Acastus


Acastus is a character in Greek mythology. He sailed with Jason and the Argonauts, and participated in the hunt for the Calydonian Boar.

Family

Acastus was the son of Pelias, then king of Iolcus, and Anaxibia. Acastus with his wife Astydameia had two daughters: Sterope and Laodamia, and a number of sons. Another daughter, Sthenele, was given by the Bibliotheca as the wife of Menoetius and mother of Patroclus.

Mythology

After the return of the Argonauts, Acastus's sisters were manipulated by Medea to cut their father Pelias in pieces and boil them. Acastus, when he heard this, buried his father, and drove Jason and Medea from Iolcus, and instituted funeral games in honor of his father. He thereafter became king of Iolcus.
Acastus purified Peleus of the murder of King Eurytion of Phthia. Acastus's wife fell in love with Peleus but he scorned her. Bitter, she sent a messenger to Antigone, Peleus's wife and daughter of Eurytion, to tell her that Peleus was to marry Acastus's daughter, Sterope.
Astydamia then told Acastus that Peleus had tried to rape her. Acastus took Peleus on a hunting trip and hid his sword while he slept, then abandoned him on Mt. Pelion to be killed by centaurs. The wise centaur Chiron returned Peleus' sword and Peleus managed to escape. With Jason and the Dioscuri, Peleus sacked Iolcus, dismembered Astydamia, and marched his army between the pieces. Their kingdom later fell to Jason's son Thessalus.