PELIAS, in fabulous history, the twin-brother of Neleus, was son of Neptune by Tyro, daughter of Salmoneus. His birth was concealed by his mother, who wished her father to remain ignorant of her incontinence. He was exposed in the woods, but his life was preserved by shepherds; and he received the name of Pelias, from a spot of the colour of lead in his face. Some time afterwards Tyro married Cretheus, son of Aeolus, king of Iolchos, and became mother of three children, of whom Aeson was the eldest. Pelias visited his mother, and was received into her family; but after the death of Cretheus, he unjustly seized the kingdom, which belonged to the children of Tyro by the deceased king. In order to strengthen himself in his usurpation, Pelias consulted the oracle; and when he was told to beware of one of the descendants of Aeolus, who should come to his court with the one foot shod and the other bare, he privately removed the son of Aeson, after he had openly declared that he was dead. But these precautions proved vain. Jason, the son of Aeson, who had been educated by Chiron, returned to Iolchos when come to years of maturity; and having lost one of his shoes in crossing the river Anaurus or Evenus, Pelias immediately perceived that this was the person whom he had so much dreaded. His unpopularity prevented him from acting with violence to a stranger, whose uncommon dress and commanding aspect had raised admiration in the people. But his astonishment was greatly excited when he saw Jason arrive at his palace, with his friends and relations, and boldly demand the kingdom which he had usurped. Pelias, conscious that Jason’s complaints were well founded, endeavoured to divert his attention, and told him that he would voluntarily resign the crown to him, if he should proceed to Colchis in order to avenge the death of Phryxus, the son of Athamas, whom Aeeres had cruelly murdered. He further declared, that the expedition would be attended with the greatest glory, and that nothing but the infirmities of old age could prevent himself from vindicating the honour of his country, and the injuries of his family, by punishing the assassin. This proposal, so warmly recommended, was with equal warmth accepted by the young hero, and his intended expedition was made known all over Greece. Whilst Jason was absent on the Argonautic expedition, Pelias murdered Aeson and all his family; but, according to the more received opinion, Aeson was still living when the Argonauts returned, and he was restored to the flower of youth by the magic of Medea. This change in the vigour and constitution of Aeson astonished all the inhabitants of lolchos; and the daughters of Pelias, who have received the patronymic of Peliades, expressed their desire to see their father’s infirmities vanish by the same powerful magic. Medea, who wished to avenge the injuries which her husband Jason had received from Pelias, raised the desires of the Peliades, by cutting an old ram to pieces, boiling the flesh in a cauldron, and then turning it into a fine young lamb. Having witnessed this successful experiment, the Peliades cut their father’s body to pieces, after they had drawn all the blood from his veins, on the assurance that Medea would replenish them by her wonderful power. The limbs were immediately put into a cauldron of boiling water; but Medea, suffering the flesh to be totally consumed, refused to give the promised assistance, and the bones of Pelias did not even receive the honours of sepulture. The Peliades were four in number, Alceste, Pisidice, Pelopea, and Hippothoe, to whom Hyginus adds Medusa. Their mother’s name was Anaxibia, the daughter of Bias or Phi-lomache, the daughter of Amphion. After this parricide, the Peliades fled to the court of Admetus, where Acastus, the son-in-law of Pelias, pursued them, and made their protector prisoner. The Peliades died and were buried in Arcadia.