Atreus

Scion of the Pelopid house (son of the quartigod Pelops). King of Mycenae; brother and mortal enemy of Thyestes. Their feud over the golden lamb — token of rule, stolen by Atreus's adulterous wife Aerope for Thyestes — culminates in Atreus's revenge: the Thyestean feast, at which he serves Thyestes the flesh of his own sons. Aeschylus's Oresteia makes that banquet the house's primal pollution. Atreus is in turn killed by Aegisthus, Thyestes's incest-begotten avenger. Father of Agamemnon, Menelaus (see UPDATE-NEEDED), and Anaxibia by Aerope.

Parentage

• paternal: Pelops
• maternal: Hippodamia

Children

• Agamemnon
• Anaxibia daughter of Atreus
• Menelaus
• Pleisthenes

Domains

• kingship
• vengeance

Powers

• Claim the throne of Mycenae by the portent of the golden lamb
• Take vengeance by the Thyestean feast

Relations

• sibling: ThyestesApollod. Epit. 2.10 (primary)
• sibling: Anaxibia daughter of AtreusApollod. Epit. 2.10 (primary)
• spouse: AeropeApollod. Epit. 2.10-12; Soph. Aj. 1295-1297 (primary)
• spouse: PelopiaSecond, unwitting marriage (Hyginus): Atreus weds his niece Pelopia, not knowing her parentage, and rears her son Aegisthus. Reciprocal of greek_pelopia.spouse.Hyg. Fab. 87-88 (primary)
• enemy: ThyestesThe brothers' feud — the golden lamb and the Thyestean feast. Reciprocal of greek_thyestes.enemy.Aesch. Ag. 1583-1602; Apollod. Epit. 2.13 (primary)
• father of: AgamemnonHom. Il. 2.104-108; Apollod. Epit. 2.15-16 (primary)
• father of: Anaxibia daughter of AtreusDominant tradition: Anaxibia daughter of Atreus and Aerope, sister of Agamemnon and Menelaus.Apollod. Epit. 2.16; Paus. 2.29.4 (primary)
• enemy: AegisthusKilled by Aegisthus.Apollod. Epit. 2.14 (primary)
• half sibling: Chrysippus

Sources

• existence: Hom. Il. 2.100-108; Aesch. Ag. 1090-1602; Eur. Or., El.; Apollod. Epit. 2.10-16; Thuc. 1.9; Hyg. Fab. 86-88 (primary)
• parentage: Apollod. Epit. 2.10; Hom. Il. 2.104-105 (Pelops's son) (primary)