Lycus and Nycteus fled from
Euboea after they murdered King
Phlegyas, settling in
Hyria and then moving to
Thebes, because they were friends with
Pentheus, its king. Pentheus's successor was
Polydorus, who married Nycteis, the daughter of Nycteus. Nycteus served as
regent for
Labdacus, the son of Polydorus, when Polydorus died at a young age. Nycteus's daughter,
Antiope, was impregnated by
Zeus, and fled to Sicyon to marry King
Epopeus.
Pausanias writes that Nycteus waged war on Epopeus, but in battle was wounded, and died after being carried back to Thebes, appointing Lycus as regent for Labdacus. Nycteus urged Lycus to continue to attack Epopeus, and to retake and punish Antiope. Epopeus died of a wound just as Nycteus did, and his heir
Lamedon gave Antiope up freely to avoid war. The author of the
Bibliotheca, however, writes that Lycus was the one chosen regent after the deaths of Pentheus and Labdacus. Nycteus killed himself from shame when he discovered Antiope's pregnancy, and Lycus initiated the attack because he himself desired to punish her, successfully carrying her off after the battle. Eventually, they returned to Thebes to kill Lycus and Dirce and take command of the city. According to Euripides,
Hermes forbade the twins from killing Lycus, although he forced Lycus to give them Thebes. == Theban royal family tree ==