Danaüs

Danaüs (Danaus or Danaos) was the son of Belus (Belos, Βἣλος), king of Egypt, and Anchinoë (Anchinous), daughter of the river-god Nile. He had a twin brother named Aegyptus (Aigyptos, Αἴγυπτος); they were descendants of Io.

Danaüs had fifty daughters, while Aegyptus had fifty sons. Their father gave Libya to Danaüs while Aegyptus had Arabia. After Belus' death, his brother became king and named the land after himself, Egypt. When his brother wanted him to marry his fifty daughters to Aegyptus' fifty sons, Danaüs suspected treachery from his brother, so he fled to Argos with his daughters.

Somehow, Danaüs managed to replace the current king of Argos, Gelanor (or Pelasgus according to Aeschylus), claiming to be a descendant of Io. After Danaüs' long reign in Argos, the Argives became also known as the Danaäns.

But Danaüs' nephews followed him to Argos and he was to forced to allow the marriage to take place. During their wedding night, Danaüs gave a dagger to each daughter with instructions to murder their new husbands in their sleep. Only one daughter, Hypermnestra, disobeyed her father's order. Hypermnestra helped her new husband, Lynceus, to escape. Later, the young couple was reconciled with Danaüs, and Lynceus succeeded his father-in-law (and uncle) to the throne.

The Danaäns were the people of Argos, who were descendants of their king, Danaüs. Homer frequently used the name Danaäns to mean not only who come from Argos, but a name to the Greeks in general.