Proetus

Proetus is the name of several figures in Greek mythology, but the most prominent is Proetus, a legendary king of Tiryns in the Argolid. In many traditions he is described as the son of Abas, and thus a member of the royal line associated with the Argolid. He is married to Anteia, who is also known as Stheneboea.

The best-known episode connected with Proetus concerns the hero Bellerophon. According to the tale, Anteia’s passion for Bellerophon leads her to accuse him of pursuing her. In response, Proetus sends Bellerophon to King Iobates of Lycia with a sealed commission ordering Iobates to kill him. Iobates delays, and Bellerophon undertakes a series of dangerous tasks to win his life back, with Pegasus aiding him in the most famous of these trials. The story is a notable example in which a king’s misuse of power and the manipulation of rumor shape a hero’s fortunes.

Beyond Tiryns, the name Proetus appears in various other Greek-mythological accounts, but the genealogies are inconsistent. Some sources place Proetus in the broader Argolid royal line, while others treat him as a separate figure associated with different regions. Because ancient authors differ on these details, the precise relationships and events surrounding other figures named Proetus vary by source.

The name is sometimes confused with Proteus, the shapeshifting sea god, though the two figures are distinct in ancient myth.