Alcinous was a son of Nausithous and a grandson of Poseidon.
History[]
Alcinous lived with his queen Arete on the island of Drepane. He and Arete had five sons and one daughter, named Nausicaa.
The Argonauts, on their return from Colchis, came to his island, and were most hospitably received. When the Colchians, in their pursuit of the Argonauts, likewise arrived in Drepane, and demanded that Medea should be delivered up to them, Alcinous declared that if she was still a maiden, he would restore her to them, but if she was already the wife of Jason, he would protect her and her husband against the Colchians.
The Colchians were obliged, by the contrivance of Arete, to depart without their princess, and the Argonauts continued their voyage homewards, after they had received munificent presents from Alcinous. Alcinous would later become the rulers of the Phaeacians on the island of Scheria.