Lycurgus

In Greek mythology, the name Lycurgus could refer to two people.

1. An alternate name for Lycomedes
2. King of the Edones[?] in Thrace, father of Dryas. He banned the cult of Dionysus. When Lycurgus heard that Dionysus was in his kingdom, imprisoned all the followers of Dionysus, the Maenads. Dionysus fled, taking refuge with Thetis. Dionysus then sent a drought and the people revolted. Dionysus made King Lycurgus insane, and he sliced his own son into pieces with an axe, thinking he was a patch of ivy[?], a plant holy to Dionysus. An oracle then claimed that the land would stay dry and barren as long as Lycurgus was alive. His people had him drawn and quartered. With Lycurgus dead, Dionysus lifted the curse.

In an alternate version, Zeus made Lycurgus blind as punishment for opposing the cult.

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Lycurgus is also the name of an Athenian orator (c.390 - c.325 BC) and statesman. Of the fifteen speeches that Caecilius[?] considered genuine, the only surviving one is Against Leocrates.