Aristode'mus
(
*)Aristo/dhmos), a son of Aristomachus, and a descendant of Heracles, was married to Argeia, by whom he became the father of Eurysthenes and Procles.
According to some traditions Aristodemus was killed at Naupactus by a flash of lightning, just as he was setting out on his expedition into Peloponnesus (
Apollod. 2.8.2, &c.), or by an arrow of Apollo at Delphi because he had consulted Heracles about the return of the Heraclids instead of the Delphic oracle. (
Paus. 3.1.5.)
According to this tradition, Eurysthenes and Procles were the first Heraclid kings of Lacedaemon; but a Lacedaemonian tradition stated, that Aristodemus himself came to Sparta, was the first king of his race, and died a natural death. (Herod, 6.52; Xenoph.
Agesil. 8.7.) Another Heraclid of this name, the grandfather of the former, is mentioned by Euripides. (
Ap. Schol. ad Pind. Isth. 4.104.)
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