Historiae Romanorum

Aeolus

Aeolus was the king of Aeolia or Iolcus in Thessaly.  For some reason, Zeus gave him charge over the winds, which Aeolus kept in a cave.  He is seen in the Odyssey, the Argonautica and the Aeneid.

Aeolus had several sons, among whom was Athamas, the king of Boeotia, and Cretheus.  Cretheus had a son named Aeson, father of Jason, and he also adopted Pelias and Neleus, who were the twins of his wife and Poseidon.  It was Pelias, who sent Jason on a quest for the golden fleece.

Although Apollodorus combines the two men, there seems to have originally been two Aeolus's.  One, the king of the winds in Aeolia, and the other a king of Iolcus in Thessaly.

Source(s):

1. Homer.  Odyssey.

2. Apollodorus.  Bibliotece.

3. Apollonius Rhodius.  Argonautica.

4. Virgil.  Aeneid.

This page was last updated on July 21, 2004.