Pero

In Greek mythology, Pero was a princess of Pylos. Family Pero was the daughter of King Neleus and Chloris, daughter of the Minyan king Amphion of Orchomenus. She was the wife of her cousin Bias, and by him, bore her sons including Areius, Leodocus, and Talaus. In some accounts, her sons were called Aretus and Perialces. Pero had a daughter named Alphesiboea who married King Pelias of Iolcus. Mythology The story of Pero is mentioned in Book XI of Homer's Odyssey. Pero's beauty attracted many suitors, but Neleus, her father, refused to give his daughter to any man unless he could raid the cattle of Iphicles from Phylace. In this version of the story, an unnamed seer volunteers to undertake the task. The cowherds capture him and keep him for a year, until he makes a prophecy. In the Odyssey, the story is told by the seer Theoklymenos about his ancestor Melampous. Melampous was a wealthy man from Pylos, but he left Pylos fleeing Neleus who held his possessions by force for a year. During that year, Melampous was held prisoner in the house of Phylakos because of the daughter of Neleus, Pero, and an atë sent by the Erinyes. Melampous escaped death and drove the cattle back to Pylos. He took Pero home as a wife for his brother.