ANCAEUS (argonaut and son of Poseidon)

When the nobles assembled to sail for the Golden Fleece, Ancaeus joined their ranks, having been sent by Lycurgus to join his brothers in their journey.^2,1 The heroes assigned him a specific seat on the middle bench, a position chosen for him apart from the others and not by lot, reflecting his special standing. [f: 17, 46]⁴ He worked alongside Heracles to prepare sacrificial victims, using a bronze axe to strike the neck of a steer and slaughter the animal. [f: 4, 9, 16, 44]^4,5

Skilled in seacraft and the art of steering, Ancaeus served as the helmsman for the group of sailors. [f: 3, 6, 48]^6,7,8 After Tiphys died, Ancaeus took over the task of steering the swift ship, a role he assumed with the inspiration of Hera, who filled him with great courage. [f: 12, 20, 25, 47]^9,7,10 Many of his comrades agreed to let him steer the vessel, and the goddess inspired him to take action in guiding their path. [f: 18, 19]¹⁰

He held the position of king over the island of Samos and ruled over the people known as the Leleges. [f: 35, 38]^11,12 Before departing from Parthenia, the seat of Imbrasion Hera, he had been left behind to care for his aging grandfather Aleus, who hid his armor to try to prevent his departure. [f: 24, 36]^1,6

During the return voyage, Ancaeus observed that the ship was stranded on land due to the tide, and he spoke with a grieving heart about their hopeless situation. [f: 29, 30, 49]⁸ He declared that all hope for their return was cut off, claiming Zeus did not wish to fulfill their day of return, and suggested another person take over the helm to try for deliverance. [f: 22, 28, 31]⁸ In the end, Ancaeus was killed by a boar that gored him in the groin, causing his intestines to burst out and soak the ground with blood, a fate Meleager considered fortunate compared to his own death. [f: 14, 15, 41]^13,14