Atreus

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Entrance to the “Treasury of Atreus”, built around 1250 BC. In Mycenae

Atreus ( ancient Greek Ἀτρεύς , "fearless") is in Greek mythology a king of Mycenae , the son of Pelops and Hippodameia , the grandson of Tantalus and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus , the Atrids , two Greek heroes before Troy .

myth

Atreus became known as the temporary ruler and king of Mycenae, innovator of the Olympic Games and as a member of that sex that conjured up the curse of the gods through its outrage. These had started with the crimes of Tantalus and found their continuation in a direct line: Pelops, Atreus father, had killed Myrtilus , a son of Hermes and the latter had sworn  to avenge this betrayal of Pelops descendants - the Pelopids . With the nymph Axyoche, Pelops had a son, Chrysippos , who was very beautiful. According to the version more important for this story, Atreus' mother Hippodameia feared that Pelops could appoint Chrysippus as heir to the throne. Hence she murdered Chrysippus. According to some versions, Hippodameia committed the deed alone, according to others together with her sons Atreus and Thyestes .

Atreus then fled to his sister Nikippe in Mycenae , over which their son Eurystheus ruled as king. When this to a campaign against the Heracleidae left, he appointed for the period of his absence Atreus as interim ruler. After Eurystheus fell in battle, Atreus was elected rightful king. Others claim that King Sthenelos  - the king of Mycenae and father of Eurystheus - both Atreus and Thyestes lived nearby, namely in Midea . Only an oracle then advised a Pelopid to be chosen as the new king when Sthenelos and Eurystheus had already died.

But Atreus had sworn to sacrifice his best lamb to Artemis , the goddess of the hunt. While looking for his flock, he found a golden lamb which he gave to his wife Aërope to hide from the goddess. Aerope gave it to her lover Thyestes, also a brother of Atreus, who then persuaded him that whoever had the lamb should also be king. Thyestes now showed the lamb and claimed the throne for himself. Atreus got the throne back after following advice from the messenger of the gods Hermes: Thyestes consented to the return of the throne in case the sun moved backwards, a feat that Zeus accomplished. Thyestes was banished.

When Atreus learned of his wife's adultery, he drove his brother Thyestes out of jealousy. Later, apparently reconciled, he got his brother home and invited him to a feast. According to a legend, he had Thyestes sons killed in order to put them before him for supper. An oracle recommended Thyestes that if he had a son with his own daughter Pelopeia , the latter would kill Atreus. The son was Aigisthus . When he was born, he was given away by his mother out of shame about incest. A shepherd found the child and gave him to Atreus, who raised him like his own son. When Aigisthos grew up, Thyestes revealed to Aigisthos that he was both his father and grandfather, whereupon Aigisthos killed Atreus.

Part of the dome in the "treasure house"

The most magnificent royal tomb in Mycenae is known today as the treasure house of Atreus .

See also

swell

literature

  • Beatrice Baldarelli: Atreus and Thyestes. In: Maria Moog-Grünewald (Ed.): Mythenrezeption. The ancient mythology in literature, music and art from the beginnings to the present (= Der Neue Pauly . Supplements. Volume 5). Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2008, ISBN 978-3-476-02032-1 , pp. 180-183.
  • Reiner Tack: Atreus's house. The Atrid Myth from Antiquity to the Present. Bouvier 2017 ISBN 978-3416040211
predecessor Office successor
Eurystheus King of Mycenae
13th century BC BC
(mythical chronology)
Thyestes