Xuthus
In Greek mythology, Xuthus (; "Xouthos") was a king of Peloponnesus and founder (through his sons) of the Achaean and Ionian nations. Etymology. According to the author, Robert Graves, Xuthus' name came from the ancient greek word , meaning Sparrow "sparrow". Alternatively, the name could be a variation of Xanthus, which might signify that Xuthus was "golden-haired". Another possibility, is that the name could refer to the colour xouthos, which, according to Liddell and Scott, means "between xanthos and pyrros" (i.e. between yellow and red), which means "tawny", "dusky". This can suggest that his name can refer to either to  his skin, his complexion, his hair - or all three characteristics. Family. Xuthus was a son of Hellen and Orseis and brother of Dorus, Aeolus and Xenopatra. He had two sons by Creusa (daughter of Erechtheus): Ion and Achaeus and a daughter named Diomede. Aiclus and Cothus are sometimes described as being his children. Euripides's play, "Ion", provides an unusual alternate version, according to which Xuthus is son of Aeolus and Ion has in fact been begotten on Xuthus's wife Creusa by Apollo. Xuthus and Creusa visited the Oracle at Delphi to ask the god if they could hope  for a child. Xuthus will later father Dorus with Creusa, though Dorus is normally presented as Xuthus's brother. Mythology. According to the Hesiodic "Catalogue of Women" on the origin of the Greeks, Hellen's three sons Dorus, Xuthus (with his sons Ion and Achaeus) and Aeolus, comprised the set of progenitors of the major ancient tribes that formed the Greek nation.