In Greek mythology, Cretheus (; ) was the king and founder of Iolcus.
Family Cretheus was the son of King Aeolus of Aeolia (son of Hellen) by either EnareteHesiod, Ehoiai fr. 10(a); Apollodorus, 1.7.3 or Laodice.Scholia on Homer, Odyssey 11.235 He was the brother of Sisyphus, Athamas, Salmoneus, Deion, Magnes, Perieres, Canace, Alcyone, Peisidice, Calyce and Perimede.
Cretheus's wives were Tyro, his niece, and Demodice or Biadice.Hyginus, De Astronomica 2.20; she unsuccessfully tried to seduce Phrixus and falsely accused him of an attempt to rape her, cf. the stories of Phaedra and Hippolytus, Stheneboea and Bellerophon, Astydamia and Peleus, Phthia/Clytia and Phoenix, Philonome and Tenes, Ochne and Eunostus With Tyro, he fathered Aeson, Pheres, and Amythaon.Homer, Odyssey 11.259; Apollodorus, 1.9.11; Tzetzes on Lycophron, 175
Mythology When Cretheus found out that Tyro had an affair with Poseidon, he left her and married Demodice. He also had several daughters, namely Hippolyte, future wife of AcastusPindar, Nemean Ode 4.57 (otherwise known as AstydamiaApollodorus, 3.13.2), Myrina who married Thoas,Scholia ad Apollonius Rhodius, 1.601 and possibly Phalanna, eponym of Phalanna.Stephanus of Byzantium, s.v. Φάλαννα
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References
Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History translated by Charles Henry Oldfather. Twelve volumes. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888–1890. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library. Hesiod, Theogony from The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website. Homer, The Odyssey with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website. Hyginus, Astronomica from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project. Pindar, Odes translated by Diane Arnson Svarlien. 1990. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Pindar, The Odes of Pindar including the Principal Fragments with an Introduction and an English Translation by Sir John Sandys, Litt.D., FBA. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1937. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library. Pseudo-Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.