Pelops
Son of Tantalus, restored to life by the gods with an ivory shoulder, who won his bride by cheating in a chariot race and cursed his line.
The Legend of Pelops
The gods killed him, ate part of him, and brought him back — with an ivory shoulder to replace the one Demeter accidentally consumed. After his father Tantalus served him as a stew, the gods reassembled Pelops. Demeter had eaten his left shoulder, so Hephaestus made him an ivory replacement. Poseidon, enchanted by the restored youth, gave him a golden chariot and winged horses. Pelops used them to win the hand of Hippodamia by defeating her father Oenomaus in a chariot race — but he cheated, bribing Oenomaus's charioteer Myrtilus to sabotage the wheels. He then killed Myrtilus, who cursed the entire Pelopid line. That curse produced Atreus, Thyestes, Agamemnon, and the chain of murders.
Parents
Tantalus
Children
Atreus, Thyestes
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Peloponnese — island of Pelops — is named after him, making a resurrected cannibal victim the namesake of southern Greece.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Pelops
🗡 heroFounder of the Peloponnese dynasty
Pelops was the prince served as food to the gods by his father Tantalus, restored to life with an ivory shoulder, and founder of the cursed dynasty that ruled Mycenae.
Aerope
🗡 heroAdultery, royalty
Queen of Mycenae whose adultery with Thyestes caused the devastating curse upon the House of Atreus
Myrtilus
🗡 herocurse
Charioteer of King Oenomaus bribed by Pelops to sabotage his master's chariot, then murdered by Pelops and the origin of the Pelopid curse.
Oenomaus
🗡 heroNone recorded
A king of Pisa who killed the suitors of his daughter Hippodamia in rigged chariot races until Pelops defeated him through trickery and divine favour
Thyestes
🗡 herocurse
Brother of Atreus who seduced his sister-in-law and was tricked into eating his own children at the feast of Atreus.
Bellerophon
🗡 heroThe hero who tamed Pegasus
The Corinthian hero who tamed the winged horse Pegasus and slew the Chimera, but fell from heaven when he tried to reach Olympus.
Perseus
🗡 heroHero who slew Medusa
The son of Zeus and Danae who beheaded Medusa, rescued Andromeda, and founded the Perseid dynasty of Mycenae.
Glaucus of Corinth
🗡 heroHorses, Hybris, Divine Punishment
Corinthian king and charioteer who fed his mares on human flesh; they devoured him during the funeral games of Pelias.
Pandion
🗡 herokingship
King of Athens who married off his daughters Procne and Philomela, both of whom suffered terribly at the hands of Tereus.
Neleus
🗡 herokingship
Son of Poseidon and Tyro, founder of Pylos, father of Nestor, killed by Heracles for refusing purification.
Cadmus
🗡 heroFounder of Thebes
Cadmus was the Phoenician prince who founded Thebes, sowed dragon's teeth, and brought the alphabet from Phoenicia to Greece.
Jason
🗡 heroLeader of the Argonauts
The hero who assembled the Argonauts and sailed to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece, aided by Medea's sorcery.