Aeëtes (; also spelled
Æëtes,
Aietes , ) was a King of
Colchis in
Greek mythology, son of the sun-god
Helios and the Oceanid
Perseis (a daughter of
Oceanus), brother of
Circe and
Pasiphaë, and father of
Medea,
Chalciope and
Absyrtus. The name means "
eagle" (aietos). His consorts were
Eidyia and either
Asterodia the
Oceanid, Neaera the Nereid. According to others, he was brother of
Perses, a king of
Tauris, husband of his niece
Hecate, and father of Medea, Chalciope and Absyrtus. Yet other versions make Aeëtes a native of
Corinth and son of
Ephyra, or else of a certain Antiope.