ATREUS, in Greek legend, son of Pelops and Hippodameia, elder brother of Thyestes and king of Mycenae. His wife Aerope was seduced by Thyestes, who was driven from Mycenae. To avenge himself, Thyestes sent Pleisthenes (Atreus's son whom Thyestes had brought up as his own) to kill Atreus, but Pleisthenes was himself slain by his own father. After this Atreus, apparently reconciled to his brother, recalled him to Mycenae and set before him the flesh of his son whom Atreus had slain. Thyestes fled in horror. Subsequently Atreus married the daughter of Thyestes, Pelopia, mother of Aegisthus (q.v.). Thyestes was found by Aga memnon and Menelaus, the sons of Atreus, and imprisoned at Mycenae. Aegisthus being sent to murder Thyestes, mutual recog nition took place, and Atreus was slain by the father and son, who seized the throne, and drove Agamemnon and Menelaus out of the country. Atreus is generally identified with the Attarissiyas of the Boghaz-Keui tablets.