The House of Atreus

1. The House of Atreus Tantalus and his son, Pelops

3. Pelops, Oenamaus & Hippodamia • Oenamaus, King of Pisa • Chariot race toward Corinth • 12 unsuccessful suitors • Pelops & his golden-winged chariot sired by horses that never tired (a gift from Poseidon) • Pelops bribes Myrtilus

4. Claiming the Reward • Hippodamia, Pelops & Myrtilus travel together & stop for water • Upon Pelops’ return, Myrtilus too eager • Myrtilus thrown from cliff • Myrtilus curses Pelops & his descendents • Pelops purifies himself, returns to Pisa and becomes king • Names the land Peloponnesus (“island of Pelops”)

5. Sons of Pelops • Atreus & Thyestes • Eurystheus, King of Mycenae, dies • Oracle says, “find a son of Pelops to be king • They send representatives over the mountains to Pisa for Atreus & Thyestes • Who should be king?

6. Me Be King! • Atreus is older, but Thyestes thinks there should be some sort of sign. • Fleece of a golden lamb. • Atreus: “Yes! I have that! And only my wife, Aerope, knows about!” • Thyestes produces the golden fleece • Atreus still thinks Zeus wants him to be king.

7. Me Be King! • Atreus: “Zeus will make the sun rise in the west, travel backwards across the sky and set in the east.” • Atreus is King of Mycenae, Thyestes is banished. • Atreus begins thinking: “How did Thyestes know about the Golden Fleece?”

8. Your gonna get it, Thyestes! • Atreus wants revenge and so invites Thyestes back to Mycenae • Atreus kills the sons of Thyestes • Cuts off their limbs, boils them and serves them to Thyestes. • mmmmmm, tasty! • Atreus shows Thyestes the head of his children on a platter

9. The Oracle of Delphi • Thyestes flees Mycenae and curses the family of Atreus • He consults the Oracle of Delphi on how to get revenge • Beget a child with Pelopia, YOUR DAUGHTER!!!! • He leaves and stops in Sicyon • He sees a girl near a sacrificial fire and thinks that will do.

10. Don’t forget your sword! • The girl he attacks happens to be Pelopia, but neither recognize the other. • In the confusion, Thyestes leaves behind his sword. • Pelopia later meets Atreus and becomes his wife. • They quickly have a child • Atreus names him Aegisthus

11. Where’s Thyestes • Years passed, but Atreus continued to search for Thyestes • He sends his two older sons, Menelaus & Agamemnon to consult the Oracle at Delphi • Thyestes just happened to be at the Oracle – still looking for his daughter, Pelopia • He’s arrested and dragged back to Mycenae

12. Aegisthus must finish the job • Atreus is glad he can finally settle the score with Thyestes • He orders his “other son,” Aegisthus to finish the job. • Aegisthus is about to stab him when Thyestes shouts: “Eheu! Where did you get that sword?” • Aegisthus: “My mother gave it to me.” • Thyestes: “But that’s my sword! I lost it!”

13. Pelopia, you got some splainin’ to do! • Pelopia is summoned in secret to explain the situation • She realizes the paternity of her son, Aegisthus, and drives the sword into herself. • Aegisthus takes the sword out of his mother • Atreus is washing up by the river and Aegisthus knifes him in the back.

14. Thyestes takes power in Mycenae • Menelaus & Agamemnon take refuge in Sparta with King Tyndareus • They gather an army and drive Thyestes from the throne • Aegisthus escapes • Agamemnon becomes king in Mycenae • Menelaus marries Helen

15. Background of Tyndareus • Tyndareus married to Leda • Leda was known for her beauty and attracted the attention of Zeus • Zeus came to Leda in the form of a swan & impregnated her • Tyndareus also impregnated her on the same night • She had quadruplets: Polydeuces & Helen (Zeus’ children – semidivine) & Castor and Clytemnestra (Tyndareus’ children – mortal)

16. Oath of Tyndareus • Tyndareus married Clytemnestra to Agamemon (son of Atreus and King of Argos/Mycenae) • Helen grew to be the most beautiful woman in the world • Many young and noble men were her suitors, among them: Odysseus, Ajax, Patroclus, Philoctetes, Diomedes & Menelaus • Tyndareus was worried that the suitors would turn against him if they were not chosen

17. Oath of Tyndareus • Odysseus realizes he doesn’t have a chance and so offers a plan in exchange for Tyndareus’ neice, Penelope • “The victor, whoever he is, can rely on my giving support in defense of his marriage with Helen, maiden of beautiful arms. Furthermore, if anyone carries her off, forgetting his own reputation, and with it the vengeance to come, then all the suitors together must join in the pursuit and exact due punishment from the offender.”

18. and the winner is . . . • All the suitors agreed in the hopes that they would get to marry Helen • In the end, Menelaus (son of Atreus & brother of Agamemnon) was chosen to marry Helen.

19. Meanwhile at the Marriage of Peleus & Thetis • Peleus is the son of Aeacus from the island of Aigina • Thetis was a beautiful sea nymph whom Zeus wanted as his own. • Zeus thinks that Thetis is the also the woman whom Prometheus warned him about. • He decides to force her to marry Peleus

20. Marriage of Peleus & Thetis • Hera thought Thetis resisted on her own and was so grateful that she offered to give Thetis one of the most splendid weddings in the universe • All gods & goddesses are invited except one: Eris, goddess of Strife • Eris shows up anyway and brings with her a golden apple with the inscription: “For the Fairest”

21. Marriage of Peleus & Thetis • Hera, Athena & Aphrodite begin fighting over the apple • Zeus throws the apple off Mt. Olympos • It lands in a field near Troy where a shepherd called Paris was tending his sheep. • Paris is the unknown son of Priam, the King of Troy