In Greek mythology, Adrastus, or Adrastos ("he who stands his ground", son of Talaus) was one of the three kings at Argos, along with Iphis and Amphiaraus, who was married to Adrastus' sister Eriphyle. His daughters (Argea and Deipyle) married Polynices and Tydeus, respectively. When his sons-in-law were chased out of Thebes, Adrastus helped organize the Seven Against Thebes. Adrastus was the only survivor of the battle and he died from grief over the death of his son, Aegialeus. He was venerated as a god in some cities, especially Sicyon.

Another Adrastus (Attic Greek: Αδρηστος) was the son of Gordias, the Phrygian King, with the Queen, Eurynome. He features prominently in Herodotus' story of King Croesus of Lydia. He killed his brother, unwillingly, and was driven out by his father. He went to Sardis obtain purification from King Croesus, which he not only received but was also accepted by Croesus as a guest and allowed to stay in the palace.

During this time a great boar came down from Mount Olympus (a different mountain from the legendary home of the gods, sharing the same name), which ravaged the lands of the Mysians; when they came out against it, they could inflict no harm upon it, but they suffered greatly in return. The Mysians sent ambassadors to the house of Croesus asking for a party of young Lydians, to be led by the king's son Atys, to come to their aid. This he initially refused, having had a dream warning of Atys' young death upon an iron spearpoint, but Atys succeeded in convincing him to let him go, making the point that no boar could wield an iron spear.

Croesus came to Adrastus then to ask him for a favour, asking that he guard and protect his son on the hunt, and Adrastus accepted and accompanied Atys there. Upon finding the boar, the party surrounded it in a circle and hurled spears at it; however, Adrastus missed his target and struck Atys a mortal blow. When the group came back bearing Atys' body, Adrastus preceded the corpse, holding his hands out to King Croesus in supplication - he begged that he himself be ritually slaughtered over the prince's body, saying that he could no longer go on living with the blood-guilt of yet another person on his hands. Croesus refused him this, saying this was vengeance from the gods, not Adrastus' personal fault; nevertheless, Adrastus took his own life.

In Greek mythology, a third Adrastus was the son of Merops, King of Percote, and brother to Amphius. Adrastus and Amphius led a military force from Adrastea, Apaesus, Pityeia and Tereia to the Trojan War - despite the entreaties of their father, a seer, who could foresee that death awaited them on the battlefield. Sure enough, Adrastus, son of Merops, was slain by King Agamemnon.

A fourth Adrastus, also from Greek mythology, was the father of Eurydice, the wife of King Ilus of Troy. He is otherwise unknown, but this Adrastus may be the eponym of the town or city of Adrastea in northwest Asia Minor, on the Hellespont.

Greek mythological people

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