Tyro
King of Salmonia, in Elis, Salmoneus (Σαλμωνεύς) was the father of Tyro (Τυρώ) by Alicidice, daughter of Aleüs (Aleus), king of Arcadia. Not long after taking his second wife, Sidero (Σιδηρύ), Salmoneus' daughter bore twin sons, Neleus (Νηλεύς) and Pelias (Πελιάς), and left them to die in the forest. Not believing her tale that Poseidon had raped her, he gave his daughter to his wife Sidero, who cruelly mistreated her.
When the two sons reached manhood and learned of their identities, and how Sidero had treated their mother, they freed their mother from her tormentor. Sidero fled and took refuge in Hera's temple. Even though Sidero clung to the altar or statue of Hera, Pelias murdered Sidero. By committing this sacrilege in her temple, he incurred Hera's enmity. It was this event that would later cause Hera to set Jason (he wasn't born yet) on the path that started the quest of the Golden Fleece. The quest was the means for Hera to punish Pelias. (See Athamas, Pelias, Jason and the Argonauts about the quest of the Golden Fleece.)
Salmoneus was clearly quite deranged, when he claimed to be Zeus. He had pots tied to the end of his chariot. Salmoneus thought the noises he made when he drove his chariot sounded like thunder. Salmoneus also had rocks with lightning painted upon them, which he hurled at his citizens. For this blasphemy, Salmoneus was killed by a real thunderbolt from Zeus.
Tyro married her uncle Cretheus (Κρηθεύς), king of Iolcus in Thessaly. Tyro bore him three sons: Aeson (Αἴσων), Amythaon and Pheres. When her husband died, Aeson, being Cretheus' eldest son, should have inherited the throne from his father. However, Pelias, her son by Poseidon, seized the throne and had his half-brother Aeson thrown into prison. But Aeson had a son named Jason who was in the care of a wise Centaur named Cheiron.
Tyro's other sons were driven from Iolcus. Pheres (Φέρης) founded and ruled the city of Pheres. Amythaon (Ἄμυθαων) migrated to Elis with his sons: Melampus and Bias. Later, Melampus and Bias settled in Argos where they shared the rule with Proëtus (Proetus).
Pelias even drove away his twin brother, Neleus, who also went to Elis first, then later to Messene, in the court of his cousin, Aphareus (Ἀφαρ υς). Aphareus gave part of his kingdom to Neleus, who ruled the city of Pylos.
Related Information
Name
Salmoneus, Σαλμωνεύς.
Tyro, Τυρώ.
Cretheus, Κρηθεύς.
Sources
The Odyssey was written by Homer.
Library was written by Apollodorus.
Library of History was written by Diodorus Siculus.
Aeneid was written by Vergil.
Fabulae was written by Hyginus.
Related Articles
Aeolus, Pelias, Neleus, Melampus and Bias, Jason.
Genealogy: Aeolids 1: Thessaly
By Jimmy Joe