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Athămas

Ἀθάμας). The son of Aeolus and Enareté, and king of Orchomenus in Boeotia. At the command of Heré, Athamas married Nephelé, by whom he became the father of Phrixus and Hellé. (See Phrixus.) But he was secretly in love with the mortal Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, by whom he begot Learchus and Melicertes. Having thus incurred the anger both of Heré and of Nephelé, Athamas was seized with maduess, and in this state killed his own son, Learchus. Ino threw herself with Melicertes into the sea, and both were changed into marine deities—Ino becoming Leucothea, and Melicertes, Palaemon. Athamas, as the murderer of his son, was obliged to flee from Boeotia, and settled in Thessaly. Hence we have Athamantiades, son of Athamas, i. e. Palaemon; and Athamantis, daughter of Athamas, i. e. Hellé.

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