Neleus
Role: mythic king · First appears: Book 2 · Chapter 2
At Arene, after fleeing Pelias at Iolcus, Neleus was received by his cousin Aphareus, who gave him maritime lands including Pylos. Neleus and the Pelasgians of Iolcus later drove Pylos from the city. At Olympia, Neleus and Pelias jointly appointed games.
Neleus married Chloris (wife of Neleus), daughter of Amphion. When the house of Aphareus lost its male line, Neleus’s son Nestor inherited the kingdom of the Messenians. After Nestor’s death, the Dorians and Heraclidae drove Neleus’s descendants from Messenia two generations later.
Neleus came to Corinth, where he died of disease and was buried near the Isthmus. His daughter Pero was sought by suitors from whom Neleus demanded the cattle of Iphiclus.
Relationship record
Life events
- Neleus came to Corinth, died of disease, and was buried near the Isthmus.(Book 2 · Chapter 2 · 📍 Corinth)
- “for they say that Neleus came to Corinth, and died there of some disease, and was buried near the Isthmus”
- Aphareus received Neleus and granted him maritime lands, including Pylos.(Book 4 · Chapter 2 · 📍 Arene)
- With: Aphareus
- “received into his house his cousin Neleus, the son of Cretheus, the son of Æolus (who was surnamed Poseidon), when he fled from Pelias at Iolcus, and gave him the maritime parts of the land”
- The house of Aphareus loses its male line, and Nestor inherits the kingdom of the Messenians.(Book 4 · Chapter 3 · 📍 Messenia)
- The Dorians and Heraclidæ drive Neleus’s descendants from Messenia after Nestor’s death.(Book 4 · Chapter 3 · 📍 Messenia)
- With: Nestor
- “the death of Nestor after his return home, the expedition of the Dorians and return of the Heraclidæ two generations afterwards drove out the descendants of Neleus from Messenia.”
- Neleus and the Pelasgians expelled Pylos from the city.(Book 4 · Chapter 36 · 📍 Pylos)
- With: Pylos
- “But he did not enjoy it long, being turned out by Neleus and the Pelasgians of Iolcus.”
- Pelias and Neleus jointly appointed games at Olympia.(Book 5 · Chapter 8 · 📍 Olympia)
- With: Pelias
- “appointed games at Olympia, and after him Pelias and Neleus in common.”
- Neleus married Chloris, the daughter of Amphion.(Book 9 · Chapter 36)
- With: Chloris (wife of Neleus)
- “that Neleus, the son of Cretheus, who was king at Pylos married the Orchomenian Chloris the daughter of Amphion the son of Iasius.”
- Chloris married Neleus, the son of Poseidon.(Book 10 · Chapter 29)
- With: Chloris (wife of Neleus)
- “and that Chloris was married to Poseidon’s son Neleus.”
Book 2 · Chapter 2
- with Eumelus (Eumelus's poems contain an account concerning Neleus's tomb.) “But the tombs of Sisyphus and Neleus, (for they say that Neleus came to Corinth, and died there of some disease, and was buried near the Isthmus), no one could find from the account in the poems of Eumelus.”
Book 2 · Chapter 18
- with Cyanippus (interaction) “being all descended from Neleus on the mother’s side”
Book 4 · Chapter 2
- cousins with Aphareus “Aphareus then built the city Arene in Messenia, and received into his house his cousin Neleus, the son of Cretheus”
- parent: Cretheus “his cousin Neleus, the son of Cretheus, the son of Æolus”
Book 4 · Chapter 3
- child: Nestor “Nestor the son of Neleus”
Book 4 · Chapter 36
- with Pylos (Neleus expelled Pylos.) “But he did not enjoy it long, being turned out by Neleus and the Pelasgians of Iolcus.”
- with Iphiclus (Neleus sought to obtain Iphiclus's oxen.) “for not only did Neleus desire for his own the oxen of Iphiclus”
Book 5 · Chapter 8
- with Pelias (They jointly appointed games at Olympia.) “after him Pelias and Neleus in common”
- with Pelias (They jointly appointed games at Olympia.) “after him Pelias and Neleus in common”
Book 9 · Chapter 36
- parent: Cretheus “Neleus, the son of Cretheus, who was king at Pylos”
- married with Chloris (wife of Neleus) “Neleus, the son of Cretheus, who was king at Pylos married the Orchomenian Chloris the daughter of Amphion the son of Iasius.”
Book 10 · Chapter 29
- parent: Poseidon “Chloris was married to Poseidon’s son Neleus”
- married with Chloris (wife of Neleus) “There are other traditions about them, as that Poseidon had an intrigue with Thyia, and that Chloris was married to Poseidon’s son Neleus.”
Book 10 · Chapter 31
- child: Pero “Pero the daughter of Neleus, from every suitor of whom her father asked the kine of Iphiclus.”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.