DANAUS, in Greek legend, was the founder of Argos and of the race of Danai, by which name the Argives are designated in Homer. A local feature of Argos was the drought which in summer sealed its numerous small springs, and with this feature Danaus was identified as having made the first well, while his fifty daughters (Danaides), seem to represent the many springs of the district. In the lower world they had to carry water in broken vases. It was in searching for water that his daughter Amymone was pursued by a satyr and rescued by Poseidon, the god of that element, who struck out a spring for her with his trident. But while the legend of Danaus thus seems to have been of native Argive origin, he was, in accordance with the tendency at one time of tracing genealogies to Egypt, described as a son of Belus, king of Egypt, and Anchirrhoe, a daughter of the Nile, having a brother jEgyptus. This brother had fifty sons, while Danaus had fifty daughters, and because the latter would not marry their cousins, they were obliged to escape from Egypt with their father Danaus. The sons of JEgyptus pursued them to Argos and besieged them there, till it was agreed by Danaus that they should marry his daughters. But to each of his daughters he gave a knife with injunctions to slay her husband on the marriage night. Except Hypermnestra they all obeyed, and it was for this that they had to carry water in the lower world. Afterwards he gave them in marriage to the noblest youths of the district who could prove their claims by the greatest speed in the race course.