Myrtilus
mythological figure · 3 works · 3 mentions · 4 anchored passages
son of Hermes
in the texts
Orations
Mythological charioteer, son of Hermes, involved in the Pelops-Oenomaus chariot race myth.
For it is not Pelops who pursues, nor Oenomaus, nor Myrtilus — the one second in descent from Zeus, the other a son of Hermes — nor is the decision about kingship or a wife or death, but the contest is of slaves over chance money, now defeated, now victorious, ever the same — if he should say this, what will you say?
Orestes
A charioteer murdered by Pelops, whose death is presented by the Chorus and Electra as the origin of the curse on the house of Atreus.
They saw infatuate ruin, the chase of winged steeds, when Pelops in four-horse chariot drove over the sea, hurling the body of murdered Myrtilus into the ocean swell, after his race near Geraestus’ strand, foam-flecked from the tossing sea.
by avenging fiends, this house has fallen, fallen, through blood, by reason of the hurling Myrtilus from the chariot.
Electra
The figure whose destruction after Pelops' race marks the origin of continuing sorrows in the house.
For ever since Myrtilus sank to rest beneath the waves, hurled to utter destruction from his golden chariot in disgraceful outrage, from that time to this, outrage and its many sorrows were never yet gone from this house.