Proetus was a
mythical king of
Argos and
Tiryns. His father
Abas, son of the last surviving
Aegyptiad Lynceus and the
Danaid Hypermnestra, had ruled over
Argos and married Aglaea or
Ocalea, who bore him twin sons, Proetus and
Acrisius, who quarreled continually ever since they still were in the womb. They carried on with the rivalry into their adult years, inventing shields or
bucklers in the process. In one tradition, the conflict was reiterated when Proetus seduced Acrisius' daughter (and his own niece)
Danae. Proetus started out as king of Argos, and held the throne for about seventeen years, but Acrisius defeated and exiled him and he fled to King
Jobates or Amphianax in
Lycia, and married his daughter
Antea or
Stheneboea. Jobates, thereupon, attempted to restore Proetus to his kingdom by armed force. After the war had gone on for a while the kingdom was divided in two. Acrisius then shared his kingdom with his brother, surrendering to him Tiryns and the eastern half of Argolis, i.e. the Heraeum, Midea and the coast of Argolis.
