Summary of Atreus

In Greek mythology, there was much discord in the ancient house of Atreus. Atreus was the son of Pelops, husband of Aerope, brother of Thyestes, and the father of Menelaus and Agamemnon (who later fight the Trojans in the Trojan War). Atreus succeeded the throne of Pelops and took over as the king of Mycenae, greatly angering his younger brother, Thyestes. Thyestes then attempted to seduce Aerops into giving him the golden ram which gave kingship to whoever held it. Atreus learned of this plot and exiled Thyestes from Mycenae. Later on though, Atreus called upon Thyestes to “resolve” their problems. Thyestes, thinking this was a sign of reconciliation, came to the royal house of Atreus, whereupon Atreus had cooked Thyestes’s kids and served them to him. Thyestes fled from the palace, horrified that he had eaten his own children’s flesh, shortly after married his own daughter. Together, they had another son, Aegisthus, who later killed Atreus, and gave the kingdom of Atreus to Thyestes.