PELEUS, in mythology, a King of Thessaly. He married Thetis, one of the Nereids, the only one among mortals who married an immortal. Being accessory to the death of his brother Phocus, he re tired to the court of Eurytus, who reign ed at Phthia. He was purified of his murder by Eurytus, who gave him his daughter Antigone in marriage. Peleus subsequently killed Eurytus by accident, while in the chase of the Calydonian boar. This event obliged him to retire to Iolchos, when the wife of Acastus, king of the country, brought certain charges against him, which caused him to be tied to a tree on Mount Pelion, that he might become the prey of wild beasts; but Jupiter, aware of the innocence of Pe leus, ordered Vulcan to set him at lib erty. Peleus revenged himself on Acas tus, by driving him from his possessions and putting to death his wife. After
the death of Antigone, Peleus fell in love with Thetis, who rejected his suit be cause he was a mortal. Having offered a sacrifice to the gods, Proteus at length informed him that to obtain Thetis he must surprise her asleep in her grotto, near the shores of Thessaly. This ad vice was followed; and Thetis, unable to escape from the grasp of Peleus, at last consented to marry him. Their nuptials were celebrated with the greatest sol emnity by all the gods but the goddess of discord, who was absent. From the marriage of Peleus and Thetis was born Achilles. The death of Achilles was the source of so much grief to Peleus, that Thetis promised him immortality, and commanded him to retire to the grottos of the island of Leuce, where he would see and converse with the manes of his son.