PELOPS, a hero of Greek mythology, was the grandson of Zeus, son of Tantalus and Dione, and brother of Niobe. His father’s home was on Mount Sipylus in Asia Minor, whence Pelops is spoken of as a Lydian or a Phrygian, or even as a Paphlagonian. Tantalus was a friend and companion of the gods, and one day he served up to them his own son boiled and cut in pieces. The gods detected the crime, and none of them would partake except Demeter (according to others Thetis), who, distracted by the loss of her daughter Persephone, ate of the shoulder. The gods restored Pelops to life, and the shoulder consumed by Demeter was replaced by one of ivory. Wherefore the descendants of Pelops had a white mark on their shoulder ever after. This tale is perhaps a reminiscence of human sacrifice, of which numerous traces remain in Greek legend and history. Poseidon admired Pelops, the beautiful boy, and carried him off to Olympus, where he dwelt with the gods, till, for his father’s sins, he was cast out from heaven. Then, taking much wealth with him, he crossed over from Asia to Greece. He went to Pisa in Elis as suitor of Hippodamia, daughter of King Oenomaus, who had already vanquished in the chariotrace and slain many suitors for his daughter’s hand. But by the help of Poseidon, who lent him winged steeds, or of Oenomaus’s charioteer Myrtilus, whom he or Hippodamia bribed, Pelops was victorious in the race, wedded Hippodamia, and became king of Pisa. Pelops’s race for his wife was a favourite subject of Greek poetry and art. It may be a confused recollection of the custom of wife-snatching prevalent in early times. When Myrtilus claimed his promised reward, Pelops flung him into the sea near Geraestus in Eubaea, and from his dying curse sprang those crimes and sorrows of the ...