The god Aeolus, is one of the members of Greek mythology that represents three different characters. Hence, the stories referring to him are based on different themes, however, he is mainly known as the god of the winds. Know in this article, what is related to it.
The god Aeolus
On some occasions, there are mythological characters that are part of different traditions and that in fact are represented in different ways. One of those is the god Aeolus, who represents three characters.
Mostly the god Aeolus is described as the deity of the winds who inhabited a small island where it was possible to move freely through the sea, located very close to the edge of Aeolia. His descendants lived in that place, he was also in charge of managing each tempestead, since Zeus gave him the power to calm and also to generate the winds.
However, the god Aeolus represents three different characters in Greek mythology, so each of his stories are totally different.
Son of Helen
The god Aeolus, on this occasion, is described as the descendant of Helen, an eponymous hero of the Hellenes, and of the water nymph Orséis. He also had Doro and Juto as a brother. Also, he is considered to be the king of Aeolis, which was later called Thessaly.
He is also determined as the one who created the wind branch of the Hellenic nation. The god Aeolus was the one who married Enarete, who was the daughter of Dimaco, with her he had several children, who according to the descriptions of most authors, were named as:
- Cretet: Founder of Yolco.
- Sisyphus: founder and king of Corinth.
- Deyoneus: Day's father and Ixion's wife.
- Salmoneus: King of Elis and founder of the city of Salmone.
- atamante: King of Coronea and there are those who say that in Thebes.
- Magnet: father of Polydectes and Dictis.
- perimeter: loved by the Acheloos river and had Hippodamante and Orestes as children.
- Alcyone: Ceix's wife.
- perières
- etlio.
- Chalice.
- Canace.
- Pisidice.
According to some authors, the god Aeolus also had Macaureus as his son, who had an affair with his sister Cánace and they had a daughter whom they called Anfisa, since they did not know that incest was a taboo for mortals.
When the god Aeolus realized the incest, he sent Cánace a sword to commit suicide and threw her daughter with Maccareo to the dogs. Although Macareo fled from the punishment and went to the sanctuary of Delphi where he was a priest of Apollo.
However, there is another version that describes that the god Aeolus committed suicide with the same sword that Cánace used. This character referring to Aeolus, according to authors, had with Hipe (daughter of the centaur Chiron) an illegitimate descendant whom they called Arne or Melanippe. Who was the mother of the second Aeolus by Poseidon. She is also linked to other children who are related to the third Aeolus. Learn more about god Jupiter.
son of poseidon
This is another of the representations that the god Aeolus has. But this time, he is the descendant of Poseidon (god of the seas and earthquakes) and Arne or Melanippe.
This god Aeolus had a twin named Beoto (who was an eponymous ancestor of the Boeotians). In this myth it is described that at the time Arne informed her father that she was going to have a son by Poseidon, he did not believe her and ordered a foreigner from the town of Metaponto to take her away.
Which resulted in Beoto and the god Aeolus being born and adopted by another man from Metaponto who had no descendants. Growing up, the twins wielded power in the kingdom due to a revolt. A controversy then occurred between Arne and Autolite. So the twins killed Autolyte and due to the metapont's indignation, they fled the city together with Arne and other acquaintances.
Later, Beoto went to the country of his grandfather Aeolus, who succeeded him on the throne and called the country and the inhabitants Boeotians Arne. However, Eolo went to several islands of the more Tyrrhenian, which were called the Aeolian Islands and is also considered to be the one who founded the city of Lípara.
Another version of this character of Eolo, describes that the mother of the twins, that is Melanippe, daughter of Desmontes or Aeolus, was chained to him by order of his father, who was king of Icaria known as Metaponto. Which adopted the abandoned twins.
So Metapontus's wife, Theano, had other children whom she ordered to kill Aeolus and Beotus. However, Poseidon warned them that her real mother was in prison, so they went to free her. So Melanippe and Metapontus got married. Learn more about Orpheus.
Son of Hypothesis
The god Aeolus in this third representation is described as the descendant of Hypothesis, son of Mimante, who was one of the sons of the Aeolus of Helenida.
This interpretation is described in the Historical Library of Diodorus Siculus. In addition, the information of the second and third god Aeolus is added. Because it is said that when he arrived on the island of Lípara, where King Líparo ruled, he helped him take power in the Sirrento area, at the time he married the king's descendant, called Cíane, so who became the king of the island.
The god Aeolus was very kind and fair with foreigners, he also gave his teachings to sailors regarding the mastery of sails and some said that he could predict the winds. According to this version, the god Aeolus had 6 descendants.
In the work of Odisea, this Aeolus is described as the Lord of the Winds, who lived on the island of Aeolia with his 6 sons and 6 daughters, who married each other. Zeus also gave him the power to command the winds.
So the god Aeolus kept everyone locked up and under his power. However, he made an attempt to help Odysseus who addressed him as he was returning to Ithaca. Eolo took good care of him, he gave him a quite acceptable wind and also a skin with all the winds, so that he used them with care.
But Odysseus's crew believed that the bag contained gold, so they opened it and caused very serious storms, which caused the ship to head again to the borders of Aeolia. Although Eolo that time refused to help him again.
If you were interested in the information in this article, you may also be interested in knowing about perseus.}