(), a son of Acrisius and Chalcomedusa, and husband
of Anticleia, by whom he became the father of Odysseus and Ctimene. (Hom. Od. 4.755, 11.85, 15.362, 16.118; Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1791.) It should, however, be remembered that, according to
others, Odysseus was the son of Sisyphus. (Hyg. Fab. 201;
Schol. ad Soph. Philoct. 417.) In his youth Laertes had conquered
Nericum, a coast town in Cephalenia (Hom. Od. 24.376), and he
is also said to have taken part in the Calydonian hunt, and in the expedition of the
Argonauts. (Hyg. Fab. 173; Apollod.
1.9. 16.) At the time when Odysseus returned from Troy, Laertes lived in rural
retirement, and was occupied with agricultural pursuits, and an old female slave
attended to his wants (Od. 1.189); but, after the departure of
Telemachus, he was so overpowered by his grief, that he gave up his rustic pursuits. (Od. 16.138.) After the murder of the suitors, Odysseus visited
him, and led him back to his house, and Athena made him young again, so that soon after he was
able to take part in the fight against the approaching Ithacans. (Od. 24.204-370, 497.)