#alkathous

[sarafangirlart]

Alcathous’s name has so many different spellings it’s annoying lol

[moonstruckdraws]

The Decayed Heart Bleeds

Pelops rides his chariot pulled by the swift, winged steeds—gifts of Poseidon—near the mound Taraxippus that is made in honor of the angry spirit Myrtilus. Though this spirit is not who Pelops seeks.

Word of injured charioteers and destroyed chariots reached the king's ears. Horses that sped off in fear have been sighted in places all over the Peloponnese from Elis to Pylos. It was not surprising, as the trail near the mound has caused such ruckus before the death of former king of Pisa Oenomaus; however, it is peculiar to Pelops that it has continued on after those events. Pelops himself experienced first-hand the angered spirit upon his first arrival to Pisa; his soul nearly leaving his body when confronted by the spirit that appeared out of thin air. Great Pelops' skills in charioting did not fail him as he masterfully steered his steeds to avoid a crash and the apparition. Back then, Pelops did not know who the spirit was, only that he looked wretched, full of anger. Holes in his chiton and skin—left leg, left arm, center chest—that could almost show the other side. Pelops has yet to meet another with such hollow, disdainful eyes.

Yet once he was far enough, the weight of the spirit's presence was no more, and the young man forgot of the encounter.

After winning the heart and race for his wife Hippodamia—and the death of her father wicked Oenomaus—her wish was honored by Pelops to give her previous suitors a proper burial, for it was a desire of his own to achieve as well. It was on that day that Hippodamia told the names and home of each suitor that attempted to win her hand; that night, taken over by nightmares, she described each of their deaths to her husband. Her second suitor Alkathous was killed with three spears: the first struck his left leg in the calf, though he held the reigns steady in an iron grip; the second hit his left arm, causing the chariot to swerve and tip over; and the final spear pierced the center of his chest while he attempted to reach out for her. She pauses for a moment, parting her lips to speak, but no words come out like a secret. Instead, she kissed the hand in hers while whispering an affirmation to him. However, Pelops thoughts felt clouded, as though he was missing a dangling fruit from the lowest branch that was also invisible. The placements of those spears made Pelops' head turn and spin in familiarity for the following days, but he did not understand why. That is until he heard his wife shriek.

His fear carried his legs to find his distressed wife, finding her weeping heartfelt tears at the graves of her suitors. All sprouted flowers of the most vibrant shades at a rate that it could not have been anything other than divinely grown. Pelops embraced his wife from where she had fell to her knees on the grass. It was in that moment that he fully realized that angered spirit he sped pass was none other than Alkathous. The graves were surrounded by flowers of various colors, with Alkathous' having a shade of orange. Pelops stares at the suitor's grave.

There were fungi around only his grave.

Pelops lands his grand chariot with winged steeds, having them pull the chariot on the trail. Hooves clatter against dirt and pebbles with such swiftness that it leaves clouds of dust behind him. Pelops steels himself when he passes the first remains of a chariot. A heavy pressure starting to weigh down on his shoulders and back. It makes his ivory shoulder sprout pain down his arm. Escaping is always on the table, made easy with his flying horses, though the last thing he needs is for this pressure to crush his bones when taking flight. And the last thing he wants is to leave this matter unrested. Slowing down when the trail becomes cluttered with the remains of chariots, Pelops tugs on the reigns, drawing the chariot to a full stop. The pressure presses in almost immediately; it near suffocating that he finds it to be a miracle he can breathe. When attempting to speak, his throat locks up, causing him to gag on air. His eyes burn with small tears that he blinks away as he attempts again, calling out in a shout:

"Alkathous, son of Porthaon, brother to Oeneus king of Calydon, show yourself to me with all your rage and restlessness so that I may appease it!" His voice carrying through the intense pressure across the trail.

Then, before the king of Peloponnesus' very eyes, the apparition of wretched Alkathous appears. His form is the same as it was before—unchanged—with holes still torn in his chiton and skin. The suitor's dark himation is hardly secure on his body, yet it clings onto him as if woven into his flesh. His hair is dark, yet hard to decern if that is the true color of his hair. Dirt and grim is embedded in his hair and body. His entire person is hard to see, hard to identify, all except the hollow eyes that glare at Pelops. Despite the emptiness, it is the most alive part of him, burning all the same with fury and disdain.

The pressurized air allows for no breeze to push the tall blades of grass or cause their cloaks to billow. The phantom of Alkathous looks up at Pelops who remains in his chariot, seeming ready to flee if the situation goes hopelessly sour—yet despite being the one on the ground, Pelops feels like he is the one straining his neck.

"That is who you are, is it not?" Pelops speaks out into the heavy air, still needing to raise his voice for noise to leave his throat.

"Stranger, you know my name. My brother and father's too. Is it that I have not been forgotten, or are you a God that knows of me? You, who has horses with mighty wings, I saw how fast they carry you." The apparition speaks clearer than Pelops assumed he would, but the overwhelming sensation of his voice is from how it sounds like he is speaking everywhere around him at once. A voice that carries the rasp of a man with blood in his throat. A voice that, while not a shout, still sounds loud and dangerous.

It drives the king to respond, "I am no God, friend. These steeds of mine were gifts from Earth-shaker Poseidon. And I assure you; not enough time has gone by for you to be forgotten, for you are mourned by those that love you."

"Keep those that knew of me out of my memories. Anger and pain are all my thoughts now; it is all that is there for a wretched soul like mine. "I remember your face. You have crossed through here before, and now you have returned. Skilled you are in steering your horses, impressive then and still now. "Those Godly steeds will carry you through this heavy air, I can tell, so be on your way before you or your chariot is crushed." The wretched spirit declares with hints of mercy in his hollow, rageful eyes.

A form of mercy, he offers, by not pursuing Pelops' chariot if he attempts to flee, but that does not satisfy Pelops. Seeing the fury in Alkathous' eyes brings out anger in him, tightening his grip on the reigns. His shoulder rattles lightly from the weighted air; he does not have time to waste, especially not to being prompted to leave.

"Cease that tone you use!" His voice louder and more forceful, "Have you not felt your body at ease? You have been properly buried with your head! Venturing to the gates of Hades should be easy for you now that you can pay tribute to the ferryman! Does this not appease you? "Would the news of former king of Pisa Oenomaus being dead be enough to end the fury you hold in your heart?"

Pelops' body trembles from the long-lasting pressurized air, but also from anger. Anger from seeing the phantom unmoved by his words, despite being told of his murderer's death.

"What is it that binds you to this trail? Speak plainly to me! And hold back not a word!"

The wretched apparition seems to stiffen in his vague form. His hollow eyes look away from Pelops, and that pressure—while not fully gone—feels all the lighter. The suitor's face, before full of only disdain and malice, now holds one of emotional pain. His brows are knit together with a grimace on his face and his hands clenching tight enough to draw the blood he does not have. His lips as flat as a line that holds back a secret, reminding Pelops of his wife's face when she spoke of her suitors' deaths. This forces Pelops' anger to extinguish, instead fueling the fire of his resolve to pacify this soul, not only for his wife, but for the honor of the ghost before him.

With newfound control, his voice softer—easier to speak quieter without such crushing pressure—he speaks winged words:

"Please, Alkathous, my friend. "Tell me what holds you here. I wish to see you in anger and pain no longer. You never deserved such a fate from the start."

The dark apparition hears the king's plea; the softness in his voice holds true concern and conviction to help. Faced with such genuine care, Alkathous could not deny speaking the truth any longer.

"She got hurt."

Pelops' brows furrow slightly at the woman in question, but quick to assume it was—

"Hippodamia. Daughter of Oenomaus. "The one you sought the hand of—to save."

Alkathous' ghost flinches at the daughter of Oenomaus' name. A name that has not graced his ears for what felt like decades. His hollowed chest regains a light pressure that has nothing to do with the pressurized hatred in the air. Nostalgia. Remembrance. Love. He loved her, just like all the other brave souls that wished for her as his wife.

The spirit still faces away from Pelops, instead looking over his horses. Remembering her name:

"Hippo...damia." He tests the name, hesitant. As though pain would strike him if he were to, or a curse would fall over her. But he says it again. "Hippodamia..." A lighter tone that holds enough bittersweetness to make salt taste sweeter.

It is enough for Pelops to feel like he has not seen his wife in years. Such yearning and guilt in his voice.

"The race. It seems like you have heard of it." Alkathous manages to move on from the fair lady's name, despite looking as though he wanted to keep saying it. Seeing Pelops nod at his words, he continues on, "I was the second man to try for her hand after Marmax. That king's steeds were an intimidating sight, said to be bestowed onto him from Manslaughtering Ares. Yet despite knowing of his divine steeds, and of Marmax' end, I still chose to seek her love. "Maybe it seems foolish to do to you, stranger, but her beauty was unmatched, much like her charm. The sadness you would see on her face would be enough for any man to reach out and console her. "I thought I could be that man."

The pause that follows after the phantom's words is enough for Pelops to move off his chariot and embrace his wife's suitor, but he stays in place, knowing better.

The living cannot touch the dead.

Instead, he stays where he is and bites back words to hear the rest.

"I wished to ease her—Hippodamia—of that sadness that plagued her being. She told me of her trouble with her father, of her desire to leave, to be married. She was desperate, frantic. I have never seen such fear, and it has never looked so wrong on a person's face. "The way she gripped the chariot and onto me told me all I already knew. The death of Marmax struck true fear into her heart. 'I need to save you,' I thought. "I told her promises I could not keep—that I should not have made. She was too close to me, and that is when I realize how wicked her father was."

His voice becomes fueled by rage just as his eyes reconnect to Pelops' gaze—the pressure more intense than when Alkathous first appeared. Pelops grunts aloud as his ivory shoulder sends pain down his entire arm and neck. Luck shines down on him as the reignited spirit turns himself away in his bout of anger.

"He hurled a spear right between us! It passed by me unscathed but grazed her arm! Oh, the yelp she cried out was the most terrible sound that has ever entered my ears! It haunts me, even now!"

Pelops feels his gut curl in horror and then boils in fury. He knows of that scar, inevitable on their wedding night, but not through sight. The number of scars of his own made it easy to feel the damaged skin on the back of her arm, yet she never showed it to him. He wonders if these were the words she could not tell him. He already assumed it was caused by treacherous Oenomaus, but hearing of its origin did not make it easier to digest. Pelops could only swallow the fast-coursing anger, for there was no place to use it. That king is now dead.

The phantom holds up his hands that appear to be shaking, but his entire form was trembling in and out of sight from his rage. Clenching his fists, that rage turned to pain, and that pain to sorrow.

"I was a fool to not realize how terrifying her first ride with Marmax must have been. In that moment, the fear stormed over me as well. "My left leg was speared soon after as I kept Hippodamia from falling out the chariot. It pierced straight through and into the metal. "There was no way to run off anymore. "I kept the reigns in my hands, driving over this very trail when the second spear flew. It went through my arm and into the neck of my steed, hurling us to the ground. "I do not remember much after that. Only my failure to keep her safe. The pain she suffered... "That is what keeps me here."

With no more words left to be said, Pelops steps down from his chariot of winged steeds. The phantom's pressure is no longer torturous—but ever-present—yet Pelops crosses the gap between them as though there is no weight at all.

Each step he takes, he feels another emotion of the wretched soul: Malice; Pain; Shame; Hopelessness; Torment; Fear; and lastly Guilt. So much guilt. Up close, the weary, wretched spirit has never looked more human. And so Pelops spoke:

"She said you reached out to her in your final moments." He places a hand over his own heart, mimicking the wound in the phantom's chest.

"You have spoken to her?" The spirit says in surprise and immediate attention.

"I have," Pelops nods, "I have told you the former king is no more, for I beat him at his game, and he perished from it."

The spirit's mouth hangs agape; his hands teetering from the urge to grab Pelops' shoulders and knowing nothing will come of trying.

"Who are you, stranger?" He inquires instead.

"Forgive me! My introduction has been lackluster. I am Pelops, son of Tantalus, king of Pisa and the Peloponnese. "Husband of Hippodamia."

Alkathous is on the verge of tears—his frame trembling from such news.

"She is safe."

Pelops nods, making the spirit shed more tears of relief than he thought he ever would. He cries out so loud, the nearest people are brought to sudden tears.

"Please, let this be enough to move you. Harm those who pass by no more. Cause no more crashes and sorrow. Pay your toll at the entrance to Hades and rest like all the other brave men that wished to save our dear Hippodamia."

With these words, Alkathous wipes his face of his tears, looking upon Pelops with a smile that has not graced anyone in years—a smile that charmed the fair lady.

"You have given me the greatest blessing, Pelops!"

"It is the honor and respect all of you brave suitors deserve. "It is time to move, friend."

"Yes..." Alkathous smiles wider with eyes no longer hollow. The pain in them still present, and forever will be, but the ease in his form and the gentleness in the air speak of peace. "It is, friend and king."

The spirit's head blooms a wreath of flowers—a floral crown in vibrant shades of orange.

If Pelops had blinked in that moment he would have missed it, just as he missed the sight of the spirit disappear.

Hippodamia sits before her suitors' graves. The sight of their ever-beautiful flowers brings a level of peace that makes it easy to look at each one with pleasant thoughts.

A pressure she did not even notice slowly lifts from her shoulders—a weight that has been on her so long that it became normal. Her gaze is drawn to her second suitor's grave that is decorated with orange flowers. It appearing as though the fungi that were once there never existed, and she forever will never know of them.

The air is light and the wind is able to push the grass.

[sarafangirlart]

Hippodamia’s fallen suitors

Thought I could make a thread about each individual suitor, no real reason. The first time we hear of them is in this Hesiodic fragment:

Hesiod, The Great Eoiae Fragment 10 (from Pausanias 6.21.10) (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or 7th B.C.) :

"According to the poem the Great Eoiai, these were killed by Oinomaos (Oenomaus) : Alkathous (Alcathous) the son of Porthaon next after Marmax, and after Alkathous, Euryalos, Eurymakhos (Eurymachus) and Krotalos (Crotalus). The man killed next after them, Akrias (Acrias), we should judge to have been a Lakedaimonian (Lacedaemonian) and founder of Akria. And after Akrias, they say, Kapetos (Capetus) was done to death by Oinomaos, and Lykourgos (Lycurgus), Lasios, Khalcodon (Chalcodon) and Trikolonos (Tricolonus) . . And after Trikolonos fate overtook Aristomakhos and Prias on the course, as also Pelagon and Aiolios (Aeolius) and Kronios (Cronius)."

Two more are added In Pausanias Descriptions of Greece:

“Some add to the aforesaid Erythras, the son of Leucon, the son of Athamas, after whom was named Erythrae in Boeotia, and Eioneus, the son of Magnes the son of Aeolus.”

So there were 18 of them.

Marmax

Hippodamia’s very first suitor, we don’t know much about him, only source to give us any details about him is in Pausanias Descriptions of Greece (he actually provides us a lot of info about the other suitors too):

“Going on from this point you come to the water of Parthenia, and by the river is the grave of the mares of Marmax. The story has it that this Marmax was the first suitor of Hippodameia to arrive, and that he was killed by Oenomaus before the others; that the names of his mares were Parthenia and Eripha; that Oenomaus slew the mares after Marmax, but granted burial to them also, and that the river received the name Parthenia from the mare of Marmax.”

What I find funny about this is that we are told the names of his horses but not the names of his parents or even where he’s from lol, I couldn’t even find what the name Marmax means, but I did find out that Parthenia means maiden which is cute it’s basically the modern equivalent of naming your pet Princess/Lady, compare and contrast that with how Hades names his horses lol

Another thing that’s interesting is that Marmax only has two mares, traditionally Chariot races have four horses and even in art Oenomaus and Pelops have four horses each. No wonder Marmax lost lmaooo

Alcathous

I’ve seen like three spellings of his name lol, anyway, his name derives from the Greek (alke) meaning "strength, prowess, force" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, swift". So ig his name means swift strength? Cool.

Alcathous was the brother of Oeneus the guy who got knowingly cucked by Dionysus who was the King of Calydon and friend to Bellerophon in the Iliad. That would make Alcathous the son of Porthaon which makes him a prince (tho I’ve found no mention of a mother). Something interesting about this suitor is that his killer isn’t always Oenomaus and that he wasn’t even a suitor of Hippodamia at all according to The Library, Apollodorus:

“When Tydeus had grown to be a gallant man he was banished for killing, as some say, Alcathous, brother of Oeneus”

Kinda lame yes, but he makes up for it by being a vengeful ghost in Pausanias Descriptions of Greece:

“There is also a story that Pelops made here an empty mound in honor of Myrtilus, and sacrificed to him in an effort to calm the anger of the murdered man, naming the mound Taraxippus （Frightener of horses） because the mares of Oenomaus were frightened by the trick of Myrtilus. Some say that it is Oenomaus himself who harms the racers in the course. I have also heard some attach the blame to Alcathus, the son of Porthaon. Killed by Oenomaus because he wooed Hippodameia, Alcathus, they say, here got his portion of earth; having been unsuccessful on the course, he is a spiteful and hostile deity to chariot-drivers.”

Idk if it’s a translation thing but it’s kinda funny how the wording here implies that Alcathous was killed bc he flirted with Hippodamia rather than bc he lost in a race, might be incorrect but it gives a little characterization.

Now… another thing that I’ve found out that’s absolutely INSANE is that Pelops and Hippodamia named one of their sons after him PELOPS AND HIPPODAMIA HAVE A SON NAMED ALCATHOUS and he wasn’t even just some guy who exits for a more important character’s genealogy NO! He’s a warrior who killed the Lion of Cithaeron that in other sources was killed by Heracles. Pausanias Descriptions of Greece:

“Such is the account of the Megarians; but although I wish my account to agree with theirs, yet I cannot accept everything they say. I am ready to believe that a lion was killed by Alcathous on Cithaeron”

Yeah the dead Alcathous definitely passed on some of his aura to his fiancé’s child. I actually really like this bc it goes with my interpretation that Hippodamia thinks fondly of her suitors and mourns for them, yet her father keeps forcing her into participating in these races.

Euryalus, Eurymachus, Crotalus

Euryalus’ name means “broad”

Eurymachus’ name means “Broad Battle”

Crotalus’ name means “rattle” and is actually the name a genus of pit vipers, specifically rattlesnakes and… and…

Acrias

Thankfully we have some info on this guy, who seems to have been the ruler/founder of the town of Acriae. Pausanias being frustrated about not finding info on the previous three suitors is so me lmao

Pausanias Descriptions of Greece:

According to the epic poem called the Great Eoeae the next after Marmax to be killed by Oenomaus was Alcathus, son of Porthaon; after Alcathus came Euryalus, Eurymachus and Crotalus. Now the parents and fatherlands of these I was unable to discover, but Acrias, the next after them to be killed, one might guess to have been a Lacedemonian and the founder of Acriae.

If I could make an educated guess, I assume that Acrias was the son of King Lacedaemon and Queen Sparta (yes Sparta was named after a baddie) but that’s just my theory.

Capetus

Once again… I’ve come up empty…. I can’t even find the meaning of his name lol

Lycurgus

Also nothing but his name means “Wolf Deed” which is raw af

Lasios

His name means “shaggy”… I think we all have a general idea of what he looks like.

Chalcodon

Not much on him tho I have seen him confused with Chalcodon son of Abas which doesn’t make sense bc that Chalcodon married a different woman and had children. His name is also all over the place, it either means "copper tooth" or "iron tooth" or "like bronze", bro just pick one metal lmao

Tricolonus

Finally someone with a little something going on lol Pausanias Descriptions of Greece:

“Tricolonus, who, according to the Arcadians, was the descendant and namesake of Tricolonus, the son of Lycaon.”

Yes, THAT Lycaon, the werewolf of Greek mythology. Which also tells us that Tricolonus was an Arcadian prince. His name means “three-hilled” which like… ok?

Aristomachos

His name means “best in battle” couldn’t best Oenomaus that’s for sure.

Prias

Can’t even find the fucking meaning of his name I’m starting to think Alcathous raised my standards too much I keep getting disappointed. Plus it keeps trying to autocorrect to Priam lol

Pelagon

At first I thought there was nothing to this guy, but he’s actually the only suitor (to be named) to actually have a depiction in art:

His name means "of the ocean" and head is right above Hippodamia and who I assume is her nurse. What’s interesting is that he’s wearing a Phrygian cap, which implies he’s a foreigner (likely from Pelagonia). Could it be that Pelagon crossed her mind when she saw Pelops, who was from Phrygia? Especially since they likely wore similar attire?

Aeolius

His name means "quick-moving, nimble", clearly he wasn’t quick enough, or at least his horses weren’t.

Cronius

His name means “of Cronos” and is actually an epithet of Zeus… speaking of Zeus, in the same vase painting as the one with Pelagon there’s a head labeled Periphas, which means “conspicuousness” and is also the name of Zeus’s eagle, could it be that Períphās was an alternative name for Cronius?

What’s even more disturbing about this painting (other than the decapitated head) is that Pelops and Oenomaus are standing next to an altar of Zeus… Oenomaus decapitated a man who was named after Zeus and put it on the god’s altar. Was this some sort of sick joke??? I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a lost fringe version where Zeus kicked Pelops out of Olympus as part of an elaborate plan to kill Oenomaus for this insult.

Erythras

His name means “Red” and no this one is not the son of Perseus, he’d be a baby at the time, at best lol. This Erythras was the founder Erythrae in Boeotia and the son of Leucon, a son of Themisto by either Athamas or Poseidon. This Athamas was the husband of Ino, yes that Ino.

Eioneus

Last but not least, Eioneus! He was the son of a man named Magnes son of Aeolus, apparently there’s a little more info about his family is a scholia of Euripides Phoenician women but I couldn’t find an English translation. Couldn’t even find the meaning of his name lol

Conclusions!

So that’s that! We as a society tend to be annoyed about Ancient Greek literature going on and on about random background characters and their families when it serves nothing to the plot, but at the same time knowing a little bit about them helps ground the story, this soldier/warrior is just some guy yes but he’s a guy who lived a life, had friends, family, hopes and dreams, they wanted to accomplish more but lost their lives in the process.

Something as little as knowing their names humanizes them, they aren’t statistics they’re human beings and that’s what makes the story all the more tragic.