Nausithous
Founder and first king of the Phaeacians on the island of Scheria
The Legend of Nausithous
Nausithous was the son of Poseidon and Periboea, and the father of Alcinous and Rhexenor. He led the Phaeacian people from their original home in Hypereia, where they had been harassed by the neighbouring Cyclopes, to the distant island of Scheria. There he established a prosperous city, built walls and temples, divided the farmland, and created the society that Odysseus would later encounter. His name means "swift ship," appropriate for the founder of a nation of legendary sailors whose vessels could cross the sea without rudders, guided by thought alone. By the time Odysseus arrived, Nausithous had passed the throne to his son Alcinous, who continued his legacy of generous hospitality and nautical mastery.
Parents
Poseidon and Periboea
Children
Alcinous, Rhexenor
Symbols
Fun Fact
His name literally means "swift ship" — fitting for the ancestor of a people whose ships sailed by thought alone
Explore Further
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🗡 heroNone recorded
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