#hyllus

Jumping spider, Hyllus sp., with huntsmans prey

Photographed in Malaysia by Nicky Bay // Website // Facebook

Hyllus and Iole  Megara and Iolaus andromache and helenus

So the way Sthenelus taking the throne here is framed as opportunistic since he exiles Amphitryon who also had a claim to the throne and while I don’t doubt that could be part of the motivation… he technically didn’t do anything wrong, even tho it was an accident Amphitryon still killed Electryon and it’s the law that he’d be exiled for the crime (just like Perseus exiled himself from Argos for killing Acrisius). There’s no indication that Sthenelus tried to harm or sabotage Amphitryon or his family either. But we do know that his son Eurystheus was very different and tried to kill Heracles/Amphitryon’s family.

We don’t see any indication of Sthenelus condemning let alone criticizing his son for his poor treatment of Heracles, who was his own kin and grandchild of his brother whom he supposedly honored by exiling his (accidental) killer. We espec don’t see him do anything to stop Eurystheus from harming Heracles family.

So I can see why it’s Hyllus killed him:

Hahaha well Heracles has arguably countless affairs and later on at later sources we see him have affairs indeed with both men and women. One of the most prominent and named ones is also his nephew Iolaus, son of his twin half-brother Iphicles. His erotic adventures seem to have no end and no real filter given how he did basically everything from....roleplay till as you said monster lover haha (I remind you how for yet another murder he was sold a slave to Omphale and according to some versions he performed several tasks for her such as fighting off threats and the like however he also spent his time in her palace dressed up as a woman, doing female tasks for her while she wore his lion mane and held his club so essentially one of the first sexual roleplays in literature history haha)

Well can't tell for sure given how Iole was also known to be very beautiful and young so if anything the match was more suitable for Hyllus. I mean Heracles married his nephew (and daresay lover) to his ex-wife Megara and the reason behind it was interestingly so that he would encourage people not to be afraid to take older wives and they also give us the age marks of theirs (Iolaus was 16 while Megara was 33) so I think Hyllus marring a young bride that his father COULD have married (and it wasn't even a fixed deal given the whole mess that followed) seems like the least awkward pairing hahaha and to be fair whether the union was totally forced upon them or not is unclear but it seems an arranged business. Was Iole disappointed that she wasn't given to great Heracles but settled for his son? Was she relieved? Was she equally displeased? Who knows? Was Hyllus feeling awkward or worried or sad to marry in an arranged marriage? Possible but it is not always clearly stated.

Oh and Iolaus was forever faithful to Heracles and devoted. According to some myths after Heracles's wish, he took some of his sons with the 50 daughters of Thespes and went to Spain to form a settlement there and spread the hellenic culture in the name of Heracles. And of course let's not forget the play "Heracleide" in which Iolaus, old man now, tried his best to protect some of the children of Heracles from the wrath of Eurystheus by seeking sanctuary to the temple. He even rushed to battle despite his age (and according to the play, he was given back his youth by the gods to fight the war)

As for how he became Echidna's lover that was also commented by me at this post hahahaha

I mean he was literally wearing one of her children as armor for goodness sakes hahahaha honestly what a guy hahaha both affectionate and derogatory hahahahaha