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==Biography==
==Family==
Acastus was the son of [[Pelias]], then king of [[Iolcos|Iolcus]], and [[Anaxibia]] (Philomache in some traditions).
Acastus was the son of [[Pelias]], then king of [[Iolcos|Iolcus]], and [[Anaxibia]] (Philomache in some traditions). Acastus and Astydameia had two daughters: Sterope (Στερόπη) and [[Laodamia]], and a number of sons. Another daughter, [[Sthenele]] (Σθενέλη), was given by the ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]'' as the wife of [[Menoetius (mythology)|Menoetius]] and mother of [[Patroclus]]. [[Tzetzes]] (in his ''Prolegomena in Hesiodum'') calls Arxippus a son of his.


== Mythology ==
After the return of the Argonauts, Acastus's sisters were manipulated by [[Medea]] to cut their father Pelias in pieces and boil them. Acastus, when he heard this, buried his father, and drove Jason and Medea from Iolcus (and, according to [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], his sisters also),<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] vii. 11</ref> and instituted funeral games in honor of his father.<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus]] ''Fabulae'' 24 and 273 ; Apollod. i. 9. § 27, &c.; Pausanias iii. 18. § 9, vi. 20. § 9, v. 17. § 4 ; Ov. Met. xi. 409, &c.</ref><ref name="DGRBM">''[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]]'' by William Smith (1867).</ref> He thereafter became king of Iolcus.
After the return of the Argonauts, Acastus's sisters were manipulated by [[Medea]] to cut their father Pelias in pieces and boil them. Acastus, when he heard this, buried his father, and drove Jason and Medea from Iolcus (and, according to [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], his sisters also),<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] vii. 11</ref> and instituted funeral games in honor of his father.<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus]] ''Fabulae'' 24 and 273 ; Apollod. i. 9. § 27, &c.; Pausanias iii. 18. § 9, vi. 20. § 9, v. 17. § 4 ; Ov. Met. xi. 409, &c.</ref><ref name="DGRBM">''[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology]]'' by William Smith (1867).</ref> He thereafter became king of Iolcus.


Acastus purified [[Peleus]] of the murder of [[Eurytion|King Eurytion]] of [[Phthia]]. Acastus's wife (variously named in mythology; often [[Astydameia|Astydamia]], but sometimes Hippolyte, daughter of [[Cretheus]])<ref name="OCD"/><ref name="DGRBM"/> fell in love with Peleus but he scorned her. Bitter, she sent a messenger to [[Antigone (daughter of Eurytion)|Antigone]], Peleus's wife and daughter of Eurytion, to tell her that Peleus was to marry Acastus's daughter, [[Sterope]].
Acastus purified [[Peleus]] of the murder of [[Eurytion|King Eurytion]] of [[Phthia]]. Acastus's wife (variously named in mythology; often [[Astydameia|Astydamia]], but sometimes Hippolyte, daughter of [[Cretheus]])<ref name="OCD" /><ref name="DGRBM" /> fell in love with Peleus but he scorned her. Bitter, she sent a messenger to [[Antigone (daughter of Eurytion)|Antigone]], Peleus's wife and daughter of Eurytion, to tell her that Peleus was to marry Acastus's daughter, [[Sterope]].


Astydamia then told Acastus that Peleus had tried to rape her.<ref>Apollod. iii. 13. § 2, &c.; Pind. Nem. iv. 90, &c.</ref> Acastus took Peleus on a hunting trip and hid his sword while he slept, then abandoned him on [[Pelion|Mt. Pelion]] to be killed by [[centaur]]s. The wise centaur [[Chiron]] (or the god [[Hermes]])<ref name="DGRBM"/> returned Peleus' sword and Peleus managed to escape. With [[Jason]] and the [[Dioscuri]], Peleus sacked Iolcus, dismembered [[Astydameia|Astydamia]] (and, in some accounts, Acastus himself), and marched his army between the pieces. Their kingdom later fell to Jason's son [[Thessalus]].
Astydamia then told Acastus that Peleus had tried to rape her.<ref>Apollod. iii. 13. § 2, &c.; Pind. Nem. iv. 90, &c.</ref> Acastus took Peleus on a hunting trip and hid his sword while he slept, then abandoned him on [[Pelion|Mt. Pelion]] to be killed by [[centaur]]s. The wise centaur [[Chiron]] (or the god [[Hermes]])<ref name="DGRBM" /> returned Peleus' sword and Peleus managed to escape. With [[Jason]] and the [[Dioscuri]], Peleus sacked Iolcus, dismembered [[Astydameia|Astydamia]] (and, in some accounts, Acastus himself), and marched his army between the pieces. Their kingdom later fell to Jason's son [[Thessalus]].

==Descendants==
Acastus and Astydameia had two daughters: Sterope (Στερόπη) and [[Laodamia]], and a number of sons. Another daughter, [[Sthenele]] (Σθενέλη), was given by the ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]'' as the wife of [[Menoetius (mythology)|Menoetius]] and mother of [[Patroclus]]. [[Tzetzes]] (in his ''Prolegomena in Hesiodum'') calls Arxippus a son of his.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 16:15, 18 July 2017

Acastus
Member of the Deucalionids
AbodeIolcus
Genealogy
ParentsPelias and Anaxibia or Philomache
SiblingsPisidice, Alcestis, Pelopia, Hippothoe, Amphinome, Evadne, Asteropeia, and Antinoe
ConsortAstydamia or Hippolyte
OffspringSterope, Laodamia, Sthenele, Arxippus

Acastus (/əˈkæstəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἄκαστος) is a character in Greek mythology. He sailed with Jason and the Argonauts, and participated in the hunt for the Calydonian Boar.[1]

Family

Acastus was the son of Pelias, then king of Iolcus, and Anaxibia (Philomache in some traditions). Acastus and Astydameia had two daughters: Sterope (Στερόπη) and Laodamia, and a number of sons. Another daughter, Sthenele (Σθενέλη), was given by the Bibliotheca as the wife of Menoetius and mother of Patroclus. Tzetzes (in his Prolegomena in Hesiodum) calls Arxippus a son of his.

Mythology

After the return of the Argonauts, Acastus's sisters were manipulated by Medea to cut their father Pelias in pieces and boil them. Acastus, when he heard this, buried his father, and drove Jason and Medea from Iolcus (and, according to Pausanias, his sisters also),[2] and instituted funeral games in honor of his father.[3][4] He thereafter became king of Iolcus.

Acastus purified Peleus of the murder of King Eurytion of Phthia. Acastus's wife (variously named in mythology; often Astydamia, but sometimes Hippolyte, daughter of Cretheus)[1][4] fell in love with Peleus but he scorned her. Bitter, she sent a messenger to Antigone, Peleus's wife and daughter of Eurytion, to tell her that Peleus was to marry Acastus's daughter, Sterope.

Astydamia then told Acastus that Peleus had tried to rape her.[5] Acastus took Peleus on a hunting trip and hid his sword while he slept, then abandoned him on Mt. Pelion to be killed by centaurs. The wise centaur Chiron (or the god Hermes)[4] returned Peleus' sword and Peleus managed to escape. With Jason and the Dioscuri, Peleus sacked Iolcus, dismembered Astydamia (and, in some accounts, Acastus himself), and marched his army between the pieces. Their kingdom later fell to Jason's son Thessalus.

References

  1. ^ a b Hornblower, Simon (1996). "Acastus". The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 3.
  2. ^ Pausanias vii. 11
  3. ^ Gaius Julius Hyginus Fabulae 24 and 273 ; Apollod. i. 9. § 27, &c.; Pausanias iii. 18. § 9, vi. 20. § 9, v. 17. § 4 ; Ov. Met. xi. 409, &c.
  4. ^ a b c Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1867).
  5. ^ Apollod. iii. 13. § 2, &c.; Pind. Nem. iv. 90, &c.

Sources