The Aeolids in Argos

At first, Proëtus (Προιτος) ruled in his kingdom at Tiryns, when his twin brother was still ruling in the city of Argos. Proëtus and Acrisius were bitter rivals, both seeking power in Argos.

Proëtus only received Argos from his great-nephew, Perseus, when the hero accidentally killed his grandfather. Perseus was the son of Zeus and Danaë, daughter of Acrisius.

Proëtus received several guests and suppliants in his court. One of his guests was the hero Bellerophon from Corinth. His wife Stheneboea (Anteia) tried to seduce the young guest. His rejection of Stheneboea caused her to conspire against him - to have her husband's suppliant killed. The Queen lied to her husband, saying that Bellerophon had tried to ravish her. Since Zeus frowned upon a host killing a guest, Proëtus decided to send Bellerophon to his father-in-law, Iobates, father of Stheneboea and king of Lycia. This plan failed because Bellerophon became a great hero when he killed the monster Chimerea, and defeated the Solymi and the Amazons in battles. Iobates admired Bellerophon so much that he married his other daughter Philinoë to the young hero. This marriage caused the jealous Stheneboea to commit suicide. (See Bellerophon in Heroes I.)

As king of Argos, Proëtus' three daughters by his wife Stheneboea (Anteia) were struck with madness for their refusal to accept the rites of Dionysus.

Bias (Βίας) and the famous seer Melampus (Μελάμπους), the sons of the Aeolid Amythaon, arrived in Argos from Messenia. Melampus offered to cure the women only if Proëtus gave his brother a third of his kingdom, as fees for his services. Proëtus refused. Later, when more Argive women were also inflicted by the madness, Melampus wanted another third for himself. Leaving the king with no choice, Proëtus consented to the demand.

Having cured the Argive women, Melampus married Lysippe, while his brother married Iphianassa. Proëtus and his descendants had to share the rule of his kingdom with his two son-in-laws and their descendants. (See Melampus.)

From his own line, Megapenthes (Μεγαπένθης) succeeded him. Strangely enough, the geographer Pausanias wrote that after Acrisius' death, Perseus exchanged kingdoms with Megapenthe, Proëtus' daughter, not his son Megapenthes. This is most likely an error.