Aeschylus
Aeschylus was alive from roughly 525 BCE to 455 BCE. During his life, he became known as the founder of greek tragedy. This was mostly due to the fact, that he was the first writer to add a second actor, meaning that two characters could have a conversation, instead of one protagonist conversing with the chorus at all times. It is estimated that Aeschylus wrote over seventy plays in his lifetime, many of which came in first place during the City of Dionysia tragedy competions. Of these seventy or so plays, only seven survive, today the most famous and timeless being his trilogy The Oresteia, which documents the events of Agamemnon's murder and Orestes revenge on Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.The Oresteia was first entered into the City of Dionysia in 558 BCE, where it mostlikely won first place. The trilogy consists of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides, and a satyr play known as Proteus.
Agamemnon
Aschylus’ version of Agamemnon begins with a prologue delivered by the watchman of the palace in Mycenae. He describes how Agamemnon had left ten years ago to fight in the Trojan War. The watchman notices a fire burning in the distance and exits to alert Clytemnestra that her husband is about to return. At this moment, the chorus enters and tells the audience about Agamemnon’s scarifies of Iphigenia.
When Agamemnon returns with his concubine Cassandra, he is greeted by Clytemnestra who tells one of her slaves to lay out a carpet for Agamemnon to walk on. Agamemnon refuses the gesture, fearing that such lavishness would upset the gods. Clytemnestra refutes this claim and eventually persuades Agamemnon to walk on the carpet. Cassandra however, refuses to leave the chariot and appears to not understand anything that is being say. Clytemnestra and Agamemnon return inside leaving Cassandra. After the chorus delivers an ominous epode, Clytemnestra returns and insists that Cassandra come inside. Cassandra continues to refuse.
Once Clytemnestra has left, Cassandra speaks to the chorus. She has prophetic powers and claimes that when she looks into the past she see Agamemnon’s father Atreus kill his brother Thyestes’ two sons and bake them into a pie for him. When she looks into the future she sees her and Agamemnon’s death. Cassandra eventually accepts her fate and goes inside the palace.
Moments later, we hear the cries of Agamemnon. Clytemnestra is revealed standing over the bodies of Cassandra and Agamemnon. It is this moment that distinctly differs from Homer’s telling. Instead of making Clytemnestra a passive symbol, Aeschylus has Clytemnestra commit the murder out of her own vengeance for Iphigenia’s death. It is only after this moment that Aegisthus appears on stage and it is revealed that he is apart of Clytemnestra’s plan. The two retreat into the palace, leaving the chorus wishing for Orestes return.
Libation Bearers
Libation Bearers begins ten years after Clytemnestra murders Agamemnon. Orestes is grown and has returned to avenge his father’s death with his friend Pylades. When he arrives in Argos he cuts off two pieces of his hair. He offers one to the river and one to his father’s grave. He then hears someone coming and quickly hids.
Electra enters with a chorus of slave women. She has been forced by Clytemnestra to bring offerings to Agamemnon’s grave. While Aeschylus’ Electra may not be as outwardly defiant as Sophocles’ it is clear that Electra mourns her father’s death and resents her mother in both versions. As Electra goes to put down the offerings, she sees the lock of hair that Orestes has left and notices his footprints. She realizes that the hair and footprints resemble her own. This leads her to believe that Orestes is present.
Orestes and Pylades then emerge from their hiding place. Electra explains that she was forced to bring Clytemnestra’s offerings because Clytemnestra had a terrible dream, in which she was breastfeeding a snake, which drew both milk and blood. Orestes takes this as a good sign and begins to plot the matricide with Electra.
Orestes sends Electra inside and then knocks at the front door. Clytemnestra enters and Orestes introduces himself as a traveler. He tells Clytemnestra that he met a man who told him that Orestes had died. Clytemnestra fanes remorse and lets Orestes come inside. Aegisthus eventually returns and is instructed by the chorus to go inside as well.
The play ends with Orestes opening the palace door as he stands over the bodies of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. This is supposed to mirror the image in Agamemnon of Clytemnestra standing over Agamemnon and Cassandra bodies. The image symbolize the continuation of the curse on the House of Atreus.
The Eumenides
The final installment of this trilogy begins at the Oracle of Delphi. A priestess enters to discover Orestes and the Furies (goddess of vengeance) asleep on the floor. Terrified she leaves the temple.
Moments later, Orestes emerges with the god Apollo. Apollo urges Orestes to go to Athens and ask Athena for a trail regarding the matricide Orestes committed. Apollo insists that he will support Orestes in the trial and eventually convinces him to go.
Once Orestes and Apollo have left, the Ghost of Clytemnestra appears. She wakes up the chorus of sleeping Furies and insists that they go to Athens. Apollo then reappears and debates Orestes crime with the Furies. Eventually, both parties depart for Athens.
The setting then changes to Athens. This breaking of what Aristotle later called the unity of place, was highly uncommon in greek theater. Orestes emerges and prays to the goddess Athena for a trial. The Furies then emerge and cast a spell on him so that he can no longer move.
Athena appears and agrees to hold a trial for Orestes. She assembles a jury and begins the trial. The Furies question Orestes, who admits to committing matricide. Apollo then appears and defends Orestes crime, stating that it was more important for Orestes to avenge his father’s death because family ties are stronger on the male side.
The jury cast their votes and it is revealed to be a tie. Athena breaks the tie by voting for Orestes freedom, proving that paternal allegiance and vengeance must be highly valued. Orestes is set free and pledges to ally Argos and Athens.
In order to placate the angry Furies. Athena allows them to become The Eumenides. They will stay in Athens and provide justice by help good people and punish the bad.
