Pterelaus

Pterelaus was a name given to two individuals in Greek mythology.

One of them was the son of King Lelex, a pre-Hellenic figure whose people occupied the area of Acarnania, near the river Achelous.

The other Pterelaus was the grandson of the first one, son of Taphius. He was the king of the Taphians, and had a daughter named Comaetho. The god Poseidon had given him the gift of immortality and invincibility, which was linked to his golden hair; if he lost his hair, then he would lose his immortality as well. The Taphians went to war with Thebes, and during the war, Comaetho fell in love with the leader of Thebes, Amphictyon. To help him, she cut the hair of her father, thus depriving him of his immortality. The war ended with Thebes on the winning side, and Amphictyon killed Comaetho for her treasonous act against her own people.

See Also: Comaetho, Poseidon