Aretus

{{Short description|Several characters in Greek mythology}}

Aretus ({{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|r|iː|t|ə|s}}; Ancient Greek: Ἄρητος, Árētos) was one of several characters in Greek mythology:

• Aretus, son of Bias and Pero, and brother of Perialces and Alphesiboea,Scholion on Nekuia 3F33 with Pherecydes as the authority{{Cite book|last=Gantz|first=Timothy|title=Early Greek Myth: A Guide to Literary and Ancient Sources|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press|year=1993|isbn=0-8018-4410-X|location=London|page=187}} wife of King Pelias of Iolcus.
• King Aretus of Pylos, son of Nestor and EurydiceApollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.9.9&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022 1.9.9] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730234322/https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.%201.9.9&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022 |date=2024-07-30 }} (or AnaxibiaHomer, Odyssey 3.414). He was the brother to Thrasymedes, Pisidice, Polycaste, Perseus, Stratichus, Peisistratus, Echephron and Antilochus.
• Aretus, armed his force under compulsion and joined King Deriades of India against Dionysus in the Indian War. His sons were dumb because while he was sacrificing to Aphrodite the day of his marriage, a pregnant sow gave birth to a bastard brood of marine creatures. A seer was asked and he foretold a succession of dumb children to come, like the voiceless generation of the sea. After the war Dionysus restored their voices. His sons, whom he had by Laobie, were Lycus, Myrsus, Glaucus, Periphas and Melaneus.Nonnus, 26.250 ff.
• Aretus, a warrior in the army of Dionysus during the Indian War. He was killed by King Deriades of India.Nonnus, 32.188
• Aretus, prince of Troy and one of fifty sons of Priam.Apollodorus, 3.12.5; Dictys Cretensis, [https://topostext.org/work/152#4.7 4.7] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227142500/https://topostext.org/work/152#4.7 |date=2021-02-27 }} He was killed by Automedon. Aretus was known for his love of horses and was said to be the protector of horses by the Greek people. Cavalry soldiers were often known to pray to Aretus and Allamenium before going into battle.Homer, Iliad 17.495-525 In another account, Aretus and his brother Echemmon were instead slain by Odysseus.Dictys Cretensis, [https://topostext.org/work/152#4.7 4.7] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227142500/https://topostext.org/work/152#4.7 |date=2021-02-27 }}
• Aretus, a Bebrycian who helped to bind gauntlets about the hands of Amycus for his boxing-match. He was later killed by Clytius, one of the Argonauts.Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.51 & 2.117