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.