Pelops

At a feast with the gods, Tantalus killed his son Pelops, dismembered him, and served his flesh to the divine guests. The gods immediately recognised what had been placed before them. Demeter, distracted by grief over the loss of her daughter, ate part of one shoulder before the nature of the dish became clear.

The gods rose in anger and seized Tantalus. They restored Pelops to life and replaced the shoulder that Demeter had eaten with one made of ivory. Pelops therefore returned from death with an ivory shoulder. Tantalus received no such restoration. The gods judged that killing him was too mild a punishment for his act, so they threw him into the dark depths of the Underworld.

Many years later, a Greek king who could look into those depths saw Tantalus suffering there. He stood in a lake with water reaching his chin, yet remained always thirsty. Whenever he lowered his head to drink, the water withdrew and disappeared. Trees hung over him with pears, pomegranates, apples, figs, and olives. Whenever he reached for the fruit, the wind carried it beyond his grasp. Tantalus was left with food and water always near him, but forever impossible to take.

Pelops entered Oinomaos’s chariot race to win Hippodameia, the king’s daughter. Oinomaos had been warned by an oracle that he would die on the day of her marriage, so he set a deadly condition for her suitors. Each man had to race against him, and every unsuccessful suitor was put to death. Pelops wanted Hippodameia, and when she saw his beauty, she fell in love with him. She persuaded Myrtilos, Oinomaos’s charioteer and the son of Hermes, to help Pelops. Myrtilos loved Hippodameia and wanted to please her.

Myrtilos failed to insert the axle pins into the hubs of Oinomaos’s chariot wheels. During the race, the wheels came loose. Oinomaos became entangled in the reins and was dragged to his death. One account says that Pelops killed him instead. As Oinomaos died, he recognised Myrtilos’s treachery and cursed him. He prayed that Myrtilos would perish at the hand of Pelops. Pelops therefore won the race and gained Hippodameia.

Afterwards, Pelops travelled with Hippodameia and Myrtilos. At one place, he left them briefly to fetch water for his thirsty wife. During his absence, Myrtilos tried to assault Hippodameia. She told Pelops what had happened, and Pelops threw Myrtilos into the Myrtoan Sea at Cape Geraistos. The sea was said to bear Myrtilos’s name. Another account says that Pelops had promised Myrtilos a night with Hippodameia, and threw him overboard when Myrtilos reminded him of the promise. Myrtilos cursed the house of Pelops as he fell, and some accounts say that Hermes, his father, later sent the golden lamb that caused trouble in that house.

Pelops fled Phrygia after losing a war against the king of Troy. His father, Tantalus, had been banished to Tartarus. Pelops came to Greece and reached the court of Oinomaos, king of Elis. There he saw Hippodameia, Oinomaos’ daughter, and fell in love with her. Oinomaos had been told by an oracle that he would die on the day of her marriage. He therefore set a deadly condition for her suitors. Each had to race him by chariot from Pisa to the altar of Poseidon at Corinth. The suitor could begin while Oinomaos offered his sacrifice to Zeus, but the king pursued him afterwards. Every unsuccessful suitor was put to death.

Pelops entered the race. In one account, Poseidon had given him a supernatural team of horses. While Oinomaos sacrificed to Zeus, Pelops set out. Near the finish, Oinomaos almost caught him, carrying a spear. Poseidon then caused the wheels of the king’s chariot to come off. Oinomaos was thrown from it and died as Pelops reached the altar of Poseidon. Another account says that Hippodameia, who had fallen in love with Pelops, persuaded Myrtilos, Oinomaos’ charioteer and a son of Hermes, to help him. Myrtilos removed the axle pins from the wheel hubs. Oinomaos was defeated and died when he became caught in the reins. Some say that Pelops himself killed him.

Pelops returned to claim Hippodameia. In the account involving Myrtilos, he later left her briefly to fetch water. Myrtilos then tried to rape her. When Hippodameia told Pelops, he threw Myrtilos into the sea at Cape Geraistos. It became known as the Myrtoan Sea after him. In another account, lightning struck Oinomaos’ palace as Pelops returned, setting it on fire. Pelops rescued Hippodameia from the burning building, and they were married.

Pelops then conquered much of the southern Greek mainland and became its ruler. The land, previously associated with names such as Apia, Pelasgiotis, and Argos, received its definitive name, the Peloponnese, after him.

Pelops, an Ionian prince from Phocaea, came to Greece after being driven from his dominions in Phrygia. At the court of Oenomaus, king of Elis, he saw Hippodamia and sought to marry her. An oracle had warned Oenomaus that he would die when his daughter married. The king therefore imposed a deadly condition on her suitors. He would give Hippodamia to any man who defeated him in a chariot race. Each unsuccessful suitor would die.

The race ran from Pisa to the altar of Poseidon at Corinth. A suitor could set out while Oenomaus performed a sacrifice to Zeus. When the sacrifice ended, Oenomaus mounted his chariot and pursued him. Pindar's Olympian 1 gives Pelops horses or a chariot from Poseidon. In the mythographic account, Pelops still feared the contest. He bribed Myrtilus, Oenomaus's chariot technician, to remove the king's lynch pins and replace them with wax copies.

As Oenomaus's chariot travelled faster, the friction melted the wax. The wheels failed, and Pelops defeated Oenomaus. The king died, leaving Pelops to marry Hippodamia. After the victory, Pelops held funeral games in Oenomaus's honour. One tradition credits him with establishing the Olympic Games at Olympia. Athletic contests were also held as part of funeral rites. At Olympia, the festival later included a preliminary sacrifice to Pelops and sacrifices to Zeus. These rites linked the contests with the dead.

Ancient accounts give different founders for the Olympic Games. One says that Zeus established them after defeating Cronus at Olympia and taking control of gods and mortals. Another says that Heracles founded them to celebrate his victory over Augeas, who had refused to pay him for cleansing the royal stables. The Pelops tradition connects the festival with Oenomaus's death and the funeral games held in his honour.