Cynaegeirus was the son of Euphorion from Eleusis and a member of Eupatridea,the ancient noblity of Attic.In 490 BC Cynaegeirus and his brothers Aeschylus and Ameinias fought to defend Athens against Darius's invading Persian army at The Battle of Marathon.Despite the numerical superiority of the Persians,they were routed and fled to their ships.The Athenians pursued the Persians back to their ships.Cynaegeirus attempted to grab the Persian ship,when he lost his right hand by a Persian axe,he grasped the enemy vessel with his left.Here the hero having both of his hands lost,he hangs on the vessel with his teeth,and even in his mutilated state fought desperately to prevent the Persians from escaping but the Persian soldier finally cut off his head.
The incident of the heroic death of Cynaegeirus became an emblem of cultural memory in ancient Greece and was described in literature in order to inspire patriotic feelings to future generations