In Greek mythology, King Atreus (Greek: Ατρεύς, Atreús) (fearless) of Mycenae was the son of Pelops and Hippodamia and father of Agamemnon and Menelaus. Collectively, his descendants are known as Atrides. Atreus and his twin brother, Thyestes, were exiled by their father for having murdered their half-brother, Chrysippus, in their desire for the throne of Olympia. They took refuge in Mycenae, where they ascended to the throne upon the absence of King Eurystheus, who was fighting the Heracleidae. Eurystheus had meant for their lordship to be temporary; it became permanent due to his death in conflict. The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... A clay tablet with writing in Linear B from Mycenae. ... In Greek mythology, Pelops (Greek Πέλοψ, from pelios: dark; and ops: face, eye) was venerated at Olympia, where his cult developed into the founding myth of the Olympic Games, the most important expression of unity, not only for the Peloponnesus, land of Pelops, but for all Hellenes. ... Hippodamia, also Hippodamea, was a daughter of King Oenomaus and mother of Thyestes, Atreus, and Pittheus, Alacathous by Pelops. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... Menelaus regains Helen, detail of an Attic red-figure crater, ca. ... Atrides is the collective name given to the descendants of Atreus, particularly Agamemnon and Menelaus, a family frequently referred to as capable of and doomed to perpetrating the most atrocious crimes. ... In Greek mythology, Thyestes was the son of Pelops, King of Mycenae, and Hippodamia and father of Pelopia and Aegisthus. ... Laius abducting Chrysippus, who is reaching out to Pelops, his father (detail). ... Olympia among the principal Greek sanctuaries Olympia (Greek: Olympía or Olýmpia, older transliterations, Olimpia, Olimbia), a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. ... A clay tablet with writing in Linear B from Mycenae. ... Eurystheus hiding in a jar as Herakles brings him the Erymanthian boar. ... Heracleidae, the general name for the numerous descendants of Heracles (Hercules), and specially applied in a narrower sense to the descendants of Hyllus, the eldest of his four sons by Deianira, the conquerors of Peloponnesus. ...

Entrance to the tomb grave (tholos) of Atreus ("Treasure of Atreus") built around 1250 BC at Mycenae.

Atreus vowed to sacrifice his best lamb to Artemis. Upon searching his flock, however, Atreus discovered a golden lamb which he gave to his wife, Aerope, to hide from the goddess. She gave it to her lover, Thyestes (also Atreus' brother), who then convinced Atreus to agree that whoever had the lamb should be king. Thyestes produced the lamb and claimed the throne. Download high resolution version (670x1001, 157 KB)Large version, taken by <mdoege@compuserve. ... Download high resolution version (670x1001, 157 KB)Large version, taken by <mdoege@compuserve. ... The Treasure of Atreus tholos in 2004 Beehive tombs, also known as Tholos tombs (plural tholoi), are a style of Mycenaean chamber tomb from the Bronze Age. ... Treasure of Atreus in 2004 The Treasure of Atreus or Treasury of Atreus is an impressive tholos tomb at Mycenae, Greece (on the Panagitsa Hill) constructed around 1250 BCE. The lintel stone above the doorway weighs 120 tons. ... (Redirected from 1250 BC) Centuries: 14th century BC - 13th century BC - 12th century BC Decades: 1300s BC 1290s BC 1280s BC 1270s BC 1260s BC - 1250s BC - 1240s BC 1230s BC 1220s BC 1210s BC 1200s BC Events and Trends September 7, 1251 BC - A solar eclipse at this date... A clay tablet with writing in Linear B from Mycenae. ... For other uses, see Artemis (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Aerope was the wife of King Atreus of Mycenae. ... In Greek mythology, Thyestes was the son of Pelops, King of Mycenae, and Hippodamia and father of Pelopia and Aegisthus. ...

Atreus retook the throne using advice he received from Hermes. Thyestes agreed to give the kingdom back when the sun moved backwards in the sky, a feat that Zeus accomplished. Atreus retook the throne and banished Thyestes. For other uses, see Hermes (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ...

Atreus then learned of Thyestes' and Aerope's adultery and plotted revenge. He killed Thyestes' sons and cooked them, save their hands and feet. He served Thyestes his own sons and then taunted him with their hands and feet.

An oracle then advised Thyestes that, if he had a son with his own daughter (Pelopia), that son would kill Atreus. Thyestes did so and the son, Aegisthus, did kill Atreus. However, when Aegisthus was first born, he was abandoned by his mother, ashamed of her incestuous act. A shepherd found the infant Aegisthus and gave him to Atreus, who raised him as his own son. Only as he entered adulthood did Thyestes reveal the truth to Aegisthus, that he was both father and grandfather to the boy. Aegisthus then killed Atreus. Consulting the Oracle by John William Waterhouse, showing eight priestesses in a temple of prophecy An oracle is a person or persons considered to be the source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion; an infallible authority, usually spiritual in nature. ... In Greek mythology, Pelopia or Pelopea was the daughter of Thyestes. ... In Greek mythology, Aegisthus (goat strength, also transliterated as Aegisthos or Aigísthos) was the son of Thyestes and his daughter, Pelopia. ...

According to some sources, Atreus was the father of Plisthenes. More commonly though, they were brothers. In Greek mythology, Pleisthenes was the son or father of Atreus and first husband of Aerope. ...

Hittite sources

There is a possible reference to Atreus in a Hittite text known as the 'Indictment of Madduwatta'. The indictment describes several military clashes between the Greeks and the Hittites which took place around the late 15th or early 14th centuries BCE. The Greek leader was a man called Attarsiya, and some scholars have speculated that Attarsiya (or Attarissiya) was the Hittite way of writing the Greek name Atreus^[1]. Relief of Suppiluliuma II, last known king of the Hittite Empire The Hittites were an ancient people from Kaneš who spoke an Indo-European language, and established a kingdom centered at Hattusa (Hittite URU) in north-central Anatolia from the 18th century BC. In the 14th century BC, the Hittite... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Atreidae

The plural word Atreidae or Atreidai (meaning literally "those of Atreus") refers to Agamemnon and Menelaus, sons of Atreus— in English, the Atreides. The term is also used for their children and (less often) for their further descendants. This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... Menelaus regains Helen, detail of an Attic red-figure crater, ca. ...

In the Dune series, Frank Herbert tells the story of Leto, Paul and Leto II of House Atreides, the enemies of the Harkonnen clan. The Atreides claim to trace their ancestry back to the original Atreides of the Trojan War. In one of the prequel novels by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson, the Play The Oresteia is performed in Castle Caladan, during the reign of Duke Paulus Atreides. Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965. ... Frank Patrick Herbert (October 8, 1920 – February 11, 1986) was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. ... Duke Leto Atreides, portrayed by William Hurt in the Dune miniseries Leto Atreides I is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. ... Paul Atreides, as portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan in David Lynchs Dune (1985), wielding the infamous Weirding Module. Paul Orestes Atreides is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. ... Leto Atreides II (10,207-13,725 AG) is a fictional character in the Dune universe, created by Frank Herbert. ... Emblem of House Atreides from Emperor: Battle for Dune For the novel of the same name, see Dune: House Atreides. ... Emblem of House Harkonnen from Emperor: Battle for Dune For the novel of the same name, see Dune: House Harkonnen. ... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ... Brian Patrick Herbert (born 1947) is a best selling American author who lives in Washington state. ... Kevin J. Anderson is a prolific science fiction author. ... The Oresteia is a trilogy of tragedies about the end of the curse on the House of Atreus, written by Aeschylus. ... Duke Paulus Atreides is a fictional character in Frank Herberts Dune universe. ...

House of Atreus

Simplified Family Tree

Image File history File linksMetadata Familytree. ...

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, knew the nature of the meat they were served, were appalled and did not partake. However, Demeter, who was distracted because of the abduction by Hades of her daughter Persephone, obliviously ate Pelops's shoulder. The gods threw Tantalus into the underworld, where he spends eternity standing in a pool of water, which drains whenever he attempts to slake his thirst, and beneath hanging fruit, which lifts out of his reach. The gods brought Pelops back to life, replacing the bone in his shoulder with a bit of ivory, thus cursing the family forever afterwards. Tantalos, by Goya In Greek mythology Tantalus (Greek Τάνταλος) was a son of Zeus[1] and the nymph Plouto (riches)[2] Thus he was a king in the primordial world, the father of a son Broteas whose very name signifies mortals (brotoi)[3] Other versions name his father as Tmolus wreathed... In Greek mythology, Pelops (Greek Πέλοψ, from pelios: dark; and ops: face, eye) was venerated at Olympia, where his cult developed into the founding myth of the Olympic Games, the most important expression of unity, not only for the Peloponnesus, land of Pelops, but for all Hellenes. ... Omniscience is the capacity to know everything infinitely, or at least everything that can be known about a character including thoughts, feelings, life and the universe, etc. ... Tantalos, by Goya In Greek mythology Tantalus (Greek Τάνταλος) was a son of Zeus[1] and the nymph Plouto (riches)[2] Thus he was a king in the primordial world, the father of a son Broteas whose very name signifies mortals (brotoi)[3] Other versions name his father as Tmolus wreathed... This article is about the grain goddess Demeter. ... Hades, Greek god of the underworld, enthroned, with his bird-headed staff, on a red-figure Apulian vase made in the 4th century BC. For other uses, see Hades (disambiguation). ... Proserpine by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1874) (Tate Gallery, London In Greek mythology, Persephone (Greek Περσεφόνη, Persephónē) was the Queen of the Underworld of epic literature. ... In Greek mythology, Pelops (Greek Πέλοψ, from pelios: dark; and ops: face, eye) was venerated at Olympia, where his cult developed into the founding myth of the Olympic Games, the most important expression of unity, not only for the Peloponnesus, land of Pelops, but for all Hellenes. ...

Niobe

Tantalus also had a daughter, Niobe, who married the king of Thebes, Amphion, and had 7 daughters and 7 sons. She foolishly boasted that she was superior to the goddess Leto, whose only children were Artemis and Apollo, and because of this she refused to worship Leto. Leto sent Artemis, who killed Niobe's 7 daughters, and Apollo, who killed her 7 sons. Finally, Leto turned Niobe to stone as she mourned her children. Apollo and Artemis slaying the children of Niobe by Niobid Painter (c. ... Thebes (Demotic Greek: Θήβα — Thíva; Katharevousa: — Thêbai or Thívai) is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. ... There are several characters named Amphion in Greek mythology: Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, and twin brother of Zethus (see Amphion and Zethus). ... For other uses, see Leto (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Artemis (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Artemis (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Leto (disambiguation). ...

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 Pelop and his line, further adding to the house's curse. Hippodamia, also Hippodamea, was a daughter of King Oenomaus and mother of Thyestes, Atreus, and Pittheus, Alacathous by Pelops. ... In Greek mythology, Myrtilus was a divine hero, a son of Hermes on Theobula, and charioteer of King Oenomaus of Pisa in Elis, on the northwest coast of the Peloponnesus. ...

Atreus, Thyestes and Chrysippus

Pelops and Hippodamia had two sons, Atreus and Thyestes, who (depending on myth version) murdered Chrysippus, their step-brother. Because of the murder, Hippodamia, Atreus, and Thyestes were banished to Mycene, where Hippodamia is said to have hung herself. In Greek mythology, Thyestes was the son of Pelops, King of Mycenae, and Hippodamia and father of Pelopia and Aegisthus. ... Laius abducting Chrysippus, who is reaching out to Pelops, his father (detail). ... This article is about the Greek archaeological site. ...

Atreus vowed to sacrifice his best lamb to Artemis. Upon searching his flock, however, Atreus discovered a golden lamb which he gave to his wife, Aerope, to hide from the goddess. She gave it to her lover, Thyestes (also Atreus' brother), who then convinced Atreus to agree that whoever had the lamb should be king. Thyestes produced the lamb and claimed the throne.

Atreus retook the throne using advice he received from Hermes. Thyestes agreed to give the kingdom back when the sun moved backwards in the sky, a feat that Zeus accomplished. Atreus retook the throne and banished Thyestes. For other uses, see Hermes (disambiguation). ...

Atreus then learned of Thyestes' and Aerope's adultery and plotted revenge. He killed Thyestes' sons and cooked them, save their hands and feet. He served Thyestes his own sons and then taunted him with their hands and feet. Thyestes responded by asking an oracle what to do, who advised him to have a son by his daughter, Pelopia, who would then kill Atreus. However, when Aegisthus was first born, he was abandoned by his mother who was ashamed of her incestuous act. A shepherd found the infant Aegisthus and gave him to Atreus, who raised him as his own son. Only as he entered adulthood did Thyestes reveal the truth to Aegisthus, that he was both father and grandfather to the boy. Aegisthus then killed Atreus, although not before Atreus had two sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus. In Greek mythology, Pelopia or Pelopea was the daughter of Thyestes. ... In Greek mythology, Aegisthus (goat strength, also transliterated as Aegisthos or Aigísthos) was the son of Thyestes and his daughter, Pelopia. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... Menelaus regains Helen, detail of an Attic red-figure crater, ca. ...

Agamemnon married Clytemnestra, and Menalaus married Helen her sister (known later as Helen of Troy). After the murder (1882 painting) Clytemnestra (or Clytaemestra) ‘‘(Eng. ... “Helen of Troy” redirects here. ... For other uses of Troy or Ilion, see Troy (disambiguation) and Ilion (disambiguation). ...

Agamemnon, Iphigenia, Clytemnestra, Aegisthus, Orestes and Electra

Prior to sailing off to war against Troy, Agamemnon angered the goddess Artemis. Artemis punished Agamemnon after he killed a sacred deer in a sacred grove and boasted he was a better hunter than she. She stilled the wind so that his fleet could not sail. A prophet named Calchas told him that in order to appease Artemis, Agamemnon would have to sacrifice one of his daughters, 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). After doing the deed, Agamemnon's fleet was able to get under way. For other uses, see Artemis (disambiguation). ... In Greek mythology, Kalchas Thestórides (son of Thestor), or Calchas (brazen) for short, a loyal Argive, was a powerful seer, a gift of Apollo: as an augur, Calchas had no rival in the camp (Iliad i, E.V. Rieu translation) Calchas prophesized that in order to gain a favourable... 112 Iphigenia is an asteroid. ... For other uses, see Achilles (disambiguation). ...

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. These events culminated with Clytemnestra and Aegisthus murdering Agamemnon and Cassandra. For other uses, see Cassandra (disambiguation). ...

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.)

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.' Electra at the Tomb of Agamemnon In Greek mythology, Electra was daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. ... Orestes &#927;&#961;&#949;&#963;&#964;&#951;&#962; is a Greek name, literally he who stands on the mountain, or mountain-dweller. Orestes can refer to: In Greek mythology, the son of Agamemnon. ...

When he prayed to Apollo, the god advised him to kill his mother. 'And Orestes knew that he must work out the curse of 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. For other uses, see Apollo (disambiguation). ...

This story is the major plot line of Aeschylus's trilogy The Oresteia. This article is about the ancient Greek playwright. ... The Oresteia is a trilogy of tragedies about the end of the curse on the House of Atreus, written by Aeschylus. ...

Demonstration of Greek Society

The story of Iphigenia illustrates the Greek belief in the omnipotence of their gods. The arrogance of Tantalus had to be avenged and so the gods curse the House of Atreus with internal feuding. Even then the story of the House of Atreus climaxes with the death of Iphigenia because her father, Agamemnon, tries to be greater than the goddess Artemis. This story demonstrates the Greek concept that people can never be as powerful as the gods and that this kind of arrogance leads to tribulation. Omnipotence (literally, all power) is power with no limits or inexhaustible, in other words, unlimited power. ... For other uses, see Artemis (disambiguation). ...

Spoken-word myths - audio files

Pindar (or Pindarus) (probably born 522 BC in Cynoscephalae, a village in Boeotia; died 443 BC in Argos), was perhaps the greatest of the nine lyric poets of ancient Greece. ... Apollodorus was a common name in ancient Greece. ... Gaius Julius Hyginus, (c. ... Pausanias (Greek: ) was a Greek traveller and geographer of the 2nd century A.D., who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. ... Athenaeus (ca. ... Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers. ...

Sources

1. ^ Bryce, Trevor R., 'The Trojan War: Is There Truth behind the Legend?', Near Eastern Archaeology, Vol. 65, No. 3. (Sep., 2002), p. 193

• Apollodorus, Epitome II, 10-16;
• Euripides, Electra.

Apollodorus was a common name in ancient Greece. ... An epitome (Greek epitemnein—to cut short) is a summary or miniature form, also used as a synonym for embodiment. ... A statue of Euripides. ... Euripides Electra was probably written in the mid 410s BC, likely after 413 BC. It is unclear whether it was first produced before or after Sophocles version of the Electra story. ...

See also

• Treasure of Atreus
• House Atreides The fictional Great House of Frank Herbert's Dune who claim to be descendants of this line.

Treasure of Atreus in 2004 The Treasure of Atreus or Treasury of Atreus is an impressive tholos tomb at Mycenae, Greece (on the Panagitsa Hill) constructed around 1250 BCE. The lintel stone above the doorway weighs 120 tons. ... Emblem of House Atreides from Emperor: Battle for Dune For the novel of the same name, see Dune: House Atreides. ... This article is about sand formations. ...

External links

• The House of Atreus: A Note on the Mythological Background to the Oresteia