Thyeste´an Revenge, blood for blood, tit for tat of bloody vengeance.
1. Thyestês seduced the wife of his brother, Atreus (2 syl.), for which he was banished. In his banishment he carried off his brother’s son, Plisthĕnês, whom he brought up as his own child. When the boy was grown to manhood, he sent him to assassinate Atreus, but Atreus slew Plisthenês, not knowing him to be his son. The corresponding vengeance was this: Thyestês had a son named. Ægisthos, who was brought up by King Atreus as his own child. When Ægisthos was grown to manhood, the king sent him to assassinate Thyestês, but the young man slew Atreus instead.
2. Atreus slew his own son, Plisthenês, thinking him to be his brother’s child. When he found out his mistake, he pretended to be reconciled to his brother, and asked him to a banquet. Thyestês went to the feast, and ate part of his own two sons, which had been cooked, and were set before him by his brother.
3. Thyestês defiled the wife of his brother, Atreus, and Atreus married Pelopia, the unwedded wife of his brother, Thyestês. It was the son of this woman by Thyestês who murdered Atreus (his uncle and father-in-law).
⁂ The tale of Atreus and that of Œdĭpus are the two most lamentable stories of historic fiction, and in some points resemble each other: Thus Œdipus married his mother, not knowing who she was; Thyestês seduced his daughter, not knowing who she was. Œdipus slew his father, not knowing who he was; Atreus slew his son, not knowing who he was. Œdipus was driven from his throne by the sons born to him by his own mother; Atreus [At´.ruce] was killed by the natural son of his own wife.
Thymbræ´an God (The), Apollo; so called from a celebrated temple raised to his honor on a hill near the river Thymbrĭus.
The Thymbræan god
With Mars I saw and Pallas.
Dantê, Purgatory, xii. (1308).
Thymert, priest and guardian of Guenn. Beloved by the fisherfolk, and secretly in love with his beautiful ward. He finds her drowned on the shore of his island home.--Blanche Willis Howard, Guenn (1883).