lycus

Lycus is a name that appears in several different contexts, including mythology, geography, and modern biology.

In Greek mythology, Lycus refers to at least two figures. The most well-known Lycus is a Theban king who, together with his brother Nycteus, ruled Thebes. His wife was Dirce, and their myth is linked to the story of Antiope and the early Theban dynasties. In various tellings, Lycus and Dirce are the targets of later heroes or successors, and Lycus’s rule is described as tyrannical in the evolving mythic tradition.

In ancient geography, Lycus was used as a toponym for several rivers and places in Asia Minor and surrounding regions. Classical authors mention Lycus as a river name in areas that were part of the Hellenistic world, a convention common to many ancient river and settlement names.

In modern biology, Lycus is a genus of net-winged beetles in the family Lycidae. Species within this genus are distributed in different parts of the world and are noted for their often bright coloration, which serves as a warning to predators.

Overall, Lycus is a multi-use name found in classical literature and science, illustrating how a single term can refer to mythic figures, geographical features in antiquity, and a modern taxonomic group.