What is Pelops the god of?
At the sanctuary at Olympia, chthonic night-time libations were offered each time to “dark-faced” Pelops in his sacrificial pit (bothros) before they were offered in the following daylight to the sky-god Zeus (Burkert 1983:96)….
Pelops | |
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King of Pisa | |
Abode | Pisa |
Personal information | |
Parents | Tantalus and Dione |
What is the mythological significance of Pelops shoulder blade?

The various versions of the legend of Pelops’ ivory shoulder provide evidence of people’s desire for surgical operations in early history.
What is the relationship between Poseidon and Pelops?
The young Pelops became a lover of the god Poseidon who provided him with a chariot drawn by swift–some say winged–horses. He later travelled across the sea to Greece to compete for the hand of Hippodameia, daughter of King Oinomaos (Oenomaus) of Pisa.
What does the name Pelops mean?
Pelops in British English (ˈpiːlɒps ) noun. Greek mythology. the son of Tantalus, who as a child was killed by his father and served up as a meal for the gods.

What did Pelops do?
In more hostile versions, Pelops bribed Oenomaus’ charioteer, Myrtilus, to remove the linchpins from Oenomaus’ chariot. After his victory, for reasons that are given differently in different sources, he threw Myrtilus into the sea that afterward was called the Myrtoan.
How was Pelops cursed?
As a reward, Myrtilus was to spend the first night with the bride. The Curse of Myrtilus. After winning the race in this way, Pelops did not honor the agreement and threw Myrtilus into the sea. As he fell, Myrtilus cursed Pelops and his descendants.
What is the story of Pelops?
Pelops was a grandson of Zeus, the king of the gods. According to many accounts, his father, Tantalus, cooked and served Pelops to the gods at a banquet. Only Demeter, bereaved over the loss of her daughter, failed to recognize him and partook.
What was the curse of Pelops?
Pelops refused to give Myrtilus his reward and when he saw him moving to take her, Pelops threw him into the sea. The dying curse of Myrtilus affected Pelops’ line for generations to come. Pelops then entered Pisa, became its king and named the land “Peloponnesus”, meaning “island of Pelops”.
How did Pelops win the right to marry Hippodamia?
Pelops Wins Hippodamia. To win the bride, a suitor had to defeat Oenomaüs in a chariot race from Pisa to the Isthmus of Corinth, taking Hippodamia in his chariot and starting ahead of Oenomaüs. If Oenomaüs caught up with him, he would kill the suitor and take Hippodamia back. Thirteen suitors had failed before Pelops.
Who was Pelops Greek mythology?
Pelops, legendary founder of the Pelopid dynasty at Mycenae in the Greek Peloponnese, which was probably named for him. Pelops was a grandson of Zeus, the king of the gods. According to many accounts, his father, Tantalus, cooked and served Pelops to the gods at a banquet.
Who cursed Pelops?
Myrtilus
After winning the race in this way, Pelops did not honor the agreement and threw Myrtilus into the sea. As he fell, Myrtilus cursed Pelops and his descendants.
How did Pelops win the hand of Hippodamia?
Pelops Wins Hippodamia. If Oenomaüs caught up with him, he would kill the suitor and take Hippodamia back. Thirteen suitors had failed before Pelops. Pelops prayed to Poseidon for success and won the race with the god’s help.
Is Pelops a demigod?
What is the story of Hippodamia and Pelops?
Hippodamia was the daughter of King Oenomaus. Her father, fearful of a prophecy that claimed he would be killed by his son-in-law, killed eighteen of her suitors after defeating them in a chariot race and affixing their heads to the wooden columns of his palace. Pelops came to ask for her hand and prepared to race Oenomaus.
What is the significance of Pelops in Greek mythology?
In Greek mythology, Pelops ( /ˈpiːlɒps, ˈpɛlɒps/; Greek: Πέλοψ) was king of Pisa in the Peloponnesus. His father, Tantalus, was the founder of the House of Atreus through Pelops’s son of that name. He was venerated at Olympia, where his cult developed into the founding myth of the Olympic Games,…
What did Poseidon do to Pelops?
Pelops. Afterwards, Pelops was reassembled by the gods and brought back to life, while Hephaestus, the blacksmith god, created an ivory shoulder to replace the missing part. Poseidon then made Pelops his apprentice in Olympus and taught him how to steer the divine chariot.
What is the story of Pelops and Demeter?
Pelops’ father was Tantalus, king at Mount Sipylus in Anatolia. Wanting to make an offering to the Olympians, Tantalus cut Pelops into pieces and made his flesh into a stew, then served it to the gods. Demeter, deep in grief after the abduction of her daughter Persephone by Hades, absentmindedly accepted the offering and ate the left shoulder.