ATHAMAS in Greek mythology, king of the Minyae in Orchomenus. His first wife was Nephele (see ARGONAUTS). Athamas and his second wife Ino incurred the wrath of Hera, because Ino had nursed Dionysus. Athamas went mad, and slew one of his sons, Learchus; Ino, to escape, threw herself into the sea with her other son Melicertes. Both were afterwards wor shipped as marine divinities, Ino as Leucothea, Melicertes as Palaemon. Athamas, with the guilt of his son's murder upon him, was obliged to flee from Boeotia. He was ordered by the oracle to settle in a place where he should receive hospitality from wild beasts. This he found at Phthiotis in Thessaly, where he surprised some wolves eating sheep; on his approach they fled, leaving him the bones. (Apollodorus i.. 8o-84; Hyginus, Fab. 1-5; Ovid, Metam. iv. 416, Fasti, vi. 485; Valerius Flaccus, i. 277; Schol. on Apoll. Rhodius. ii. 513.) The legend is probably founded on a very old custom of human sacrifice amongst the Minyae.