Aethalides

Aithalides (Greek Αἰθαλίδης, latin Aethalides ) is a figure from Greek mythology.

Myth

Aithalides is the son of Hermes and Eupolemeia, a daughter of Myrmidon, who came from the Phthiotis. He takes part in the voyage of the Argonauts, where he serves as a herald. He is also a gifted archer. When the Argonauts reach Lemnos, succeeds Aithalides, the Islanders wrest the permission to spend the night there.

From his father Aithalides was equipped with an infallible memory, and even has the gift, even after crossing over the river Lethe, which normally allows all people entering the underworld forget their life, to remember everything. Therefore, it is granted him to spend half the time in the world of the living ..

Reception by the Pythagoreans

The myth of Aithalides played an important role in the theory of the soul of the Pythagoreans, which concluded that the immortal soul of Aithalides itself must also remember their former incarnations. Pythagoras himself is said to have claimed that he was a reincarnation of the Aithalides.