PELOPS (mortal king of Pisa)

He arrived in the Peloponnesus with colonists from Phrygia, aiming to win the heart of Hippodamia, daughter of Oenomaus.^4,5,6,7 To secure her hand, Pelops promised Myrtilus a night with Hippodameia, a betrayal that led to Oenomaus's death during the chariot contest for control of Pisa.^8,3,9 After Oenomaus died, Pelops acquired control of Pisa and Olympia, and he won over most of the inhabitants of the Peloponnesus to his side.^10,11,6 His chariot could travel through the sea without wetting its axles, and he became a minion of Poseidon.¹² When reminded of his oath, Pelops threw Myrtilus out of the ship, and later cast the body of the murdered man into the ocean.^13,14,8

Having won the land, he named the Peloponnese after himself and established his rule as a chieftain whose thoughts were ever of brave deeds.^15,16,17 He fathered numerous sons, including Atreus, Thyestes, and Pittheus, placing many of them as rulers in various cities, while his sons held the balance of power among three kings in the region.^{18,19,20,21,17,22,23} Other sons such as Alcathus, Copreus, and Chrysippus joined a long line of descendants that included the Achaeans, Menelaus, Agamemnon, and Heracles.^{24,25,26,15,27,28,29,30} Accounts differ on the full extent of his progeny, with some claiming Cleones or Epidaurus as his sons, while others name Letreus or Sciron.^31,32,33,34 He also had daughters, including Eurydice who married Electryon, and another who became the mother of Alcmene.^35,36

Pelops received the divine scepter from Hermes, a symbol of authority he later passed down to his son Atreus.^37,38 His hospitality extended to the exiled Laius, though divine envy eventually seized upon his descendants, marking his line with tragedy.^15,39,40,41 He was mourned by his mother, unlike others who hated her, and his beauty was said to have increased after his resurrection, appearing fairer than ever.^2,12

After his death, the Pythian priestess commanded the Eleans to retrieve his bones, and a specific section of the sacred precinct was dedicated to him.^42,43,44,45 Heracles established an altar and sanctuary to Pelops after conquering Elis, ensuring his memory remained honored.^46,30 Annual magistrates continued to sacrifice a black ram to him at his grave, where he received blood-offerings as an ancestor of noble houses.^30,17,47 Bronze arms were considered a fitting tribute to his lineage, and a shoulder-blade of Pelops was brought from Pisa to the Greek camp at Troy.^48,49 An old spear belonging to him was kept in Agamemnon's house, a relic of the king who guided chariots with skill and shook the reins with authority.^50,51