Page "Aeolus" Paragraph 6

This Aeolus is most frequently conflated with Aeolus, the son of Poseidon, god of the sea.

It is difficult to differentiate this Aeolus from the second Aeolus, as their identities seem to have been merged by many ancient writers.

The father of this third Aeolus is given as Hippotes, son of Mimas, a son of the first Aeolus ( son of Hellen ).

According to some accounts, Hippotes married the same Melanippe who was the mother of Arne.

This Aeolus lived on the floating island of Aeolia and was visited by Odysseus and his crew in the Odyssey.

He gave hospitality for a month and provided for a west wind to carry them home.

He also provided a gift of a bag containing all winds but the west, which Odysseus's crew members unwittingly opened just before they were to reach Ithaca.

Unfortunately, they were blown back to Aeolia, where Aeolus refused to provide any further help, because he believed that their short and unsuccessful voyage meant that the Gods did not favour them.

This Aeolus was perceived by post-Homeric authors as a god, rather than as a mortal and simple Keeper of the Winds ( as in the Odyssey ).