Adrastus

The descendants of Megapenthes (son of Proëtus), Bias and Melampus, participated the famous but unsuccessful war against Thebes (see Seven Against Thebes).

Adrastus (Ἄδραστου) was the son of Talaüs (Talaus, Ταλαός) and grandson of Bias. Adrastus was king of Argos at the time of the war. Adrastus married his niece Amphithea, daughter of Pronax. Adrastus was also the father of Aegialeus, Argeia and Deïpyle (Deipyle). Some said that he was the father of Cyanippus and Aegialeia, though most said they were his grandchildren.

Adrastus had a sister named Eriphyle who was married to the Argive seer Amphiaraüs (Amphiaraus, Ἀμφιάραος), who was a descendant of Melampus; Adrastus and Amphiaraüs were cousins. At one time, Amphiaraüs rebelled against Adrastus and became king of Argos for a short period of time. They had Eriphyle settle the dispute between Adrastus and Amphiaraüs, and she favoured her brother because of the bribe he gave her. Eriphyle would accept bribe again from her new brother-in-law Polyneices to favour war in Thebes, which Amphiaraüs objected to.

When two exiled princes, Tydeus of Calydon and Polyneices of Thebes, came to his court, Adrastus married his two daughters to the leaders and promised each of them to restore them to power. Adrastus raised an army led by him and six other Argive leaders to Thebes. The Thebans defeated the Argive army and the six leaders, and Polyneices and Tydeus, were also killed. Adrastus was the only leader to survive the war.

See Seven Against Thebes, for the story about the war between Argos and Thebes.

Ten years later, the sons of the seven champions - known as Epigoni - and led by Alcmeon, son of Amphiaraüs (Amphiaraus), returned to avenge their fathers' deaths. When Adrastus' own son Aegialeus was killed, the aged king of Argos and the only survivor of the seven champions of the previous war, died of grief. Adrastus' young grandson Cyanippus became the new king of Argos.