Acastus
heroKing of Iolcus and Argonaut who later tried to murder Peleus by stranding him unarmed on Mount Pelion.
The Myth
He sailed with the Argonauts as a friend of Jason — then spent his later years trying to destroy Peleus through treachery. After Acastus's wife Astydameia falsely accused Peleus of assault (a pattern echoing Phaedra and Hippolytus), Acastus took Peleus hunting on Mount Pelion and stole his divine sword while he slept, leaving him to be killed by centaurs. Chiron saved Peleus. Years later, Peleus's son Achilles and grandson Neoptolemus returned and sacked Iolcus in revenge. Acastus had also purified Peleus of an earlier murder — making the betrayal doubly sacrilegious.
Parents
Pelias, Anaxibia
Symbols
Fun Fact
Acastus's false-accusation story is one of several Greek Potiphar's wife myths.
Explore Further
Peleus
heroKing of Phthia, Argonaut, and father of Achilles who wrestled the shape-shifting sea goddess Thetis...
Pelias
heroUsurper king of Iolcus who sent Jason on the quest for the Golden Fleece hoping he would die, and...
Achilles
heroThe greatest warrior in the Greek army at Troy, nearly invulnerable thanks to being dipped in the...
Hippolytus
heroHippolytus was the chaste son of Theseus who rejected Aphrodite and was destroyed when his...
Jason
heroThe hero who assembled the Argonauts and sailed to Colchis in quest of the Golden Fleece. Jason's...
Neoptolemus
heroNeoptolemus was Achilles' fierce son, brought to Troy because a prophecy declared the city could...
Phaedra
heroPhaedra was the wife of Theseus who was cursed by Aphrodite to fall hopelessly in love with her...
Laodamia
heroWife of Protesilaus who embraced a wax image of her dead husband so desperately the gods briefly...
Argo (Ship)
placeThe Argo was the ship built by Argus for Jason's quest — the first long-voyage ship in Greek myth,...
Argonauts
conceptThe Argonauts were the band of heroes who sailed with Jason on the Argo to retrieve the Golden...
Chiron
creatureChiron tutored Achilles, Asclepius, Jason — the great teacher.
Mount Ida (Crete)
placeMount Ida was the highest peak in Crete, home to the cave where the infant Zeus was hidden from his...