This paper discusses how the conflicts between Thyestes and Atreus, two brothers in the ancient Greek kingdom of Mycenae, parallels that with the American Civil War. Although brothers, the two were locked in a continual, bloody, never-ending struggle for power which only ended with the death of Atreus. Similarly, the struggles between North and South could only be settled by war.
History As Myth
This-based Myth Atreus Thyestes In paper I conversational I supposed a myth teacher a continuing education program geared library patrons aged 50+, a conversation actual essay. Below directions assignment: Briefly describe a historical event, a controversy, a world event, a current event, a military group action, a political event group, a religious group action, a similar phenomenon.
Thyestes and Atreus: The great Civil War of Mycenae
Once upon a time, long, long ago there lived two brothers named Thyestes and Atreus. These two brothers were extremely power hungry and even their own father King Pelops was forced to exile them when they killed their half-brother to better their chances to ascend to the throne. Undeterred, the two brothers found another kingdom to dominate, the land of Mycenae. Proving there is no honor amongst thieves; Atreus was determined to be the sole ruler of this new kingdom. One day, he promised the virgin goddess Artemis that he would sacrifice his best lamb to her, if he could be king. Amongst his flocks, he saw a lamb with a beautiful golden fleece. He killed the lamb, but could not bear to part with the fleece and instead hid it away.
Artemis was outraged, and urged Thyestes to make a bet with his brother that whoever had a golden lamb fleece would have the throne for life. Atreus confidently made the bet, but when he went to the chest where he had hidden the lamb fleece, it was gone. Unbeknownst to him, Artemis had helped his brother find it. Now that Atreus was no longer king he was disconsolate. He prayed to Zeus for assistance. Zeus, who favored Atreus, told Atreus to make a bet with his brother that he would give up all claims to the throne, if he could not make the sun run backwards. Thyestes agreed, and with Zeus' help, Atreus made good on his bet.
Atreus thus became king of Mycenae again, but he understandably still held a grudge against his brother. He was sure that Thyestes would be scheming to overthrow him in yet another way -- so he was determined to terrify his brother into submission. To do so, he invited Thyestes to a banquet, along with his brother's young sons. While his brother and he were talking, one of Atreus' manservants captured and killed the two boys. Then, when the feast was presented, Atreus lifted up the cover on the roasting pan to reveal the boys' head and hands.
Thyestes fled, but the war between the two brothers was not over. Thyestes consulted the Oracle, who told him that if he had a son with his one remaining daughter, the son would kill Atreus. It is said that Thyestes' daughter abandoned the boy at birth, who was then raised by Atreus who discovered him. Finally, Thyestes told his son his true nature, and the boy took revenge upon Atreus, thus bringing the bloody lineage of the House of Atreus full circle, and resulting in Thyestes coming to power.
Although Thyestes ultimately assumed control of Mycenae, the story of Atreus is still considered a tale of a cursed house, because of the carnage the power struggle between the two brothers wrought. The story exemplifies what could be called a Pyrrhic victory, a victory with so many casualties the resulting damage is hardly worth the final prize. The story also illustrates the degree to which brother on brother violence can be particularly violent and vengeful. This is seen in many national civil wars, which are often particularly bloody affairs, given how well the opponents know one another, and the level of hatred and animosity between the two sides.
This was certainly true of America's own Civil War. Many of the generals on both sides had been educated at the same schools. They all had similar backgrounds, yet North and South were as bitterly divided as Atreus and Thyestes, and would do anything to win the conflict. The battles were particularly bloody and acrimonious: "In two days at Shiloh, on the banks of the Tennessee River, more American men fell than in all the previous American wars combined. At Cold Harbor, some 7,000 Americans fell in twenty minutes" (The war: The crossroads of our being, 2002, The Civil War). Each side was willing to do everything it could to win: the South was willing to risk everything, despite having a considerable disadvantage in terms of manpower and natural resources; the Union General Sherman was willing to burn Atlanta to the ground to ensure that federal control over the recalcitrant states was secured.
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