Lycaon was an ancient king of Arcadia. He fathered fifty sons each of whom founded and gave their names to a towns or villages of Arcadia. He sought to the divinity of Zeus by serving him a slaughtered child—either his son Nyctimus or a Molossian captive. Zeus was furious and overturning the table, destroyed the fifty sons of Lycaon with lightning-bolts, and turned the King into a wolf. Lycaon was succeeded on the throne by his youngest son Nyctimos. Some say that Nyctimos was preserved by Gaîa (the Earth) when his brothers were struck down by the lightning-bolts of Zeus, others that he was the child sacrificed by Lycaon who was afterwards resurrected by the gods.
Trivia[]
Lycaon may be the origin of Greek werewolves or lycans. If not, he does at least bear some connection to the legendary wolf-monsters for the curse that Zeus struck him with as a result of his impiety.
| Preceded by: Pelasgius |
King of Arcadia Mythic |
Succeeded by Nyctimus |