Arete (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Queen Arete (; Greek: , Arêtê) of Scheria was the wife of Alcinous and mother of Nausicaa and Laodamas. Arete is a descendant of Poseidon, who, making love to Periboea, begot Nausithous, who in turn had two sons, Rhexenor and Alcinous. Rhexenor later spawned Arete with Apollo. When Odysseus arrived in Scheria, he appealed first to Arete for protection, and she treated him hospitably. He did so on Nausicaa and Athena’s instructions, the goddess having described Arete thus:

Her Alcinous made his wife, and honored her as no other woman on earth is honored, of all those who in these days direct their households in subjection to their husbands; so heartily is she honored, and has ever been, by her children and by Alcinous himself and by the people, who look upon her as upon a goddess, and greet her as she goes through the city. For she of herself is no wise lacking in good understanding, and for the women to whom she has good will she makes an end of strife even among their husbands.