what happens at the end of agamemnon

At the end of Agamemnon, Cassandra and Agamemnon are lying dead and unburied; the Chorus has just narrowly avoided fighting Aegisthus and has called for the return of Orestes to avenge his father; and Clytemnestra has announced her intention to share rulership of Argos

with her lover, Aegisthus.

Full Answer

What happened in the story of Agamemnon?

Clytemnestra murders her own husband, the hero of the Trojan War, but she does so to avenge Agamemnon's killing of their daughter, Iphigenia. Agamemnon is a murderer for sacrificing his own daughter, but he did so in order to help win the war – a war which, if it had been lost, would have resulted in many more deaths.

Who killed Agamemnon in Agamemnon?

ClytemnestraClytemnestra, in Greek legend, a daughter of Leda and Tyndareus and wife of Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces in the Trojan War. She took Aegisthus as her lover while Agamemnon was away at war. Upon his return, Clytemnestra and Aegisthus murdered Agamemnon.

Why did Agamemnon get killed?

Clytemnestra Killed Agamemnon He committed this brutal act in order to appease Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, so that she would give them fair weather while sailing on the sea towards Troy. Clytemnestra tried to stop her daughter from being slain but her efforts were in vain.

What happened to Agamemnon after the war?

The end of Agamemnon After the end of the war, Agamemnon returned home, where Clytemnestra had started an affair with Aegisthus. The two of them plotted against Agamemnon and killed him, thus Aegisthus becoming the ruler of Mycenae again.

What does Clytemnestra say after killing Agamemnon?

Clytemnestra says: "Get over it." In fact, she even goes on to say that she isn't responsible for killing Agamemnon; she blames the Fury of vengeance, which is coming back to get Agamemnon for the crime his father committed against his brother Thyestes.

Who helps the wife of Agamemnon when she kills Agamemnon?

In old versions of the story, on returning from Troy, Agamemnon is murdered by Aegisthus, the lover of his wife, Clytemnestra. In some later versions Clytemnestra helps him or does the killing herself in his own home.

Who killed Paris of Troy?

PhiloctetesParis is killed by an arrow fired by Philoctetes. Menelaus, meanwhile, is reunited with Helen. According to the story, the Trojan War lasted 10 years and took place at the city of Troy in Anatolia.

Did Agamemnon win the Trojan War?

Agamemnon, a powerful king of Mycenae, led the Greek army to victory in the Trojan War. A ruthless man who would stop at nothing to achieve his ambitions, he killed his own daughter to get to Troy and was eventually murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra.

Do you think the killing of Agamemnon is justified?

The actions of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra are not justified because they are caused by their blinding hubris and desire for power. Agamemnon makes the choice to kill his daughter just so he could lead his troops to Troy.

Who killed Agamemnon and Cassandra?

ClytemnestraCassandra and Agamemnon are later killed by both Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.

Who ruled after Agamemnon?

AegisthusFollowing Agamemnon's death, Aegisthus reigned over Mycenae for seven years.

Does Agamemnon sacrifice his daughter?

To appease the wrath of Artemis, Agamemnon was forced to sacrifice his own daughter Iphigeneia.

Who killed Agamemnon and Cassandra?

ClytemnestraCassandra and Agamemnon are later killed by both Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.

Was Clytemnestra justified in killing Agamemnon?

The murder of her husband is justified, she insists, because it avenges his crime. Now Agamemnon can lie dead alongside Cassandra, who shared his bed. The Chorus laments the murder, blaming Agamemnon's death on Helen of Troy.

Who stops Achilles from killing Agamemnon?

the goddess AthenaAchilles stands poised to draw his sword and kill the Achaean commander when the goddess Athena, sent by Hera, the queen of the gods, appears to him and checks his anger. Athena's guidance, along with a speech by the wise advisor Nestor, finally succeeds in preventing the duel.

Who killed Menelaus in Troy?

In Book 4, while the Greeks and Trojans squabble over the duel's winner, Athena inspires the Trojan Pandarus to shoot Menelaus with his bow and arrow.

Why did Agamemnon take Helen to Troy?

The Trojan War is the legendary (and almost certainly mythical) conflict in which Agamemnon laid siege to Troy in an effort to retrieve Helen, his sister-in-law after she had been taken to Troy by Paris.

Who is Agamemnon in Homer's Illiad?

In the legend, he is the King of Mycenae and the leader of the Greek army in ...

What happened to the Trojans after Achilles died?

After the death of some famous heroes, including Achilles, the Trojans fell victim to a ruse in which they accepted a large, hollow horse as a gift, only to find that Achean Greek warriors had hidden inside, emerging at night to vanquish the Trojans.

Who killed Aegisthus and Clytemnestra?

Aegisthus and Clytemnestra, demonized in later Greek tragedy, ruled Mycenae for a time after dispatching with Agamemnon and Cassandra, but when her son by Agamemnon, Orestes, returned to Mycenae, he murdered them both, as beautifully told in Euripides's "Oresteia.". Cite this Article. Format.

Who was the leader of the Greek army in the Trojan War?

In the legend, he is the King of Mycenae and the leader of the Greek army in the Trojan War. There is no historical verification of either a Mycenaen king name Agamemnon, nor a Trojan Was as described by Homer, but some historians find tantalizing archeological evidence that they may be based in early Greek history.

What is Agamemnon's weakness?

Agamemnon is weak; he vacillates. During periods of depression and discouragement, he makes wrong decisions, and he is sometimes unfair. He fails to realize that a king must not succumb to his own desires and emotions. He does not realize that authority demands responsibility and that his personal wishes must be secondary to the needs of the community. His failure to understand the limitations of power causes him to make his first error: He insists on keeping his Trojan war prize, Chryseis, despite her father's pleas. He likes her, and he believes that he will lose face if he returns her.

What did Agamemnon do as king?

Agamemnon inherited the role of king from his father, and his community expects him, as king, to stabilize society, arbitrate disputes, and call council meetings and assemblies. He is also commander-in-chief of the armies.

Why does Odysseus and Nestor want to maintain Agamemnon's authority?

Both Odysseus and old Nestor (two of his commanders) attempt to maintain Agamemnon's authority because they recognize that supporting Agamemnon is the only way to ensure an effective and meaningful policy of order. Agamemnon is, after all, the king and their leader.

What does Agamemnon want to do when his courage flags?

When his courage flags and he becomes depressed, he wants to abandon the Trojan War altogether. Despite Agamemnon's prowess as a warrior, as a king he too often exhibits the characteristics of stubbornness, cowardice, and immaturity.

What is Agamemnon's brother's name?

Note, however, that Agamemnon shows devotion to and concern for his brother, Menelaos. Agamemnon realizes that order in the Achaian society depends upon Helen's return to Menelaos. He is aware of the importance of family order if all of society is to remain cohesive. Yet with all these good traits, Agamemnon is plagued with other traits that undermine his good qualities and contribute to self-created problems.

Who did Agamemnon listen to?

Eventually, Agamemnon learns to listen to the counsel of old Nestor, Odysseus, and Diomedes, but it seems clear that his emotional makeup and inability to judge do not fully qualify him for kingship. Even after he finally admits to his madness in dealing with Achilles and attempts to reverse the error with gifts and the return of Briseis, he only insults Achilles. When his courage flags and he becomes depressed, he wants to abandon the Trojan War altogether.

Is Agamemnon a great leader?

At the end of the epic, Agamemnon is a much greater leader than in the early books , even though he never reaches the same stature as several of the other warriors. Previous Patroklos. Next Odysseus. Poem Summary. About the Iliad. Character List. Summary and Analysis. Book I. Book II.

Where is Agamemnon on duty?

Agamemnon. Agamemnon begins with a Watchman on duty on the roof of the palace at Argos, waiting for a signal announcing the fall of Troy to the Greek armies. A beacon flashes, and he joyfully runs to tell the news to Queen Clytemnestra. When he is gone, the Chorus, made up of the old men of Argos, enters and tells the story ...

Who is Agamemnon's slave?

Agamemnon enters, riding in his chariot with Cassandra, a Trojan Princess whom he has taken as his slave and concubine. Clytemnestra welcomes him, professing her love, and orders a carpet of purple robes spread in front of him as he enters the palace.

Why did Clytemnestra sacrifice his daughter to Artemis?

Then the Chorus recalls how Clytemnestra's husband Agamemnon (Menelaus' brother) sacrificed their daughter Iphigenia to the god Artemis to obtain a favorable wind for the Greek fleet. The Queen appears, and the Chorus asks her why she has ordered sacrifices of thanksgiving.

What does the Chorus ask Menelaus for?

Clytemnestra sends him back to Agamemnon, to tell her husband to come swiftly, but before he departs, the Chorus asks him for news of Menelaus. The Herald replies that a terrible storm seized the Greek fleet on the way home, leaving Menelaus and many others missing.

What is the action of Agamemnon?

Agamemnon: summary. The action of Agamemnon takes place at the end of the ten-year Trojan War. The Greek hero Agamemnon has been heavily involved in the fighting against Troy, and back home his wife Clytemnestra eagerly awaits his return.

What are the central characters in Agamemnon?

The central characters of Agamemnon are morally complex. Clytemnestra murders her own husband, the hero of the Trojan War, but she does so to avenge Agamemnon’s killing of their daughter, Iphigenia. Agamemnon is a murderer for sacrificing his own daughter, but he did so in order to help win the war – a war which, if it had been lost, would have resulted in many more deaths. Whose ‘side’ do we take? We cannot choose one easily, even if we don’t believe in gods commanding fair winds and the idea that human sacrifice can lead to divine intervention in our favour.

What is the action of Aeschylus' plays?

In Aeschylus’ own earlier plays, such as The Suppliants and The Persians, the ‘action’ of the plays is hardly that at all: rather than dramatic dialogue between fully rounded characters with relatable emotions and motives, instead characters deliver long speeches which the Chorus of the play then responds to by filling in the ‘plot’.

Who was slaughtered at the end of the war?

Agamemnon, King of Mycenae in some versions of the story but Lord of Argos in Aeschylus’ play, must be slaughtered at the end of the war he had helped to win, to make way for the new. Certainly, the Oresteia as a whole has been interpreted as the journey from barbarism to civilisation.

Who is Clytemnestra's lover?

Clytemnestra’s lover, Aegisthus, arrives and joins her. Aegisthus reveals that the plot to kill Agamemnon was his idea: he devised it as revenge for the death of his father, Thyestes, who was tricked into eating two of his sons by his brother Atreus. Atreus was the father of Agamemnon, so through Clytemnestra’s killing of Atreus’ son, Aegisthus believes that his father has been avenged.

What does Agamemnon cry out about?

Agamemnon is heard to cry out that he has been struck a mortal blow, and cries out again about a second. The Chorus discusses what to do. They look around.

What does Clytemnestra say about Agamemnon?

Clytemnestra explains how awful it is to be the wife of a man away at war. She addresses her attendants to fete her husband and strew his path with a royal cloth. Agamemnon doesn't want to make a feminine entrance or one more suited to the gods. Clytemnestra persuades him to step on the royal cloth, anyway.

What does Aegisthus say about revenge?

These were Aegisthus' brothers. Aegisthus says he can die now that he has obtained revenge. The Chorus says they will stone him, ignoring the presence of his retainers. Aegisthus says he will use the late king's gold to control the people of Argos. Clytemnestra tells them to cool down. The Chorus and Aegisthus do so but continue to taunt each other, the Chorus saying that Fates willing, Orestes will return home soon.

When was Agamemnon first performed?

N.S. Gill. Updated January 17, 2020. Aeschylus ' Agamemnon was originally performed at the City Dionysia of 458 B.C. as the first tragedy in the only surviving trilogy of ancient Greek plays. Aeschylus won 1st prize for his tetralogy (the trilogy and a satyr play).

What does the chorus blame for the ill-doers?

The chorus takes Helen to task. It also blames an evil/proud family for producing future generations of ill-doers.

What does the chorus learn from the queen?

The chorus learns from the queen that the Greeks are back from Troy, but they don't believe her until she explains the beacon relay that provided her with the news, then the chorus gets set to offer prayers and thanksgiving.

Who invokes Apollo in Kommos?

Kommos. (Cassandra and Chorus) Cassandra is distraught and invokes the god Apollo. The chorus doesn't understand, so Cassandra tells the future or the present that Clytemnestra is slaying her husband, and tells the past that the house has a lot of blood guilt.

What happened after the fall of Troy?

After the fall of Troy, Nestor says, Athe na created a feud between the brothers Menelaus and Agamemnon: Menelaus wanted to return home at once, but Agamemnon wanted to stay in Troy to offer Athena sacrifices. Half the men, Nestor included, left with Menelaus, but Odysseus and the other half stayed with Agamemnon.

What does Athena do when Telemachus arrives at Pylos?

As the crew climbs ashore, Athena urges Telemachus to put his shyness aside and question Nestor about Odysseus. The prince worries about his youth and inexperience, but Athena assures him ...

What does Nestor do to Athena?

Athena suggests that it's time for them to leave, but Nestor insists on giving them gifts and putting them up for the night. Athena approves this request but says that she will sleep on the ship and leave for another land at dawn; she turns into an eagle and flies away. The king is amazed; he tells Telemachus that he will never be deficient in character if he is so beloved by Athena. Nestor takes Telemachus back to his palace and they drink to Athena, then everyone goes to sleep.

What is Nestor's story about?

Nestor's tale about Agamemnon and Orestes helps cement Telemachus's determination to restore honor to his household by defeating the suitors. Active Themes. Telemachus tells Nestor that he wishes the gods would give him the power to wreak revenge on the suitors feasting in his father's house.

What does Telemachus say about Odysseus?

Telemachus repeats her prayer, and they feast. Only after they've finished does Nestor inquire about their identities. Telemachus explains that they've come to seek news about Odysseus's journey or about his death. The people of Pylos follow the rules of hospitality by offering the strangers food and drink without delay.

What does Athena tell Nestor about his youth?

The prince worries about his youth and inexperience, but Athena assures him that the right words will come, with the help of the gods. She leads him to the place where Nestor and his friends and family sit roasting meat. Right away, we see that Nestor and the people of Pylos honor the gods.

What does Nestor do when everyone gathers?

When everyone is gathered, a goldsmith covers a heifer's horns in gold, Nestor pours purifying water and flings barley, and one of his sons chops through the heifer's neck. The women pray, the men drain the heifer's blood, quarter it, and cut out and burn the thighbones.

Where did Agamemnon appear in Odyssey?

In Homer's Odyssey Agamemnon made an appearance in the kingdom of Hades after his death. There, the former king met Odysseus and explained just how he was murdered before he offered Odysseus a warning about the dangers of trusting a woman.

What was Agamemnon's curse?

Agamemnon's family history had been tarnished by murder, incest, and treachery, consequences of the heinous crime perpetrated by his ancestor, Tantalus, and then of a curse placed upon Pelops, son of Tantalus, by Myrtilus, whom he had murdered.

How many children did Agamemnon have?

Agamemnon and Clytemnestra had four children: one son, Orestes, and three daughters, Iphigenia, Electra and Chrysothemis. Menelaus succeeded Tyndareus in Sparta, while Agamemnon, with his brother's assistance, drove out Aegisthus and Thyestes to recover his father's kingdom.

What book does Agamemnon reconcile with Achilles?

In book 19 Agamemnon reconciles with Achilles, giving him the offered rewards for returning to the war, before Achilles goes out to turn back the Trojans and duel Hector. After Hector's death, Agamemnon assists Achilles in performing Patroclus' funeral in book 23.

What did Agamemnon steal from Achilles?

He stole an attractive slave called Briseis, one of the spoils of war, from Achilles. This creates a rift between Achilles and Agamemnon, causing Achilles to withdraw from battle and refuse to fight for now. Agamemnon then receives a dream from Zeus telling him to rally his forces and attack the Trojans in book 2.

Why did Agamemnon send Palamedes to Troy?

Agamemnon gathered the reluctant Greek forces to sail for Troy. In order to recruit Odysseus, who was feigning madness so as to not have to go to war, Agamemnon sent Palamedes, who threatened to kill Odysseus infant son Telemachus. Odysseus was forced to stop acting mad in order to save his son and joined the assembled Greek forces. Preparing to depart from Aulis, a port in Boeotia, Agamemnon's army incurred the wrath of the goddess Artemis. There are several reasons throughout myth for such wrath: in Aeschylus ' play Agamemnon, Artemis is angry for the young men who will die at Troy, whereas in Sophocles ' Electra, Agamemnon has slain an animal sacred to Artemis, and subsequently boasted that he was Artemis' equal in hunting. Misfortunes, including a plague and a lack of wind, prevented the army from sailing. Finally, the prophet Calchas announced that the wrath of the goddess could only be propitiated by the sacrifice of Agamemnon's daughter Iphigenia .

What did Odysseus do before the Iliad?

During the war, but before the events of the Iliad, Odysseus contrived a plan to get revenge on Palamedes for threatening his sons life. By forging a letter from Priam, king of the Trojans, and caching some gold in Palamedes tent, Odysseus had Palamedes accused of treason, and Agamemnon ordered him stoned to death.