In Greek mythology, Aepytus (Ancient Greek: Αἴπυτος, Aíputos) was one of the early mythical kings of Arcadia. He originally ruled over Phaesana on the Alpheius river and succeeded the childless Cleitor as king of the Arcadians. While hunting on Mount Sepia he was killed by the bite of a venomous snake, and his tomb there remained a noted landmark — mentioned by Homer in the Iliad and still shown in the time of Pausanias.
Adapted from Wikipedia, "Aepytus (son of Elatus)" · CC BY-SA 4.0
I.Family
Aepytus was the son of King Elatus.
He was the father of Tlesenor and Peirithous.
II.Mythology
When Cleitor, the son of Azan, died without leaving any issue, Aepytus succeeded him and became king of the Arcadians; a part of the country was called Aepytis after him.
He is said to have been killed during the chase on Mount Sepia by the bite of a venomous snake.
His tomb on the mountain was still shown in the time of Pausanias, who was anxious to see it because it had been mentioned by Homer in the Iliad.
III.Other figures of the name
Several distinct figures in Greek mythology share the name Aepytus, and the sources are careful to keep them apart. This Aepytus — the son of Elatus and early Arcadian king killed by a snake — is sometimes distinguished as Aepytus I of Arcadia.
Another Arcadian king named Aepytus was the son of Hippothous, sometimes called Aepytus II of Arcadia.
A third Aepytus belonged to Messenia: the son of the Heraclid Cresphontes, who became eponym of the later Messenian dynasty. The name is also similar to, but should not be confused with, that of the Titan Iapetus.