PELEUS

in Greek mythology, king of the Myrmidons of Thessaly; he was most famous as the husband of Thetis (a sea nymph) and the father of the hero Achilles, whom he outlived. When Peleus and his brother Telamon were banished from their father Aeacus' kingdom of Aegina, Peleus went to Phthia to be purified by his uncle King Eurytion, whose daughter Antigone he married, receiving a third of Eurytion's kingdom. During the Calydonian boar hunt he accidentally killed Eurytion. He then went to Iolcos to be purified by King Acastus, whose wife Astydameia made advances to him. When he refused her, she told Antigone that he wanted to marry her daughter, causing Antigone to hang herself. Peleus later won the sea nymph Thetis by capture, and all the gods except Eris (the goddess of discord) were invited to the wedding. The golden apple that Eris spitefully sent to the wedding guests led to the judgment of Paris and thence to the Trojan War. Peleus was too old to fight in that conflict and gave his armour to his son Achilles. Thetis, who had returned to the sea after bearing Achilles, eventually fetched Peleus to dwell with her.