ERGINUS

King of the Minyae of Orchomenus, son of Poseidon (or Clymenus, according to another account), and one of the Argonauts. At the games of Poseidon at Onchestos, Clymenus was killed by a stone thrown by a noble Theban. Erginus in consequence compelled the Thebans to pay him an annual tribute of l00 oxen for twenty years. Heracles, on returning from his slaughter of the lions of Cithaeron, came upon the heralds who were collecting the tribute. He cut off their noses and ears, tied their hands round their necks, and told them that this was the tribute they might take back to their master. War broke out. Heracles armed the Thebans with the arms hanging in the temples, the Minyae having carried off all the others; slew Erginus, destroyed Orchomenus, and forced the Minyae to pay double the tribute to Thebes. The sons of Erginus were the mythical architects Agamedes and Trophonius.