Akastos (son of Pelias)

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Akastos ( Greek  Ἄκαστος ) is a king of Iolkos in Greek mythology .

myth

He was the son of Pelias and Anaxibia and thus the brother of Alcestis , Amphinome , Euadne , Hippothoe , Pelopeia and Peisidike . His father Pelias had usurped the throne after driving Jason's parents to suicide and killing Jason's meanwhile-born brother Promachos . With his wife Astydameia (or Hippolyte ) Akastos is the father of Laodameia , Sterope and Sthenele as well as many sons whose names are not known.

Akastos took part in the voyage of the Argonauts to conquer the Golden Fleece against the will of his father Pelias. After the Argonauts returned, Medea used a trick to kill Pelias: She told him she could rejuvenate him and had his daughters boil him in a kettle. Alcestis refused to shed her father's blood himself with good intentions, but Amphinome and Euadne did the deed, but Medea did not revive Pelias. However, Jason, Medea's lover and rightful heir to the throne, feared Akastus' vengeance, relinquished the throne and went into exile. Akastos thus became king of Iolkos.

After Peleus accidentally killed Eurytion while hunting the Calydonian boar , he fled to Iolkos. Astydameia, Akastos's wife, tried to seduce him. Peleus remained steadfast, whereupon Astydameia Akastos reported that Peleus had wanted to attack her. Akastos invited him to a hunt in which he stole the magic sword forged by Hephaestus when Peleus had fallen asleep tired. Peleus should be left unarmed to the wild animals. The centaur Cheiron saved him and got him his sword again.

After Zeus had given Peleus Thetis as his wife, he returned to Iolkos. With an army of warriors created from ants ( myrmidons ), he conquered the city and killed Astydameia and Akastos, but was driven out again by the sons of Akastos.

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