Arete (mythology) in the context of "Halius"

Arete (Ancient Greek: ἀρετή, romanized: aretḗ) is a concept in ancient Greek thought that refers to "excellence" of any kind—especially a person or thing's "full realization of potential or inherent function." The term may also refer to excellence in "moral virtue."

The concept was also occasionally personified as a minor goddess, Arete (not to be confused with the mythological Queen Arete), who, together with sister Homonoia, formed the Praxidikai ("Exacters of Justice").

Nausicaa (/nɔːˈsɪkɪə/; Ancient Greek: Ναυσικάα, romanized: Nausikáa [nau̯sikáaː], or Ναυσικᾶ, Nausikâ, [nau̯sikâː]), also spelled Nausicaä or Nausikaa, is a character in Homer's Odyssey. She is the daughter of King Alcinous and Queen Arete of Phaeacia. Her name means "burner of ships" (ναῦς 'ship'; κάω 'to burn').

The name Nausithous (/ˌnɔːˈsɪθoʊəs/; Ancient Greek: Ναυσίθοος Nausíthoos) is shared by the following characters in Greek mythology:

• Nausithous, the king of the Phaeacians who reigned in the generation before Odysseus washed ashore on their home island of Scherie (his son Alcinous was king at the time of Odysseus's arrival). He was the son of the god Poseidon and Periboia, the daughter of the Giant king Eurymedon. According to Homer, Nausithous led a migration of Phaeacians from Hypereia to the island of Scheria in order to escape the lawless Cyclopes. He is the father of Alcinous and Rhexenor. Alcinous would go on to marry his niece, Rhexenor's daughter Arete. One source relates that Heracles came to Nausithous to get cleansed after the murder of his children; during his stay in the land of the Phaeacians, the hero fell in love with the nymph Melite and conceived a son Hyllus with her.
• Nausithous, one of the two sons born to Odysseus by Calypso, the other one being Nausinous. According to Hyginus, Nausithous was a son of Odysseus and Circe; his brother was Telegonus.

In Greek mythology, Alcinous (also Alcinoüs; /ælˈsɪnəʊəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀλκίνοος Alkínoos lit. 'mighty mind') was a son of Nausithous and brother of Rhexenor. After the latter's death, he married his brother's daughter Arete who bore him Nausicaa, Halius, Clytoneus and Laodamas. In some accounts, Alcinous' father was Phaeax, son of Poseidon and Corcyra, and brother of Locrus.

In Greek mythology, Rhexenor (Ancient Greek: Ῥηξήνωρ means "breaking armed ranks") may refer to the following figures:

• Rhexenor, a Phaeacian prince as son of King Nausithous and the brother of Alcinous who married his daughter Arete. Apollo killed Rhexenor in his hall while he was still a bridegroom and with no son.
• Rhexenor, the father of Chalciope, who was the second wife of King Aegeus of Athens.
• Rhexenor, one of Diomedes' followers who, returning from the Trojan War, were transformed into swan-like birds.

Laodamas (/leɪˈɒdəməs/; Ancient Greek: Λᾱοδάμᾱς, romanized: Lāodámās, lit. 'tamer of the people') refers to five different people in Greek mythology.

• Laodamas, son of Eteocles, inherited Thebes from his father. In one version of the myth (different from the one recounted in Sophocles' Antigone), he was responsible for the deaths of his aunts Antigone and Ismene, whom he prosecuted for having buried Polynices. They sought refuge in the temple of Hera, but Laodamas set fire to it and thus killed them. During the battle of the Epigoni, he was killed by Alcmaeon after he killed Aegialeus. Other sources state that he survived and fled to the Encheleans in Illyria, and subsequently led an expedition to Thessaly.
• Laodamas, son of Antenor and Theano, thus brother of Crino, and numerous sons, including Acamas, Agenor, Antheus, Archelochus, Coön, Demoleon, Eurymachus, Glaucus, Helicaon, Iphidamas, Laodocus, Medon, Polybus and Thersilochus. Laodamas was a Trojan warrior killed by Ajax.
• Laodamas, a Lycian killed by Neoptolemus during the Trojan War.
• Laodamas, son of Hector and Andromache and brother of Astyanax. Unlike Astyanax, he was spared by the Greeks and stayed by his mother's side.
• Laodamas, a prince of Scheria as son of King Alcinous and Arete of the Phaecians. He was the brother of Nausicaa, Halius and Clytoneus. Alcinous gives Odysseus Laodamas's chair, "whence he bade his son give place, valiant Laodamas, who sat next him and was his dearest". He is the most handsome of the Phaeacians, and the best boxer in the games held in Odysseus's honor. He and his brothers were also the winners of the foot-racing contest. Laodamas asks Odysseus to join in the games. After Odysseus is rebuked by Euryalus, he challenges any of the Phaeacians save Laodamas. Laodamas and Halius are the best dancers among the Phaeacians.