Miletus (mythology)

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According to some accounts, Miletus was a boy loved by all three sons of Europa—Minos, Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon. The brothers fought over him and Minos won the battle. However, the boy loved Sarpedon the best. Sarpedon and the boy fled Crete for Lycia to escape Minos and the youth went on to found the city of Miletus in Caria. (Apollodorus, III 1-2)

Another tradition relates that Miletus was the son of Akakallis, the daughter of Minos, with Apollo. Fearing her father's wrath she exposed the child, but Apollo commanded the she-wolves to come down and nurse the child. He grew up strong and handsome, and Minos was seized with desire for the boy. Miletus fled Crete to avoid being becoming the eromenos of King Minos, and went on to found the eponymous city, Miletus. (according to Antoninus Liberalis, after Nicander (Metamorphoses XXX 1-2))

Myths further relate that the hero Miletus founded the city only after slaying a giant named Asterius, son of Anax; and that the region known as Miletus was originally called 'Anactoria'.