Module 15 - Mycenaean Saga

Aeschylus: 525 - 456 BC

Places

Elis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elis

In the Peloponnese. Where Pelops goes after he is restored to life to win the hand of Hippodamia.

---

People

Aegisthus

Last remaining son of Thyestes who Atreus didn't kill.

Conspires with Clytemnestra to kill her husband Agamemnon after he sacrifices their daughter Iphigenia.

After taking over the throne with Clytemnestra, Aegisthus is killed by her son Orestes.

Aerope

Wife of Atreus.

Agamemnon

Son of Atreus, becomes king of Mycenae. Marries Clytemnestra. They have some children:

• two daughters: Iphigenia and Electra
• one son, Orestes

After finding out that his brother Menelaus wife Helen was kidnapped by Paris, he declares war on Troy.

As they are getting ready to say, they are stopped by strong winds from Artemis. He chooses to sacrifice Iphigenia

Atreus

Son of Pelops, brother to Thyestes. Curse from Myrtilus on his father's family is passed down to him.

Pan originally brings the golden fleece to him, but Thyestes steals it by sleeping with his wife Aerope.

Atreus later returns, banishes Thyestes, kills his sons (all except for Aegisthus), and feeds them to him. He is cursed by Thyestes.

Cassandra

Trojan prophetess and mistress of Agamemnon who brought her to Mycenae after the war.

Clytemnestra

Wife to Agamemnon. She gets super pissed at him after he sacrifices their daughter Iphigenia.

She conspires with Aegisthus to kill Agamemnon.

She kills Agamemnon by throwing a net over him and stabbing him (or sometimes at a banquet).

Clytemnestra also kills Cassandra, Agamemnon's mistress who he brought back from the Trojan war.

She briefly takes control of Mycenae until her son Orestes arrives and kills both her and Aegisthus.

Electra

Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Sister of Orestes and Iphigenia.

Helps her brother kill their mother and Aegisthus, who was helping her.

Helen

Also see Module 15.

Wife of Menelaus. Kidnapped (or seduced?) by Paris and taken to Troy.

Hippodamia

Daughter of king Oenomaus. Marries Pelops. Mother of Atreus

Iphigenia

Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Sister of Electra and Orestes.

Agamemnon sacrifices her so the Greeks can go to war with Troy.

Menelaus

Brother of Agamemnon. Husband of Helen

Myrtilus

Charioteer to King Oenomaus, helps Pelops sabotage the king's chariot and win the race for the hand of Hippodamia.

However, after Pelops' victory, Myrtilus tries to rape Hippodamia. He's stopped by Pelops who throws him off a cliff.

Myrtilus curses Pelops and his descendants on his way down.

Paris

Trojan prince who kidnaps Helen and takes her to Troy. This prompts the Trojan war against Agamemnon and the Greeks.

Pelops

See also Module 13

Cooked by his father Tantalus. He is later restored and his shoulder (which was eaten by Demeter) was replaced by a marble one.

In some versions Pelops is taken away by Poseidon, as his lover. Goes to Elis, where he wins the hand of Hippodamia by defeating king deadmau5 in a chariot race. He was helped by Myrtilus.

After stopping Myrtilus from raping Hippodamia, he and his lineage are cursed.

Pelops becomes king and has 2 sons:

• Atreus
• Thyestes

Who fight over throne of Mycenae (because the oracle said that it would be a son of Pelops who would get it). It is decided that whoever of the sons obtains a ram with a golden fleece will get the city

Oenomaus

Literally deadmau5.

King of Elis. Likes chariots. Defeated by Pelops in a chariot race (causes his death) for the hand of his daughter.

Orestes

Son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Brother of Electra and Iphigenia.

After finding out of his father's death, he and his sister Electra kill his mother and Aegisthus (Thyestes last son, who was helping her).

After killing his mother, Orestes is pursued by the Furies, who avenge parricide.

Tantalus

Father of Pelops. Punished eternally by the gods (for killing his son and trying to feed him to them) in Tartarus (hell).

Thyestes

Son of Pelops, brother to Atreus. Sleeps with Atreus' wife Aerope to steal the golden fleece (which would make Thyestes king of Mycenae).

Atreus later returns, banishes him, kills Thyestes sons (all except for Aegisthus), and feeds them to him. Thyestes curses his brother.