Peleus

In Greek mythology, a king of the Myrmidons and the father of Achilles by the nymph Thetis.

Peleus was the son of Aeacus (a son of Zeus and later a judge of the underworld). Having, with his brother Telamon, murdered his half-brother Phocus, Peleus was banished and went to Phthiotis in Thessaly, together with some of the Myrmidons, who acknowledged him as their ruler. There he was purified from blood-guilt by King Eurytion, who gave him his daughter in marriage and one-third of his dominions. Peleus accompanied Eurytion to the heroic Calydonian hunt organized by the Argonaut Meleager (to kill a wild boar ravaging the kingdom of Calydonia); but having accidentally killed his father-in-law, he again became an outcast and took refuge in Iolcus, whose king, Acastus, purified him.

During the funeral games celebrated for Pelias (father of Acastus), Acastus's wife Hippolyte (or Astydameia) fell in love with Peleus, and when he refused her advances she accused him to her husband of having tried to seduce her. Soon afterwards, while Acastus and Peleus were hunting on Mount Pelion and Peleus had fallen asleep, Acastus took his sword and left him alone. Rescued from wild beasts (or from the Centaurs) by Hermes (or Chiron), Peleus returned to Iolcus, where he killed both Acastus and Hippolyte. Meanwhile, on Mount Pelion, the nymph Thetis bore him a son, Achilles.