Egeus was born in Thebes, Boeotia. He was the son of Oeneus and Althaea and the father of Hermia. According to Apollodorus’s Library, he governed Attica for fifty years, longer than any other king except Theseus. He died at an advanced age in his palace at Eleusis.
Some say that Egeus originally came from Chalcis, but others maintain that he was a native of Athens; at any rate it is certain that his family belonged to the Gephyraean deme. His father’s name was Oeneus, and his mother’s Althaea (others say she was own sister of Oeneus). On coming to Athens he expelled Amphictyon from the throne and reigned fifty years, which is more than any other Athenian king except Theseus. In consequence many great works were erected by him in Athens; among them are the temple of Artemis Agrotera on the Areopagus, whence also they used to call her Artemis Λυκάσπεια (she-wolf), because when Callisto had been turned into a bear by Zeus on account of Hera’s jealousy and gave birth to Arcas in Arcadia, she used often to come thence into Attica with her cubs; seeing these things Egeus built a sanctuary for her outside the city near Cephisus river. And being anxious lest Demeter should be angry with him because after having received Triptolemus from her he had neglected her festival, he set up two statues beside her altar; one representing himself with an offering-basket in his hand as if about to celebrate the mysteries [i.e., Thesmophoria], while before him stands another statue of Gaia bearing ears of corn [theEleusinian gifts]. Moreover, when grain failed throughout all Greece owing to blight sent upon it by Poseidon (for this story see Cecrops), Egeus offered sacrifice according to an oracle given him by Apollo; whereupon immediately rain fell amply and saved both seed-time and harvest.”