Μεγαρευς
The son of Poseidon and Oenope, who was the daughter of Epopeus (Table 10). He was a native of the town of Onchestus in Boeotia. Sometimes he was said to be the son of Apollo or of Aegeus. He had several children: the eldest, Timalcus, was killed by Theseus during the expedition of the Dioscuri against Attica: the youngest, Evippus, was killed by the Lion of Cithaeron. To avenge him, Megareus offered to give the hand of his daughter Evaechme and the right of succession to the hero who put an end to the monster. Alcathus offered to do so and killed the lion. Several authors claimed that he married Merope and that his third son, Hippomenes, overcame Atlanta. When Minos besieged King Nisus in his town, which was then called Nisa, he called on Megareus for assistance. Megareus was killed in the battle, fighting for his ally. Later, when his successor, Alcathus, rebuilt the citadel of Nisa in honour of his father-in-law, he called it Megara.
Another story of Megarean origin denied that the city was ever captured. According to this account Megareus had succeeded Nisus because Iphinoe was his wife and the daughter of Nisus. Alcathus had naturally succeeded Megareus because he was his son-in-law.
{E2 DICTIONARY OF CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY}
Table of Sources:
- Paus. 1, 39, 5-6; 1, 41, 3; 1, 42, 1
- Hyg. Fab. 157; 185
- Steph. Byz. s.v. Νισαια (Nisaea) and Μεγαρα (Megara)
- Ovid, Met. 10, 605ff.
- Plutarch, Quaest. Gr. 16, 295a