Nestor

Heracles marched against Pylos after taking Elis. He captured the city and killed Neleus, its ruler, along with Neleus’ sons. Periclymenos, the bravest of them, fought by changing his shape, but Heracles killed him. Nestor alone survived. He was still a boy and was being raised among the Gerenians. During the fighting, Heracles also wounded Hades, who had come to aid the Pylians.

Neleus was the son of Poseidon and Tyro. Poseidon had taken the appearance of the river Enipeus, whom Tyro loved, and fathered twin sons with her. Tyro exposed the children after their birth. A horse belonging to passing horse trainers struck one of them on the face with its hoof. The trainers found both children and raised them, naming the bruised child Pelias and the other Neleus. Another account says that a horse keeper and his wife raised them, while a further version says that the twins were found floating down the Enipeus in a wooden ark.

When Pelias and Neleus grew up, they found Tyro and learned that her stepmother, Sidero, had mistreated her. They went to punish Sidero. She took refuge in Hera’s sanctuary, but Pelias killed her there, even on the altar. Neleus later ruled Pylos. Heracles attacked him after Neleus had refused to purify him, according to one account. Another says that Neleus died because he tried to steal Heracles’ cattle of Geryon. After Neleus and the other Neleids fell, Nestor succeeded to the Pylian kingdom.