In Greek mythology, Menoeceus is the young son of Creon of Thebes who, during the war of the Seven against Thebes, freely sacrifices himself so that a Spartos descendant may perish for Ares and save the city. Tiresias' oracle drives the act; he leaps from the walls, and Pausanias later saw a blood-red pomegranate tree on his tomb. Distinct from his grandfather Menoeceus, father of Creon and Jocasta (menoeceus).
Adapted from Wikipedia, "Menoeceus" · CC BY-SA 4.0
I.Sacrifice for Thebes
When the Argive Seven besiege Thebes in Eteocles' reign, Tiresias declares that the city will be spared only if a descendant of the sown men (Spartoi) dies willingly for Ares. Creon's son recognizes that he alone fits the demand.
Hyginus, Apollodorus, Euripides' Phoenician Women, and Statius' Thebaid recount his suicide — typically by leaping from the walls. The Thebans go on to victory. Pausanias visited the tomb and noted a pomegranate whose ripe flesh looks like blood.
II.Two Menoecei
An elder Menoeceus, son of Pentheus and descendant of Echion, is father of Creon, Jocasta, and Hipponome — both grandfather and (through Jocasta) father-in-law of Oedipus. The young self-sacrificer is named after him.
The atlas id menoeceus-young is Creon's son; menoeceus holds the grandfather.