Arete is asteroid #197 and also known as A879 KA and as 1934 RE₁ and as 1950 DY. Arete’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 2.74 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.16, a period of revolution of 1 658 days, and an inclination of 8.8 degrees. Arete was discovered by the Austrian astronomer Johann Palisa at the Austrian Naval Observatory.

Arete is named after Queen Arḗtē (Ἀρήτη) of Scheria (Σχερία) from Greek mythology. She appears in the Argonautica and again in the Odyssey. She grants hospitality to the Argonauts and later to Odysseus and his people. She also persuades Medea and Jason to marry because she could only persuade the king of Scheria (Σχερία) to protect Medea’s wedlock, but not to protect the unmarried Medea from being given to somebody else.

Arete represents hospitality. Because Jason and Odysseus belong to different generations, so Queen Arḗtē (Ἀρήτη) of Scheria (Σχερία) must have had a very long life. So Arete also represents longevity and long-living women.