The Mycenaean Saga

Tantalus

The House of Atreus begins with Tantalus. Tantalus initially held the favor of the gods, but decided to cook his own son Pelops and feed him to the gods as a test of their omniscience. Most of the gods, as they sat down to dinner with Tantalus, immediately understood what had happened, and, because they knew the nature of the meat they were served, were appalled and did not partake. But Demeter, who was distracted due to the abduction by Hades of her daughter Persephone, obliviously ate Pelops' shoulder. The gods threw Tantalus into the underworld, where he spends eternity standing in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches. Whenever he reached for the fruit, the branches raised his intended meal from his grasp. Whenever he bent down to get a drink, the water receded before he could get any. Thus is derived the word "tantalize". The gods brought Pelops back to life, replacing the bone in his shoulder with a bit of ivory, thus marking the family forever afterwards.

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Agamemnon, Iphigenia, Clytemnestra, Aegisthus, Orestes and Electra

Prior to sailing off to war against Troy, Agamemnon had angered the goddess Artemis because he had killed a sacred deer in a sacred grove, and had then boasted that he was a better hunter than she was. When the time came, Artemis stilled the winds so that Agamemnon's fleet could not sail. A prophet named Calchas told him that in order to appease Artemis, Agamemnon would have to sacrifice the most precious thing that had come to his possession in the year he killed the sacred deer. This was his first-born daughter, Iphigenia. He sent word home for her to come (in some versions of the story on the pretense that she was to be married to Achilles). Iphigenia accepted her father's choice and was honored to be a part of the war. Clytemnestra tried to stop Iphigenia but was sent away. After doing the deed, Agamemnon's fleet was able to get under way. Artemis, however, had instantly switched Iphigenia, as she lay upon the altar, with another deer without anyone noticing, and had taken her to distant Colchis, there to be her priestess.

While he was fighting the Trojans, his wife Clytemnestra, infuriated by the murder of her daughter, began an affair with Aegisthus. When Agamemnon returned home he brought with him a new concubine, the doomed prophetess, Cassandra. Upon his arrival that evening, before the great banquet she had prepared, Clytemnestra drew a bath for him and when he came out of the bath, she put the royal purple robe on him which had no opening for his head. He was confused and tangled up and Clytemnestra then stabbed him to death.

Agamemnon's only son, Orestes, was quite young when his mother killed his father. He was sent into exile. In some versions he was sent away by Clytemnestra to avoid having him present during the murder of Agamemnon; in others Electra herself rescued the infant Orestes and sent him away to protect him from their mother. In both versions he was the legitimate heir apparent and as such a potential danger to his usurper uncle.

Goaded by his sister Electra, Orestes swore revenge. He knew it was his duty to avenge his father's death, but saw also that in doing so he would have to kill his mother. He was torn between avenging his father and sparing his mother. 'It was a son's duty to kill his father's murderers, a duty that came before all others. But a son who killed his mother was abhorrent to gods and to men.'

When he prayed to Apollo, the god advised him to kill his mother. Orestes realized that he must work out the curse on his house, exact vengeance and pay with his own ruin. After Orestes murdered Clytemnestra, he wandered the land with guilt in his heart. After many years, with Apollo by his side, he pleaded to Athena. No descendant of Atreus had ever done so noble an act and 'neither he nor any descendant of his would ever again be driven into evil by the irresistible power of the past.' Thus Orestes ended the curse of the House of Atreus.

This story is the major plot line of Aeschylus's trilogy The Oresteia.

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The Basic Story- House of Atreus

1. The family of Atreus (father of Agamemnon and Menelaus) traces its origins back to Tantalus, king of Sipylos, a son of Zeus (famous for his eternal punishment in Hades, as described in the Odyssey, where he is always thirsty but can never drink, hence the origin of the word tantalizing). Tantalus had a son called Pelops, whom Poseidon loved.

2. Pelops wished to marry Hippodameia, daughter of king Oenomaus. Oenomaus set up a contest (a chariot race against the king) for all those who wished to woo his daughter. If the suitor lost, he was killed. A number of men had died in such a race before Pelops made his attempt. Pelops bribed the king's charioteer (Myrtilus) to disable the king's chariot. In the race, Oenomaus' chariot broke down (the wheels came off), and the king was killed. Pelops then carried off Hippodameia as his bride. Pelops also killed his co-conspirator Myrtilus by throwing him into the sea. Before he drowned Myrtilus (in some versions Oenomaus) cursed Pelops and his family. This act is the origin of the famous curse on the House of Atreus.

3. Pelops does not seems to have been affected by the curse. He had a number of children, the most important of whom were his two sons, the brothers Atreus and Thyestes. Atreus married Aerope, and they had two sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus. And Thyestes had two sons and a daughter Pelopia.

4. Atreus and Thyestes quarrelled (in some versions at the instigation of the god Hermes, father of Myrtilus, the charioteer killed by Pelops). Thyestes had an affair with Atreus' wife, Aerope, and was banished from Argos by Atreus. However, Thyestes petitioned to be allowed to return, and Atreus, apparently wishing a reconciliation, agreed to allow Thyestes to come back and prepared a huge banquet to celebrate the end of their differences.

5. At the banquet, however, Atreus served Thyestes the cooked flesh of Thyestes' two slaughtered sons. Thyestes ate the food, and then was informed of what he had done. This horrific event is the origin of the term Thyestean Banquet. Overcome with horror, Thyestes cursed the family of Atreus and left Argos with his one remaining child, his daughter Pelopia.

Pelops and Hippodamia

Pelops married Hippodamia, after winning a chariot race against her father by arranging for the sabotage of his would-be-father-in-law's chariot - resulting in his death. The versions of the story differ here - the sabotage was arranged by a servant of the king, Myrtilus, who was killed by Pelops for one of the following reasons: 1) because he had been promised the right to take Hippodamia's virginity, which Pelops retracted, or 2) because he attempted to rape her, or 3) because Pelops did not wish to share the credit for the victory. As Myrtilus died, he cursed Pelops and his line, further adding to the house's curse.

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Atreus and Thyestes

Pelops was the only descendent of Tantalus that was spared a life of total misfortune. Possibly the gods had thought he had already suffered enough at the hands of his father. Unfortunately the same could not be said for his son Atreus. It came to be that Atreus made a pledge to the goddess Artemis that he would sacrifice to her the finest of all his flocks. When a ram with the fleece of gold was born, Atreus was so in awe of the beast that he fulfilled only half of his promise. The ram was put to death but only the flesh was placed upon the alter of the goddess. Unwilling to part with the magnificent hide, Atreus greedily packed it neatly in a chest and hid it away for himself.

Without a moment of hesitation Aerope opened the chest and handed Thyestes her husband's treasure. Atreus had taken for his wife Aerope, the daughter of King Catreus of Crete. She bore him two sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus, who were destined to become famous for their roles in the Trojan War.

Unfortunately for Atreus, his bride had secretly fallen in love with his brother Thyestes. Overcome with passion, Aerope betrayed her husband and told Thyestes the secret of the ram's fleece. Selfishly Thyestes promised to be her lover if she would give the fleece to him.In due time an oracle proclaimed to the Mycenaeans that they must choose a king from the house of Pelops. Atreus and Thyestes, both living in Midea were at once summoned to appear in Mycenae. A council of elders were called upon to ponder which of the two brothers should be placed upon the throne.

When a decision could not be made Thyestes spoke up and suggested that the one who could produce a fleece of gold should be proclaimed king. Unaware of his wife's treachery, Atreus quickly agreed thinking he was still in possession of the wonderous hide. He quickly went to retrieve his prize but to his dismay found the chest to be empty.

Thyestes shamelessly presented the fleece to the council and was promptly declared king of Mycenae. Atreus protested, insisting that he was the righful owner but all of his complaints were ignored. There was just not any proof that the fleece was ever his.

Zeus, who preferred Atreus over his brother Thyestes, sent Hermes to intervene. Following the god's instructions, Atreus suggested to the council that the throne be given to the man who could perform a greater feat than producing a fleece of gold. He proposed that the rulership be awarded to he who could reverse the sun's direction and change the course of the Pleiades. Unaware of Zeus' involvement in the matter and thinking his brother had gone crazy, Thyestes agreed to the challenge. With a secret wave of the god's hand these impossible events took place, and the crown was awarded to Atreus. His first course of action was to see that Thyestes was banished. It was shortly after this that Atreus became aware of the affair between his wife and brother.

Feeling humiliated and betrayed he began to weave an intricate plot of revenge. Pretending to forgive Thyestes, Atreus began by inviting him to attend a banquet at the palace. He then sought out the sons of his brother and found them at the temple of Zeus.

In the same manner as his grandfather Tantalus, Atreus butchered his nephews as they begged for mercy before the alter of the thunder god. He placed their bodies in a caldron and boiled them into a stew before serving them to their unsuspecting father. It was not until Thyestes finished his meal that Atreus showed him the heads and hands of his children. In a final act of retaliation Atreus had his horrified brother cast out of the city of Mycenae.

Overwhelmed with grief and anger Thyestes sought advice from an oracle. He was told that in order to successfully avenge himself against his brother, he first needed to father a child with his own daughter Pelopina. He obeyed the priestess and soon Pelopina became pregnant.

Meanwhile, as a punishement for the abominable deeds of Atreus, the entire city of Mycenae was being plagued by a severe famine. Not knowing what to do, Atreus also consulted an oracle for advice. The message was clear. The only way to end the suffering of the people was to allow Thyestes to return to Mycenae.

Atreus at once left on a journey to find the brother he had exiled. In his travels through Sicyon he came upon Pelopina, who was living there under the care of King Thesprotus. Finding her to be very beautiful and assuming she was the daughter of the King, Atreus asked for her hand in marriage. King Thesprotus was too afraid to reveal to Atreus that the girl who had captured his heart was none other than his niece and the daughter of Thyestes.

Instead, Thesprotus chose to keep Pelopina's true idenity to himself and soon she and Atreus were married. It was apparent to Atreus that his new wife was already with child, and when the couple returned to Mycenae, Pelopina gave birth to a son. Atreus decided to raise the boy as his own and the infant was given the name of Aegisthus.

Unable to locate Thyestes, Atreus sent his two sons Agamemnon and Menelaus to seek help from the oracle. By chance Thyestes who was also seeking out the priestess arrived at the same time. At once he was seized by his nephews and escorted back to Mycenae. With Thyestes safely locked away in a prison cell, Atreus summoned Aegisthus to carry out his execution.

Sword in hand the young man approached the prisoner and raised his weapon over head. Thyestes, recognizing the blade asked the youth how he came to acquire it. When Aegisthus replied that it was a gift from his mother, Thyestes knew at once that his executioner was none other than his own son.

Thyestes pleaded with his captors to allow him to see his daughter Pelopina. This favor was granted but when the young girl saw her father together with the son he sired upon her it was more then she could stand. Overwhelmed with shame, Pelopina picked up the weapon and took her own life. Refusing to commit patricide, Aegisthus picked up the bloody sword and brought it to Atreus.

Believing Thyestes to be dead, Atreus traveled to the shore to sacrifice and offer thanks to the gods. Aegisthus followed after his unsuspecting stepfather and when the moment was right, killed him at the water's edge. Thyestes claimed ownership to the throne but his reign was very short. It was not long before Agamemnon returned and proclaimed himself king. Thyestes was then forced out of the city, never to return.

http://www.medeaslair.net/atreus.html

Basic Story, part 2

6. Some versions of the story include the name Pleisthenes, a son of Atreus who was raised by Thyestes. To become king, Thyestes sent Pleisthenes to kill Atreus, but Atreus killed him, not realizing he was killing his son. This, then, becomes another cause of the quarrel. In yet other accounts, someone called Pleisthenes is the first husband of Aerope and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus. When he died, so this version goes, Atreus married Aerope and adopted her two sons. In Aeschylus' play there is one reference to Pleisthenes; otherwise, this ambiguous figure is absent from the story.

7. In some versions, including Aeschylus' account, Thyestes had one small infant son who survived the banquet, Aegisthus. In other accounts, however, Aegisthus was the product of Thyestes' incestuous relationship with his daughter Pelopia after the murder of the two older sons, conceived especially to be the avenger of the notorious banquet.

8. Agamemnon and Menelaus, the two sons of Atreus, married Clytemnestra and Helen respectively, two twin sisters, but not identical twins (Clytemnestra had a human father; whereas, Helen was a daughter of Zeus). Helen was so famous for her beauty that a number of men wished to marry her. The suitors all agreed that they would act to support the man she eventually married in the event of any need for mutual assistance. Agamemnon and Clytemnestra had three children, Iphigenia, Orestes, and Electra.

9. When Helen (Menelaus' wife) ran off to Troy with Paris, Agamemnon and Menelaus organized and led the Greek forces against the Trojans. The army assembled at Aulis, but the fleet could not sail because of contrary winds sent by Artemis. Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia in order to placate Artemis.

10. With Agamemnon and Menelaus off in Troy, Aegisthus (son of Thyestes) returned to Argos, where he became the lover of Clytemnestra, Agamemnon's wife. They sent Orestes into exile, to live with an ally, Strophius in Phocis, and humiliated Electra, Agamemnon's surviving daughter (either treating her as a servant or marrying her off to a common farmer). When Agamemnon returned, the two conspirators successfully killed him and assumed royal control of Argos.

11. Orestes returned from exile and, in collaboration with his sister Electra, avenged his father by killing Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. In many versions this act makes him lose his self-control and he becomes temporarily deranged. He then underwent ritual purification by Apollo and sought refuge in the temple of Athena in Athens. There he was tried and acquitted. This action put the curses placed on the House of Atreus to rest.

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/aeschylus/houseofatreus.htm

The Mycenaean Saga

House of Atreus

Tantalus

Pelops and Hippodamia

Agamemnon, Iphigenia, Clytemnestra, Aegisthus, Orestes and Electra

Electra and Orestes

Elektra - Richard Strauss

The Basic Story- House of Atreus

The Wrath of Achilles at the Sacrifice of Iphigenia

Murder of Aegisthus