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Summary of the House of Atreus?

Updated: 9/16/2023
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The doomed house that sprang from the doomed king, Tantalus, who most famously tried to sacrifice his own son, Pelops, to the gods. In the myth, this sacrifice is taken literally as a meal offered to the gods. All of them immediately knew what they were being offered, but Demeter, absent-minded because she was still heartbroken over her missing daughter.

Pelops was resurrected by the gods and Demeter replaced Pelops' shoulder with one made of ivory. He went on to be the king of Pisa and an important figure in the creation of the Olympic Games. He was so important that the Peloponnesus was named for him.

His son was Atreus, for whom the house was named, and Atreus was the King of Mycenae. He went there after being exiled by his father for killing his half-brother. He occupied the throne as steward while Eurystheus was fighting the Heracleidae, and ascended upon the king's death in battle. His sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus, were central figures of the Trojan War.

Agamemnon is eventually killed by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover, and Menelaus dies without a male heir. Everyone in the house suffered for Tantalus' transgressions, and the curse laid on it by Myrtilus, who was put to death after attempting to rape Hippodamia (the wife of Pelops). The line failed with Agamemnon and Menelaus and is no more, and the name "Atreus" became synonymous with bad luck and suffering.

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Who are the members of the House of Atreus?

Members include:AgamemnonClytemnestraIphigeniaOrestesElectraMenelausTantalusPelopsNiobeAtreusThyestes


Who was Helen's lawful husband?

menelaus, the king of sparta. He was from the house of atreus


Is there a summary of the house of Atreus in mythology?

The main story of the house of Atreus is the murder of Agamemnon and his revenge by his son Orestes. This is the theme of Aeschylus trilogy of plays the Oresteia - and if you want to know the story in detail you should probably read or watch these plays. If you just want a general outline of the story you should read the relevant sub-chapter in Bullfinch' Age of Fable (scroll down the page linked to until you get to Agamemnon, Orestes, Electra. You could also google Atreus and Thyestes for the backstory of the main action - it depends how much detail you want.


Who are the sons of Atreus in the lliad?

Agamemnon and Menelaus are the sons of Atreus.


Who is the father of Agamemnon?

His father was Atreus and his mother was aerope


Et Atreus vitium tolerare non potest?

"And Atreus cannot tolerate the crime" Atreus was the father of Agamemnon in Greek Mythology. I think the original might be: "tum Atreus vitium invenit et tolerare non potest" "Then Atreus discovers the crime and cannot condone it."


Did atreus steal thyestes wife?

No, actually Thyestes had an affair with Atreus's wife.


Who is Atreus father?

Pelops.


How does Orestes' death differ from that of others in the House of Atreus?

The cause of Oreste's death isn't really explained. However, Orestes died un-cursed, since he ended the curse on the House of Atreus by pleading his case to Athena. Therefore, when many of his other family members died from being murdered, eaten, sacrificed, etc., he did not suffer the same fate.


How does Orestes death differ from that of others in the house of Atreus?

The cause of Oreste's death isn't really explained. However, Orestes died un-cursed, since he ended the curse on the House of Atreus by pleading his case to Athena. Therefore, when many of his other family members died from being murdered, eaten, sacrificed, etc., he did not suffer the same fate.