Aegisthus facts for kids

Aegisthus (pronounced Eye-GIS-thus) was an important character in Greek mythology. We learn about Aegisthus mainly from two ancient Greek stories. The first is Homer's Odyssey, written around the late 700s BC. The second is from Aeschylus's play Oresteia, written in the 400s BC. Aegisthus also appears in Euripides's play Electra from about 420 BC, though he isn't seen on stage.

Family and Early Life

Aegisthus was the son of Thyestes and Pelopia. His father, Thyestes, had a long-standing rivalry with the family of Atreus over who should rule the kingdom of Mycenae.

When Aegisthus was born, his mother, Pelopia, left him alone. He was found and raised by shepherds. He was even fed by a goat, which is how he got his name Aegisthus. The name comes from a Greek word meaning "male goat."

Later, Atreus, who didn't know Aegisthus was his nephew, took him in and raised him as his own son.

The Death of Atreus

Pelopia had left Aegisthus a special sword. Atreus, still fighting with his brother Thyestes, sent Aegisthus to kill Thyestes. However, the sword Aegisthus carried helped Thyestes recognize him as his son.

Instead of killing his father, Aegisthus returned and ended the life of his uncle Atreus. This happened while Atreus was performing a sacrifice by the sea. After Atreus's death, Aegisthus and his father, Thyestes, took control of Mycenae.

Ruling Mycenae

Aegisthus and Thyestes ruled Mycenae together. They sent Atreus's sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus, away to Sparta. In Sparta, King Tyndareus gave his daughters, Clytemnestra and Helen, to Agamemnon and Menelaus as wives.

Agamemnon and Clytemnestra had four children: a son named Orestes, and three daughters named Iphigenia, Electra, and Chrysothemis.

After King Tyndareus died, Menelaus became the king of Sparta. Menelaus then used the Spartan army to remove Aegisthus and Thyestes from Mycenae. He placed Agamemnon on the throne. Agamemnon became a very powerful ruler in Greece.

The Trojan War and Its Aftermath

When Helen was taken to Troy, Agamemnon had to lead the Greek forces in the Trojan War. To make the gods happy before sailing to Troy, Agamemnon had to sacrifice his own daughter, Iphigenia.

While Agamemnon was away fighting in the war, his wife Clytemnestra became close with Aegisthus. When Agamemnon finally returned to Mycenae, Aegisthus and Clytemnestra planned together and ended Agamemnon's life.

Aegisthus then ruled Mycenae for seven years. He and Clytemnestra had a son named Aletes, and two daughters, Erigone and Helen.

In the eighth year of Aegisthus's rule, Orestes, Agamemnon's son, came back to Mycenae. Orestes took revenge for his father's death by killing both Aegisthus and Clytemnestra. After this, Orestes had to leave Mycenae, pursued by the Furies, who were goddesses of vengeance.

Aletes became king for a short time until Orestes returned years later and killed him. Orestes later married Aegisthus's daughter, Erigone.

See Also

In Spanish: Egisto para niños