Scyrus

Scyrus (Skyrus) was an Aegean island northeast of Euboea.

Scyrus was famous because its king, Lycomedes, was host to the aging hero Theseus. Theseus either accidentally fell to his death, or Lycomedes murdered the hero by pushing him off a cliff. It is possible that Lycomedes and Menestheus, the usurper of Athens, plotted Theseus' murder.

Thetis, the sea goddess, hid her son Achilles among the maidens in Lycomedes' court. Thetis had Achilles dressed like a girl, because she knew that her son would die if he joined the Greeks to fight in a war at Troy. The Greeks knew that Troy would not fall to them without Achilles' aid in the war, so they sent Odysseus as part of the embassy.

When Odysseus penetrated Achilles' disguise, the young hero went willingly with the Greek army to Troy. See Conscriptions in the Trojan War page.

During Achilles' stay in Scyrus, he slept with Deidameia. Deidameia was the daughter of King Lycomedes. They had a son named Pyrrhos (Pyrrhus), who would later be known as Neoptolemus.