Commentary
The legends of the Mycenaean saga give important insights into the ancient Greek notions of curses, and of the expectations placed on Greek women. The entire line of Mycenaean men was cursed with faithless women. These stories serve as a counter example to what is expected from women in this society. Having earned the enmity of the gods through the crimes of Tantalus, this line would have not enjoyed a happy fate, even if they had not also incurred the curse of Myrtillus. The treachery of Tantalus may also serve as a partial explanation to the Greeks as to why the gods were not seen on a daily basis. Presented below are the most important elements of the story.
The Origins of the Family of Pelops
Once Zeus mated with the nymph Pluto, and fathered Tantalus, who built a kingdom in Asia Minor, and enjoyed the favor of the gods. He even enjoyed their company in dining from time to time. At one such banquet, he decided to test the gods' insight by serving his son, Pelops, in a stew. None of the gods partook, except Demeter, who was disconsolate about losing Persephone. She unwittingly ate the child's shoulder. When the deception was unmasked, Pelops was put back together, and brought back to life, with a shoulder of ivory to replace the one eaten by Demeter. Tantalus was punished in the underworld for his effrontery by being taunted with unreachable food and drink. Years later, Pelops, threatened by Ilus, the powerful king of Troy, led his subjects into Greece to make a new home.
Pelops Wins Hippodamia
An oracle had told Oenomaus, king of Pisa (in Elis), that the man who married his daughter, Hippodamia, would surely kill him. So he offered her, as bride, only to the first man to beat Oenomaus in a chariot race to the Isthmus of Corinth. In this race, the suitor carried Hippodamia in one chariot. Oenomaus had chased and killed 13 suitors before Pelops challenged. Pelops bribed Myrtillus, charioteer of Oenomaus, to help by loosening the pins that held the wheels to the axle of Oenomaus's chariot. Oenomaus was killed in a wreck and Pelops, Hippodamia, and Myrtillus left Pisa.
The Curse of Myrtillus
As they fled, Myrtillus decided that he should enjoy the affections of Hippodamia as a reward for his help. When he was caught trying to claim his reward, Pelops threw Myrtillus off a cliff. As he fell to his death, Myrtillus cursed Pelops, and all his descendants to misery. Pelops returned to Pisa and became king. He built an empire including most of the area known thereafter as the Peloponesus ("the isle of Pelops").
Pelops Curses Atreus and Thyestes
Pelops was the father of many sons, but the most important two were Atreus and Thyestes. When Hippodamia had grown jealous of Pelops's love for a third son, Chrysippus, she arranged for Atreus and Thyestes to kill him. Hippodamia fled from Pisa in fear of the repercussions. Pelops, in anger at his loss, cursed and banished his two sons. They fled to the east, and became rulers of some minor kingdoms.
The Treachery of Aerope
Once, when Atreus had promised to sacrifice the best of his flock to Artemis, she tested him by sending him a golden-fleeced sheep. Atreus sacrificed the animal, according to his word, but kept the magnificent golden fleece for himself. Later, Aerope, the wife of Atreus, secretly gave the fleece to Thyestes, with whom she had fallen in love.
The Founding of Mycenae
According to legend, Perseus founded the city of Mycenae where a mushroom grew. After his death, the throne was assumed by his son, Sthenelus. Sthenelus took the daughter of Pelops, Nycippe, as his bride. However, upon the death of both Sthenelus, and his son Eurystheus, the throne of Mycenae became vacant. As an oracle had suggested, the throne was offered to "a son of Pelops". A feud broke out over which son should receive this honor
The Feud of Atreus and Thyestes
The citizens of Mycenae did not know which brother to give the throne to. They asked each what feats of magic they might perform to prove their worth. Thyestes suggested that the brother who could produce a golden fleece should receive the throne. Unaware of Aerope's treachery, Atreus agreed. When Thyestes produced the fleece, Atreus was banished. Urged on by Hermes, Atreus returned, claiming his throne by producing more spectacular magic. He called upon the power of Zeus to make the sun go backwards across the sky. The citizens gave the throne to Atreus, and Thyestes was banished. At a later time, Atreus feigned forgiveness, and invited Thyestes to a banquet, at which Atreus treacherously served Thyestes the flesh of his own sons.
The Grandsons of Pelops
After fleeing the city for a second time, Thyestes consulted an oracle to try to find out how he might be avenged. The oracle advised him (possibly without his knowing her identity) that he lay with a girl who turned out to be his daughter Pelopia. According to some stories, during the seduction (or attack), the girl got possession of Thyestes's sword. Some stories say that she hid it under a statue of Athena during the attack. Shortly thereafter, Pelopia came to the court of a local king, with whom Atreus, by chance, also enjoyed hospitality. When Atreus inquired about the girl, the king lied to protect her, and said she was his own daughter. So, Atreus took her as either a wife, or a lover, while she was still pregnant with Thyestes's son. Pelopia gave birth to Aegisthus, who was treated well, and became a companion of Atreus's sons by Aerope, Agamemnon and Menelaus.
The Secret Revealed
At some later time, Atreus, who was now searching for his brother, sent Agamemnon and Menelaus to the Delphic oracle for advice. Thyestes also happened to come to the oracle at the same time, and was captured. Atreus imprisoned him, and sent Aegisthus into the cell to murder him. Aegisthus still carried his father's sword, which his mother had given him. When Thyestes recognized the sword, all was revealed. Pelopia, in shame, killed herself. Atreus was killed, and Thyestes placed on the throne. Agamemnon and Menelaus were expelled from Mycenae
The Adultery of Helen
Menelaus won the hand of Helen, daughter of Zeus and Leda, and the most beautiful mortal women in the world, and took the throne of Sparta. Helen's adultery is the most famous in all of classical mythology. For it was Paris's abduction of the queen which caused the Trojan War.
Agamemnon Reclaims Mycenae
With the help of Helen's stepfather, Tyndarus, Agamemnon was able to take back the throne of Mycenae. He took Clytemnestra, daughter of Tyndarus and Leda, as his wife. However, the outbreak of the Trojan War forced him to go, as the Greek leader, to reclaim his brother's bride. When Agamemnon had to appease Artemis for some offense he had made towards the goddess (as she was preventing the Greeks from setting sail with ill winds), he told his daughter, Iphigenia, that she was to be wed to Achilles. When she arrived at Aulis, where the Greek forces had amassed, he sought to sacrifice Iphigenia to Artemis. Some authors say that Artemis secretly replaced Iphigenia with a stag, and swept the girl off to a distant land.
The Adultery of Clytemnestra
The apparent sacrifice of Iphigenia was the source of Clytemnestra's anger at Agamemnon. In her anger, she took Aegisthus, son of Thyestes, as her lover. Homer tells of the murder of Agamemnon by Aegisthus as he returned, unsuspecting, from the war at Troy. Other sources, namely the tragedian, Aeschylus, suggest that Clytemnestra killed Agamemnon herself, wrapping him in a robe as he bathed for the first time after his return from war, and stabbing him repeatedly. An innocent bystander, Cassandra, princess of Troy and ill-fated prophetess, was also killed by Clytemnestra. She had been given to Agamemnon as a concubine after the sack of Troy
Agamemnon Avenged
Orestes, son of Agamemnon, was away at the court of Strophius of Phocis when his father was murdered. The king had sheltered him because Orestes sister, Electra, had married Pylades, son of Strophius. Egged on by Electra, he avenged his father by killing Aegisthus and Clytemnestra. After this deed, he was chased and tormented by the Furies (Erinyes) as a murderer
The First Trial
Orestes sought refuge from the Furies in Athens. The gods determined that he should have a trial to decide whether he should be absolved. The trial was held in the Athenian Areopagus, which became one of the classical world's best known courts. Apollo defended Orestes, and Athena presided over the trial. The goddess cast the deciding vote for acquittal, and Orestes was freed from punishment. Hereafter, the Furies were known as the Eumenides ("kindly ones").
Reunion in the Crimea
Some claim that not all the Furies accepted the judgment at the Areopagus. Orestes consulted the oracle at Delphi, asking how he might finally rid himself of them. The oracle ordered him to retrieve a statue of Artemis from the land of the Tauri, in Crimea, and place it in Attica. In this version, Artemis had saved Iphigenia from death in the sacrifice at Aulis. She was transported to the Crimea, where she served king Thoas as a priestess of the Tauri. This group had the odd custom of sacrificing strangers. Orestes came to this land to ask for the statue, and was, himself, almost sacrificed. He was saved when Iphigenia recognized him, and the two were reunited. When Thoas refused to hand over the statue, Iphigenia helped Orestes steal it. Athena convinced king Thoas not to give chase.
Orestes Claims His Bride
Orestes married Hermione, the daughter of Menelaus and Helen, and was the father of Tissamenus. Although she had once been betrothed to Orestes, she had become the bride of Neoptolemus. Orestes killed him in a dispute of some sort at Delphi, and claimed her for his bride.
The Death of the Maecenaean Line
Orestes died of snakebite. No major myths are connected with Tissamenus, other than that he died in the fighting when the descendants of Heracles returned to the Peloponesus to avenge their ancestors.
