ABSTRACT
Heracles’ son by Deianira. As Heracles lay dying on the pyre, he commanded Hyllus, when he should come of age, to marry Iole, whom Heracles had won in an archery contest and fought for, when her father Eurytus would not give her up. It had been as a result of her jealousy of Iole that Deianira had brought about Heracles’ death by sending him the tunic poisoned with Nessus’ blood. Hyllus and Heracles’ other children were protected by the hero’s friend Ceyx, king of Trachis, until Eurystheus, Heracles’ old enemy, decided to make war on them. Because of the weakness of Ceyx, the children of Heracles took shelter with Theseus, king of Athens (or his son Demophon). Eurystheus invaded Attica, but was killed either by Hyllus or by his cousin Iolaus, after Heracles’ daughter Macaria had sacrificed herself in obedience to an oracle which declared that nothing but the immolation of a noble virgin could enable the Athenians to defeat Eurystheus. According to one account Eurystheus, when he had been taken prisoner, was killed on the orders of Heracles’ mother Alcmena.
