Pelias (mythology)

Pelias was a king of Iolcus in Greek mythology, son of Tyro and the sea god Poseidon. He was the twin brother of Neleus. Driven by an unrelenting ambition and a fear of his nephew Jason, Pelias is best known as the antagonist of the Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece.

Family and Origin:

Tyro, the daughter of Salmoneus, was married to Cretheus, king of Iolcus. However, she was deeply in love with the river god Enipeus. Poseidon, taking advantage of her affections, disguised himself as Enipeus and seduced her. From this union, she bore twins, Pelias and Neleus. Fearing her father's wrath and her husband's knowledge of her infidelity, Tyro abandoned the infants, leaving them to be raised by a herdsman. They were later recognized and reclaimed by Tyro.

Reign and Usurpation:

Following Cretheus' death, Pelias seized the throne of Iolcus from his half-brother Aeson, who was the rightful heir. He imprisoned Aeson but allowed him to live, fearing retribution from Aeson's descendants.

The Prophecy and Jason's Quest:

Pelias received a prophecy that he would be killed by a man wearing only one sandal. Years later, Jason, Aeson's son, arrived in Iolcus seeking to reclaim his rightful throne. He had lost a sandal crossing the river Anauros while aiding an old woman (who was secretly the goddess Hera in disguise). Recognizing Jason as the man prophesied to be his downfall, Pelias feigned willingness to relinquish the throne but demanded that Jason first retrieve the Golden Fleece from Colchis. This seemingly impossible task was intended to rid Pelias of Jason permanently.

The Argonauts:

Jason assembled a band of heroes, the Argonauts, to undertake the perilous journey to Colchis. The adventures of the Argonauts and their acquisition of the Golden Fleece are a central part of Greek mythology.

Death:

Upon the Argonauts' return, Pelias still refused to yield the throne. Medea, Jason's wife and a powerful sorceress, devised a plan to trick Pelias' daughters into killing him. She demonstrated her magical abilities by rejuvenating an old ram, convincing Pelias' daughters that she could do the same for their father. They followed Medea's instructions and cut Pelias into pieces, intending to boil him in a cauldron with magic herbs to restore his youth. However, Medea withheld the crucial rejuvenating herbs, and Pelias died.

Legacy:

Pelias' actions, particularly his usurpation of the throne and his instigation of the quest for the Golden Fleece, set in motion a chain of events that had profound consequences for many characters in Greek mythology. His death at the hands of his own daughters, orchestrated by Medea, is a testament to the powerful and often destructive forces of ambition, betrayal, and revenge. His story serves as a cautionary tale within Greek mythology.