Pelops

In Greek mythology, Pelops (/;pi;l;ps, ;p;l;ps/; Greek: ;;;;;) was king of Pisa in the Peloponnesus region (;;;;;;;;;;;;, lit. "Pelops' Island"). His father, Tantalus, was the founder of the House of Atreus through Pelops's son of that name.

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).

Pelops

His chtonic nature
Was deep and dark,
But deep inside he had a spark,
He was two-faced, his face a riddle,
And in the night he was the middle.
His games were furious and wild,
Of solemn Moon he was a child.