Thyestes

Thyestes was the son of Pelops, king of Olympia, and Hippodamia. He and his twin brother Atreus were exiled by their father for murdering their half-brother, Chrysippus, in their desire for the throne of Olympia. They took refuge in Mycenae, where they took the throne in the absence of King Eurystheus. Thyestes tricked his brother into giving him full rule, although Atreus later re-took the throne and banished Thyestes. When Atreus learned of Thyestes’ adultery with his own wife, Aerope, he took revenge by cooking Thyestes’ two sons and serving them up to him. Thyestes then had a son, Aegisthus, with his own daughter, Pelopia, following an oracle’s advice that such a son would one day kill Atreus, which indeed he did. Thyestes and Aegisthus ruled over Mycenae jointly, exiling Atreus’ sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus, to Sparta (although Menelaus and Agamemnon later returned to overthrow Aegisthus and Thyestes).