should perish freely as sacrifice to Ares, Thebes would be freed from disaster. The Thebans were ultimately victorious. The battle is memorialized in Seven Against Thebes, the play by Aeschylus. Some records say that that Menoeceus was the grandfather of Creon and Jocasta and his son (Creon and Jocasta's father) was named Oscalus. The Greek writer Pausanias visited the site of Menoeceus tomb in the 2nd century AD and recorded that Menoeceus committed suicide "in obedience to the oracle from Delphi, at the time when Polyneices and the host with him arrived from Argos. On the tomb of Menoeceus grows a pomegranate-tree. If you break through the outer part of the ripe fruit, you will then find the inside like blood. This pomegranate-tree is still flourishing."

A later Menoeceus was a contemporary of Epicurus, to whom the philosopher wrote a letter summarizing his ethical doctrines.

Cithaeron or Kithairon (Κιθαιρών, -ῶνος) is a mountain and mountain range about sixteen kilometres (ten miles) long in Central Greece. The range is the physical boundary between Boeotia region in the north and Attica region in the south. It is mainly composed of limestone and rises to 1,409 metres (4,623 ft). The north-east side of the range is formed by the mountain Pastra.

The range was the scene of many events in Greek mythology and was especially sacred to Dionysus. In Euripides' Bacchae, Dionysus carries out his dances and rites with his bacchants, his priestesses, on Cithaeron. Oedipus was exposed on the mountain, while Actaeon and Pentheus were both dismembered on its slopes. It was also the place where Heracles or Alcathous hunted and killed the Lion of Cithaeron.

The name Astyoche (/əˈstaɪəkiː/; Ancient Greek: Ἀστυόχη means 'possessor of the city') or Astyocheia /ˌæstioʊˈkiːə/ Ancient Greek: Ἀστυόχεια was attributed to the following individuals in Greek mythology:

• Astyoche, naiad daughter of the river god Simoeis, mother of Tros by Erichthonius.
• Astyoche, a Trojan princess as the daughter of King Laomedon by Strymo, Placia or Leucippe, sister of Priam, wife of Telephus and mother of Eurypylus (some call her daughter of Priam and wife of Eurypylus). She was bribed by Priam with a gold vine to persuade Eurypylus to go to the Trojan War, which resulted in him being killed in the battle (cf. the story of Eriphyle). Together with Aethilla and Medesicaste, she was taken captive after the sack of Troy and set fire to the Greek ships during their stay on the Italian coast.
• Astyoche, a Minyan princess as the daughter of King Actor of Orchomenus, son of Azeus. She was the mother of Ascalaphus and Ialmenus with Ares. The latter lay with her in secret when the maiden entered into her upper chamber.
• Astyoche, sister of Agamemnon and Menelaus. She married Strophius, and became the mother of Pylades. She is also known as Anaxibia or Cydragora.
• Astyoche, a daughter of King Phylas of Ephyra, mother of Tlepolemus by Heracles. Also known as Astydameia or Astygeneia.
• Astyoche, wife of Phylacus, mother of Protesilaus and Podarces. These two are otherwise known as grandsons of Phylacus through Iphiclus.
• Astyoche, one of the Niobids.
• Astyoche, mother of Pentheus, otherwise known as Agave.
• Astyoche, daughter of Itylus and possible mother of Ajax the Lesser.
• Astyoche, mother of Euryalus by Mecisteus.

In Greek mythology, the name Echion /ɛˈkaɪɒn/ (Ancient Greek: Ἐχῑ́ων (gen.: Ἐχίονος), derivative of ἔχις echis "viper") referred to five different beings:

• Echion, one of the Gigantes, known for great strength (though not necessarily great size) and having an ability to change the course or direction of winds.
• Echion, one of the surviving Spartoi, the "sown men" that sprang up from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus, the other four Spartoi were Chthonius, Hyperenor, Pelorus, and Udaeus. Echion was principally known for his skill in battle and bravery; "it was Echion who, for his great valor, was preferred by Cadmus to be his son-in-law": Echion was father of Pentheus and Epeiros by Agave. He was credited to be the founder of the Malian city of Echinos. Also, Echion was said to have dedicated a temple of Cybele in Boeotia, and to have assisted Cadmus in the building of Thebes.
• Echion of Alope, son of Hermes and Antianeira (daughter of Menetus) or Laothoe, and brother of Erytus. Together with the latter and stepbrother, Aethalides, they participated in the quest of the Argonauts. Echion and his brother were described as “well skilled in craftiness” which signified the ability they possess as children of the thief-god. Also, he participated in the Calydonian boar hunt, according to Hyginus and Ovid.
• Echion, son of Portheus and one of the Greeks who fought at the Trojan War. He was also one of the men hidden in the Trojan horse and was killed. The doomed Greek is a "tough but battle weary warrior, plagued by phantasms of his death".
• Echion, one of the suitors who came with 53 others from Dulichium to compete for Penelope. He, with the other suitors, was shot dead by Odysseus with the help of Eumaeus, Philoetius, and Telemachus.

In Greek mythology, Agave (/əˈɡeɪviː/; Ancient Greek: Ἀγαύη, romanized: Agaúē, lit. 'illustrious, noble' or 'high-born') may refer to the following characters:

• Agave or Agaue one of the 50 Nereids, sea-nymph daughter of the 'Old Man of the Sea' Nereus and the Oceanid Doris. Agave and her other sisters appeared to Thetis when she cries out in sympathy for the grief of Achilles for Patroclus.
• Agave, one of the Danaïdes, daughter of Danaus, king of Libya and Europa, a queen. She married Lycus, son of Aegyptus and Argyphia.
• Agave, daughter of Cadmus and mother of Pentheus.
• Agave, an Amazon.