Aeolus

 

 

 

          Aeolus was a name given to three mythical characters, but their myths are deeply intertwined in such a fashion that the characters are often difficult to tell apart.

          However, the most famous of them was the son of Hippotes that is mentioned in Homer's Odyssey as the Keeper of the Winds; in this myth, Aeolus gave Odysseus a closed bag that contained all winds, but for the gentle West Wind that would take him home. However, Odysseus' companions, thinking the bag contained riches, opened the bag and the winds escaped, blowing the ship in all directions and thus extending their voyage back home. Aeolus was later considered to have been a god rather than a mortal as depicted in the Odyssey. He had twelve children, six sons and six daughters.