PE'LOPS (Lat.. from Gk. In Greek legend, the son of Tantalus, King of Phrygia. His father was especially loved of the gods. but at a feast at which they were present he slew and served to them his sun. The gods, recognizing the nature of the food, refused it. with the ex ception of Demeter. who, absorbed in grief at the loss of her daughter, devoured a shoulder. At the command of Zeus, Hermes threw the members into a caldron from which Clotho drew the boy restored to life, while Demeter replaced the lost shoulder by one of ivory. Later legend toll of the love of Poseidon for the beautiful youth, and his gift of winged horse of matchless speed, by whose aid and the treachery of Myrtilus he was enabled to win the hand of llippodamia. daughter of tEnomans, King of Elis. Each suitor was re quired to take Ilippodamia in his chariot and start from I dympia for Corinth, while (Enomaus offered a sacrifice to Zeus and then pursued. As his horses were a gift of the gods, lie had hitherto overtaken and slain thirteen luckless lovers. Pelops bribed Myrtiln-. (Enoman,.. to
draw the lynch-pin. and thus secured the victory and the death of (Enomaus Ile. however, re fused to pay Myrtilus hi, reward. and even C:1.4 hint into the sea. wherefore )yrtilus cursed the whole race of Pelops. It may be observed that the Homerie poems know nothing of this curse and the subsequent horrors, which furnished so much material to the Attie dramatists. While the or dinary versions localized this story at Olympia. and associated the Olympic games with Pelops. there are many indications that the race was in some versions eonsidered as crossing the water to or from Lesbos. (lf the later fortunes of Pelops many versions were current. He was the father by Hippodalnia of Atreus. Thyestes, and other children. and by Axiothe of Chrysippus. who was carried off by of Thebes, or murdered by his jealous brothers and stepmother. thus begin ning the woes of the family. At Olympia Pelops was especially honored in a sacred inclosure. the Pelopion, where a black wether was yearly of fered.