1000 Classical Characters Briefly Described

Who was Iphigenia? What did Cincinnatus do? A thousand gods, heroes and tyrants of the classical world, each explained in the time it takes to read a text message.

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Oenomaus

King of Pisa, in Elis, and father of Hippodamia. He was told by the oracle that he would perish by his son-in-law. Being skillful in driving a chariot, he announced that he would give his daughter in marriage only to someone who could defeat him in a race, death being the result to those who were defeated. After a number of aspirants had contended and failed, Pelops, son of Tantalus, entered the lists, and by bribing the charioteer of Oenomaus, who provided a chariot with a broken axle-tree, Pelops won the race, and married Hippodamia becoming king of Persia. Oenomaus was killed in the race.

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