Thyestes in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Thyestes

9 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Thyestes, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Thyestes was the brother of Atreus in Greek mythology, father of Aegisthus, and a central figure in the curse of the House of Atreus that later shaped the fate of Agamemnon after the Trojan War. For the story in one place, read our article on Thyestes.

Homer (2)

Homer, Iliad 2.102–210Agamemnon tests the armyAt the assembly Agamemnon holds the sceptre of Zeus and tells the Achaeans that Zeus has deceived him and that they must flee home, though he means to try them. The army surges toward the ships like waves, and the ships are already being dragged down when Hera sends Athena to Odysseus. He takes Agamemnon's sceptre, checks the chiefs and sends the men back to the assembly.
Homer, Odyssey 4.425–624Menelaus seizes ProteusProteus comes up from the sea at midday to count his seals and lie down to sleep, and Menelaus and his men leap on him. The old man changes into a lion, a snake, a leopard, a boar, water and a tree, but they hold him fast until he tells Menelaus what the gods require. He tells of the deaths of Ajax and Agamemnon, and that Odysseus is held by Calypso on her island. Menelaus returns home and offers Telemachus horses, but Telemachus asks for a gift that can be stored, since Ithaca has no meadows.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome E.2.1–16Tantalus, Pelops and the house of AtreusThe Epitome describes the punishment of Tantalus in Hades, Pelops' revival after being boiled at the gods' banquet, and his winning of Hippodamia from Oenomaus with the help of the charioteer Myrtilus, whom he then drowns. It follows the sons of Pelops: Atreus and Thyestes quarrel over the kingdom of Mycenae because of the golden lamb, Atreus serves Thyestes his own sons, and Aegisthus, born to Thyestes by his daughter, kills Atreus. It ends with Agamemnon, Menelaus and the children of Agamemnon.

Aeschylus (2)

Aeschylus, Agamemnon 1178–1255Fourth episode (cont.): Cassandra's visions of the house of AtreusCassandra says that she will no longer speak in riddles, and tells how the Furies haunt the house for the old crime of Atreus, the banquet in which Thyestes was served the flesh of his own sons. She tells how Apollo loved her and cursed her never to be believed, and says that a lion lies in wait for her master, betrayed by the woman who is like a hound that licks his hand. The Chorus recognise the story of Thyestes, and Cassandra says that they will see Agamemnon dead.
Aeschylus, Agamemnon 1577–1673Exodos: Aegisthus and the ChorusAegisthus enters and says that he rejoices to see Agamemnon in the net of justice, and tells the story of Atreus and the banquet he served to his brother Thyestes. The Chorus mock Aegisthus as a man who left the killing to a woman, and say that Orestes may still come back to take vengeance, and the two sides almost come to blows. Clytaemestra stops them and tells Aegisthus that they will be masters of the house.

Euripides (3)

Euripides, Electra 685–746Electra's vow; second choral song on Atreus and ThyestesElectra says that if Orestes dies in the struggle she will die too, and that she will keep a sword ready in her hand, and tells the women to give a shout when the deed is done. The Chorus sings of the golden lamb that Pan brought and that was the cause of the quarrel between Atreus and Thyestes, and of how the sun and the stars turned back on their paths, and says that Clytemnestra killed her husband.
Euripides, Iphigenia in Tauris 777–821Second episode: the recognition of Orestes and IphigeniaIphigenia tells Pylades that Artemis saved her by giving a deer in exchange, and Pylades, released by his oath, hands the tablet to Orestes. Orestes embraces his sister in unbelieving joy, and the Chorus Leader rebukes him for laying hands on the priestess. Iphigenia doubts that he is her brother, and Orestes gives tokens: the quarrel of Atreus and Thyestes over the golden ram, the tapestry that she wove, her bridal bath and the lock of hair.
Euripides, Orestes 1–70Prologue: Electra tells of the house of Atreus and Orestes' illnessElectra tells of the curse on the house from Tantalus and Atreus down to Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. She says that Orestes killed his mother at Apollo's command and now lies sick and tormented by the Furies. She says that Argos will decide today whether they are to be stoned, and that her one hope is Menelaus, who has just landed with Helen.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.18.1–9Argos: the road from Mycenae, the tomb of Thyestes and the kings of ArgosOn the road to Argos are a shrine of Perseus, the tomb of Thyestes with its ram, the sanctuary of Mysian Demeter, the river Inachus and an altar of the Sun. Pausanias explains the division of the Argive kingdom among the lines of Anaxagoras, Bias and Melampus, then the rule of Orestes and Tisamenus and the return of the Heraclids, who drove out Tisamenus and the descendants of Nestor.