ABSTRACT
A king of Athens; son of Melanthus, a descendant of Neleus and a member of the Messenian royal family. When the Dorians captured Messenia, Codrus came to Athens, slew the Bocotian king Xuthus in single combat in a frontier war, and became the ruler of Athens in place of the house of Theseus, marrying an Athenian woman to improve his title to the throne. The Dorians made an attack on Attica, which was a haven for all the Ionian peoples whom they had displaced. The Delphic Oracle pronounced that they might beat the Athenians if Codrus’ life were spared; and a friendly Delphian communicated this news to the Athenians. Thereupon Codrus went to battle against the Dorians dressed as a woodcutter and deliberately courted death so that Attica should be saved. Codrus was succeeded by his son Medon. His family were said to have retained the throne until the eighth century, when the monarch (according to a tradition which may be accurate) was replaced by the three archons of early historical times.
