Agelaus

Agelaus is the Latinized form of the Greek name Agelaos. The name derives from the Greek elements ἄγω (ago) meaning "to lead" and λαός (laos) meaning "people," thus signifying "leader of the people." An alternative etymology connects it to ἀγέλη (agele) "herd" or ἀγελαῖος (agelaios) "belonging to the herd," possibly indicating a pastoral origin.

Mythological Figures

In Greek mythology, Agelaus is the name of multiple distinct individuals, reflecting its common use in ancient tales. The most prominent includes:

• Agelaus the herdsman (or sometimes a slave of King Priam): He was ordered to abandon the infant Paris on Mount Ida due to a prophecy that the child would cause the fall of Troy. Agelaus instead raised Paris as his own son, unwittingly setting the stage for the Trojan War.
• Agelaus of Calydon: A prince, son of King Oeneus and Queen Althaea.
• Agelaus of Arcadia: Son of King Stymphalus and father of Phalanthus.
• Agelaus, son of Heracles and Omphale: In some accounts, he was an ancestor of the Lydian king Croesus.
• Agelaus of Miletus: Son of Hippasus, a warrior in the army of Dionysus.
• Agelaus, a Trojan warrior: Killed by Ajax during the Trojan War.

Cultural Context

The name is also listed as one of the suitors of Penelope in Homer's Odyssey, though not all sources agree. Its prevalence across heroic lineages underscores the value ancient Greeks placed on leadership and collective identity.

• Meaning: Leader of the people, or belonging to the herd
• Origin: Greek
• Type: First name
• Usage: Greek mythology