Ovid’s Metamorphoses #040/111: “Pelops”

What this project is about.  

This one is from Book 6.

How long it took to read this (aloud): 0 mins 49s

What it’s “about”: 

A human shows off where the gods put him back together, all “Six Million Dollar Man” after his dad (Tantalus) wasn’t so nice…

Words I didn’t know: xx

Quotable quotes: 

At birth both shoulders were of fleshy color, 

But when his father had dismembered him, 

(So rumour said) the gods repaired the damage, 

All parts restored, except a missing part 

Between a jugular vein and left arm joint, 

There ivory took its place: Pelops was whole.

How it lands to my eco-sensibility: xx

Obvious allusions, ways it was used (that I am aware of already) : xx

What I know I didn’t ‘get’: 

In Greek mythology, Pelops (/ˈpiːlɒps, ˈpɛlɒps/; Ancient Greek: Πέλοψ, romanized: Pélops) was king of Pisa in the Peloponnesus region (Πελοπόννησος, lit. “Pelops’s Island”). He was the son of Tantalus and the father of Atreus.

He was venerated at Olympia, where his cult developed into the founding myth of the Olympic Games, the most important expression of unity, not only for the people of Peloponnesus, but for all Hellenes. At the sanctuary at Olympia, chthonic night-time libations were offered each time to “dark-faced” Pelops in his sacrificial pit (bothros) before they were offered in the following daylight to the sky-god Zeus (Burkert 1983:96).

https://www.greeklegendsandmyths.com/pelops.html

Pelops and the Banquet of Tantalus

Tantalus was in a privileged position, and was privy to some of his father’s plan, this though made him conceited, and taken to exceeding the boundaries expected of mortals. On one occasion Tantalus even went as far as playing a “joke” upon the gods. Tantalus invited all of the gods of Mount Olympus to a fantastic banquet, and for some unknown reason, Tantalus decided that the main course would be made from the body parts of his own son Pelops. Thus Pelops was killed and cut up before being served to the gods. All bar Demeter, amongst the gods saw what Tantalus had done, and refused to eat, but Demeter was distracted, for her daughter Persephone had gone missing, and automatically took a bite from the meal in front of her.

The gods would bring Pelops back to life, but one bone was missing, the shoulder having been consumed by Demeter, and so the goddess crafted a replacement bone from ivory.

When Pelops was brought back to life he was an improved version of himself, for the work of the gods had made him more handsome than before.

The actions of Tantalus was said to be the starting point for the curse placed upon the House of Atreus; and whilst ultimately Tantalus would be punished in Tartarus for eternity, his children would suffer also for Niobe would witness the slaughter of her children, and Broteas self-immolated.  

To my knowledge, who’s used it why/how (RACC): xx

Further research questions: xx

Anything else: xx