Editing Atreus (section)

=== Atreus and Thyestes ===
[[File:V.J.-Nosecký-a-M.W.-Halbax,-Hostina-Átrea-a-Thyestese,-Zámek-Zákupy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|Atreus and Thyestes]]
[[Image:Treasury of Atreus Entrance Mycenae.jpg|thumb|upright=0.85|Entrance to the [[Beehive tomb|tholos]] known as the "[[Treasury of Atreus]]", built around [[1250 BC]].]]

Pelops and Hippodamia had many sons; two of them were Atreus and [[Thyestes]]. Depending on myth versions, they murdered [[Chrysippus (mythology)|Chrysippus]], who was their half-brother. Because of the murder, Hippodamia, Atreus, and Thyestes were banished to [[Mycenae]], where Hippodamia is said to have hanged herself.

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 Thyestes, her lover and Atreus' brother, who then persuaded 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 [[Zeus]], who sent [[Hermes]] to him, advising him to make Thyestes agree that if the sun rose in the west and set in the east, the throne of the kingdom should be given back to Atreus. Thyestes agreed, but then [[Helios]] did exactly that, rising where he usually set and setting where he usually rose, not standing the injustice of Thyestes' usurpation.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]] [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DEpitome%3Abook%3DE%3Achapter%3D2%3Asection%3D12 E.2.12]; [[John Tzetzes|Tzetzes]], ''Chiliades'' [https://www.theoi.com/Text/TzetzesChiliades1.html#18 1.18.30]</ref> The people then bowed to the man who had managed to reverse the circuit of the Sun.<ref>[[Sophocles]] frag [https://www.loebclassics.com/view/sophocles-fragments_not_assignable_any_play/1996/pb_LCL483.347.xml?result=4&rskey=AtCCM0 738] [=[[Achilles Tatius]], ''Introduction to Aratus'' 1].</ref>

[[File:Urbino, atreo e tieste, 1540-50 ca..JPG|thumb|Atreus and Thyestes]]
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 tricked Thyestes into eating the flesh of his own sons and then taunted him with their hands and feet.{{efn|This story can be found in ''[[The Libation Bearers]]'', the second play of Aeschylus's ''[[Oresteia]]''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Aeschylus |title=Oresteia |editor-last=Meineck |editor-first=Peter |editor-link=Peter Meineck |editor2-last=Foley |editor2-first=Helene P. |editor2-link=Helene P. Foley |date=1998 |publisher=Hackett |isbn=978-0-87220-391-4 |location=Indianapolis, IN}}</ref>}} Thyestes was forced into exile for [[human cannibalism|eating human flesh]]. Thyestes responded by asking an oracle what to do, who advised him to have a son by his daughter, [[Pelopia (daughter of Thyestes)|Pelopia]], who would then kill Atreus. However, when their son [[Aegisthus]] was first born, he was abandoned by his mother, who was ashamed of the 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 and Aerope had two sons, [[Agamemnon]] and [[Menelaus]], and a daughter [[Anaxibia]].

Agamemnon married [[Clytemnestra]], and Menelaus married [[Helen of Troy|Helen]], her famously attractive sister. Helen later left Sparta with [[Paris of Troy]], and Menelaus called on all of his wife's former suitors to help him take her back.