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Aeacus

Aeacus (ē'ukus) [key], in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and the nymph Aegina. He was the father of Peleus and Telamon. After a plague had nearly wiped out the inhabitants of his land, Zeus rewarded the pious Aeacus by changing a swarm of ants to men (known as Myrmidons). According to one legend, Aeacus and his people assisted Apollo and Poseidon in building the walls of Troy. After Aeacus' death, Zeus made him one of the three judges of Hades.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

More on Aeacus from Fact Monster:

  • Aegina, in Greek mythology - Aegina Aegina , in Greek mythology, river nymph, daughter of the river god Asopus. She was abducted ...
  • Telamon - Telamon Telamon , in Greek mythology, son of Aeacus and father of Ajax. He and Peleus killed their ...
  • Peleus - Peleus Peleus , in Greek mythology, son of Aeacus and the father of Achilles by Thetis. He and his ...
  • Laomedon - Laomedon Laomedon , in Greek mythology, king of Troy. When Laomedon failed to pay Poseidon, Apollo, ...
  • Hades - Hades Hades , in Greek and Roman religion and mythology. 1. The ruler of the underworld: see Pluto. ...

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