Arete

Arete (Ancient Greek: Ἀρήτη) is presented in the epic tradition as the wife of Alcinous and queen of the Phaeacians on Scheria. Genealogical notes in the tradition place her within the Phaeacian royal household descended from Nausithous and connected to the seafaring lineage of the Phaeacians; while some interpretations emphasize various etymologies of her name (the Ionic noun ἀρητή glossed as 'sacred', 'cursed', or 'prayed [for]', and other readings that render 'righteous' or link it to Ares), the narrative sources treat her origin as that of an exemplary and highly honored royal woman rather than as a deity.

The provided sources do not supply a detailed corporeal description of Arete (no height, hair, or clothing specifics). Epic descriptions focus on her social comportment and public honor: Homer notes that Alcinous 'honored her as no other woman on earth is honored' and that the people 'look upon her as upon a goddess, and greet her as she goes through the city,' emphasizing near-sacral public reverence without ontologically treating her as divine.

Arete's 'powers' are social and political rather than supernatural: she directs household affairs, supervises and manages the royal household, exercises persuasive influence as an effective mediator who 'makes an end of strife' among women and their husbands, and plays a decisive role in decisions about hospitality and sanctuary. In narrative episodes she receives appeals for protection (Odysseus seeks her reception in the Odyssey) and in the Argonautica/Apollodorus tradition she acts to secure Medea's safety by advising that Medea and Jason be wed, thereby altering legal and social outcomes. Her authority functions through counsel, household governance, and the moral weight of public esteem.