Deucalion of Crete


In Greek mythology, Deucalion or Deukalion, was a king of Crete. He was counted among the Argonauts and the Calydonian Hunters.

Family

Deucalion was the eldest son of Minos either by Pasiphae or Crete and thus grandson of Zeus. He was the brother of Acacallis, Ariadne, Androgeus, Xenodice, Phaedra, Glaucus and Catreus. By Cleopatra, Deucalion fathered Idomeneus who succeeded him and led the kingdom into the Trojan War. He was also the father of Crete and of an illegitimate son Molus. In Diodorus' account, Deucalion and Molus were brothers and their sons Idomeneus and Meriones led the Cretans to Troy.

Mythology

Theseus in Crete

It is said that when Theseus was about to leave Crete, he joined battle with the Cretans at the gate of the Labyrinth where he slew Deucalion and his bodyguard.
One source recounts a different relationship between Deucalion and Theseus:

Odysseus' lie

pretends to be his second son Aethon when he speaks to his wife while in disguise. It is unclear whether Aethon is a real son of Deucalion, left by Idomeneus to act as regent during the war, or invented by Odysseus.