The final play of the Oresteia, called The Eumenides (Εὐμενίδες, Eumenídes), illustrates how the sequence of events in the trilogy ends up in the development of social order or a proper judicial system in Athenian society.
Where does the Eumenides take place?
The Eumenides begins before the temple of Apollo, in Delphi. The Pythia, Apollo's priestess, enters the temple and then immediately comes out again, describing a scene of horror and wonder.
What is the role of the Furies in Eumenides?
In Aeschylus’ play Eumenides, the Furies were given a new role as goddesses of justice rather than only punishment. The trial of Orestes in the play and the new role of the Eumenides reflected broader trends in Greek society, particularly in Athens.
What happens at the end of the Eumenides trilogy?
The ending of the trilogy is more than merely happy: it is a beautiful, lyrical, and optimistic ending that points to a great future. A great and beautiful fate awaits Orestes and his kingdom, the friendship between Argos and Athens, the Eumenides, and the city of Athens itself. The scope of the trilogy has opened up.
Why did the Eumenides begin to chase after Orestes?
They began to chase after Orestes, to punish him for the killing of his mother. The Eumenides begins before the temple of Apollo, in Delphi. The Pythia, Apollo's priestess, enters the temple and then immediately comes out again, describing a scene of horror and wonder.
What happened at the end of Eumenides?
In the end, the Furies, now known as the Kindly Spirits, accept Athena's offer and replace their black robes with reddish-purple ones. Although they will still seek vengeance against evil-doers, they will now also aid the good people of Athens.
What is the story Eumenides about?
“The Eumenides” tells of how Orestes is pursued to Athens by the vengeful Erinyes for the murder of his mother, Clytemnestra, and how he is tried before Athena and a jury of Athenians to decide whether his crime justifies the torment of the Erinyes.
What is the purpose of Eumenides?
The jury in The Eumenides wield the power to convict a man of murder; whether or not Orestes is guilty is a superfluous point. Through the jury, justice is given prominence over the gods themselves and it is in that idealistic role where justice can manifest itself and dictate fate; this is the crucial point.
What was the trial in Eumenides?
The trial in the Eumenides is at once a conclusion-the conclusion to the story of Orestes and his family-and a beginning-the inaugural use of this new court and the inauguration of legal action rather than revenge as the appropriate consequence of an act such as Orestes' matricide.
What is the main conflict in the play Eumenides?
At the core of The Eumenides sits a conflict of familial bonds. Orestes, after all, has killed his mother Clytemnestra in order to avenge her murder of his father Agamemnon.
What are the messages in the play Eumenides?
The Eumenides is all about justice and judgment getting the upper hand over the bloody cycles of revenge that dominated the action of Agamemnon and Libation Bearers (the first two plays in the Oresteia trilogy). Now, the key thing here is that justice and judgment triumph.
Who wakes the sleeping Furies?
Apollo heads offstage shortly afterwards. But then, just when things started to look too good to be true, who should appear but… the Ghost of Clytemnestra, Orestes's dead mother. Clytemnestra heads inside the temple of Apollo and wakes up the Furies. She whips them into a frenzy and tells them to go get Orestes.
Why are the Furies called the Eumenides?
The name Eumenides, which signifies "the well-meaning," or "soothed goddesses," is a mere euphemism, because people dreaded to call these fearful goddesses by their real name, and it was said to have been first given them after the acquittal of Orestes by the court of the Areiopagus, when tile anger of the Erinnyes had ...
Who are the Furies in the Eumenides?
Furies, Greek Erinyes, also called Eumenides, in Greco-Roman mythology, the chthonic goddesses of vengeance. They were probably personified curses, but possibly they were originally conceived of as ghosts of the murdered.
Who was Clytemnestra's lover?
AegisthusClytemnestra, 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.
What does Eumenides mean in English?
the Kindly Onesa euphemistic name for the Furies, meaning “the Kindly Ones.”
Who is Clytemnestras sister?
In Greek mythology, Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae or Argos. She was the daughter of Tyndareus and Leda, rulers of Sparta, and sister of Castor, Polydeuces, and Helen.
What are the Eumenides?
Furies, Greek Erinyes, also called Eumenides, in Greco-Roman mythology, the chthonic goddesses of vengeance. They were probably personified curses, but possibly they were originally conceived of as ghosts of the murdered.
Who was Clytemnestra's lover?
AegisthusClytemnestra, 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.
What is Orestes problem?
In some accounts, Orestes received praise for avenging his father's murder. In others, the crime of matricide—the murder of one's mother—was seen as a great sin that deserved great punishment. In these stories, Orestes was pursued relentlessly by the Furies, female spirits of justice and vengeance who drove men mad.
Where does the action of the play Eumenides begin?
The play begins outside the temple of Apollo in Delphi. This temple was home of none other than the famous Oracle of Delphi, where the god was thought to dispense wisdom through the mouth of the priestess of the temple. In the opening scene of the play, this priestess is just showing up for work.
What happens after Orestes exits the temple?
After Orestes has exited, the ghost of Clytemnestra appears, scornfully cursing the Furies for their laziness . They wake up and are horrified to find their prey has escaped, cursing the Olympian gods for helping a guilty man defy their power. At this moment, Apollo emerges from the temple, and a verbal fight begins. Apollo finds the Furies contemptible and horrific, relics of a time when vengeance was more important than justice. The Furies, meanwhile, believe that Apollo is trying to steal their power. The dialogue ends with the Furies vowing to pursue Orestes, even as Apollo promises to protect him.
What does Apollo argue about Clytemnestra?
Apollo, however, argues that men’s lives are worth more than women’s, and Athena agrees, casting the deciding vote that allows Orestes to go free, an innocent man.
What does Athena tell the Furies and Orestes?
Soon after, Athena herself enters, and commands both the Furies and Orestes to tell her who they are and why they’ve come to Athens— she explains that she must protect her city at all costs. Both sides explain their presence to her, and agree to abide by her ruling.
What does Athena offer the Furies?
Athena, however, wisely offers the Furies a new role: patron goddesses of Athens. She explains that if they provide the city with peace and prosperity, they will receive offerings and prayer in return. After some convincing, the Furies agree, and take on the mantle of the Eumenides—“the kindly ones.”
Why did Athena decide to do the murder trial?
She decides, however, to create the first ever murder trial in order to determine Orestes’ guilt, recruit ing ten honorable citizens to form a jury. The trial begins, with the Furies arguing that Clytemnestra’s life was worth as much as Agamemnon’s. Apollo, however, argues that men’s lives are worth more than women’s, and Athena agrees, casting the deciding vote that allows Orestes to go free, an innocent man.
What does Apollo find in the temple?
Apollo finds the Furies contemptible and horrific, relics of a time when vengeance was more important than justice . The Furies, meanwhile, believe that Apollo is trying to steal their power.
What line does Eumenides play in?
The Eumenides Summary. Next. Lines 1-63. The play opens with Pythia, the priestess of Apollo, preparing to perform her morning prayer. Her ritual is interrupted, however, by a bloodstained refugee who has come to her temple to be cleansed.
Why did the Erinyes claim Orestes belonged to them?
The Erinyes put forward their case, rightly claiming that Orestes belonged to them for the crime of killing his own mother. As more ancient deities, they said, they took precedence over younger gods like Apollo and Athena.
What did the Furies do?
The Furies often carried whips, which they used to torment their victims. Those who committed grave offenses would be hounded by the Furies, usually with no way of ending their punishment until death. The Erinyes were often seen as spirits of vengeance and punishment, but over time their role began to change.
Why did Apollo send Orestes to Athens?
In the final play of the trilogy, Eumenedes, Apollo sent Orestes to Athens to petition Athena for aid. The goddess of wisdom decided that Orestes should be judged by his peers rather than by the gods. She assembled twelve Athenian citizens to determine Orestes’ fate, creating the first ever trial by jury.
What is the name of the Greek play that hounded the people who committed grave crimes?
In English, they are called the Furies. Their fury, however, was eventually softened. In a famous Greek play by the same name, they earned the title of Eumenides. As The Kindly Ones, the Eumenides still hounded those who had committed grave crimes.
What are the Erinyes called?
These goddesses were so unrelenting and fearsome that their name is still used to describe anger and hatred today. In English, they are called the Furies.
What are the Erinyes?
The Erinyes, or Furies, were some of the most feared creatures in Greek mythology. The Furies were the embodiment of punishment, specifically for those who broke oaths, betrayed their families, offended the gods, or commited murder. Although they could be terrifying, the Erinyes were not monsters.
What were the three Erinyes?
While many writers described the three Erinyes as withered crones, artists often showed them as more beautiful maidens. Older sources also gave them frightening features such as bats’ wings, dogs’ heads, and glowing red eyes. The Furies often carried whips, which they used to torment their victims.
What is Athene's view on the Furies?
It is Athene who is wise enough to recognize that the Furies are the embodiments of a vital aspect of Truth. They were gods before Athene and Apollo were born, and they have their own kind of wisdom. According to Aeschylus' vision, their ferocity and strength can be part of maintaining order. Integration in the Oresteia is not the fusion between equals; the many opposing forces we have seen (male versus female, old versus new, primal versus rationally) are reconciled by the arrangement at the end of the play, but in most cases, one force is subordinated to the other. Female power supports and submits to male power; the old make way for the new; the primal forces accept their place in a rational pantheon. Still, no force is eradicated. The subordinate forces are necessary to the new order. The strength of the new order is dependent on integrating the primal past. The Furies are powerful allies for the young city of Athens; they are significantly transformed after accepting Athene's offer, but at their core they retain their ferocity and power to strike fear into men's hearts.
What is Athene's ally in taming the Furies?
But Athene is gracious, acknowledging the wisdom possessed by the Furies. While Clytaemestra used persuasion and flattery as part of her scheme to murder Agamemnon, Athene acknowledges Persuasion as her ally in taming the Furies (ll. 970-2). The abuses of Persuasion and Fear are corrected. Persuasion becomes the voice of reason, reconciliation, and diplomacy, and Fear becomes the tool of justice.
What line does Orestes exit?
Orestes exits after line 777. For almost a quarter of the play, then, Orestes is completely absent. The trilogy named after him finishes without him. The Eumenides is quite different from the other two parts of the Oresteia. The layers of symbolism (viper, serpent, poison, the net) are no longer present. We have gods that symbolize greater forces, but it might be more accurate to say that the gods are embodiments of these forces; the gods for Aeschylus are simultaneously symbols of abstract forces and real personalities. Also, for readers whose exposure to Greek tragedy has been limited to Oedipus the King, Antigone, or Medea, the ending of this play may come as a surprise. Indeed, for readers whose only exposure to Greek tragedy has been the first and second part of the Oresteia, the ending may come as a surprise. The ending of the trilogy is more than merely happy: it is a beautiful, lyrical, and optimistic ending that points to a great future. A great and beautiful fate awaits Orestes and his kingdom, the friendship between Argos and Athens, the Eumenides, and the city of Athens itself. The scope of the trilogy has opened up. Orestes exits promptly after his verdict, leaving Athene and the Furies to hammer out the beginnings of a new future.
Why do the Furies repeat themselves?
The tendency of the Furies to repeat themselves is put to new use after the reading of the verdict. The Furies cannot initially see beyond their rage. In response to Athene's powerful arguments, they can only repeat threats and old grievances. These repetitions also suggest the directness of their minds; they are fully invested in certain thoughts and ideas. They have not the suppleness of thought possessed by Athene and Apollo. When Athene tries to reason with them after the verdict, it takes a while to get through to them; the Furies repeat their list of grievances and threats verbatim before Athene's arguments begin to make any impression on them.
What is the ending of Aeschylus?
Aeschylus ends with a celebration of his own homeland and a tribute to Destiny and the plans of Zeus. The trilogy ends with the promise of a mighty destiny for Athens; the city's strength will come from its incorporation of the archaic alongside the rational, the violent alongside the gentle. Reason will be among the city's tools, as will ferocity and strength of arms.
What line in the play is "Thanks and Promise"?
Orestes ' thanks and promise to the end of the play. (Lines 754-1047)
What does Orestes wonder about his mother?
When Orestes wonders whether he is related to his own mother, the Furies react with wrath. The device of the trial allows Aeschylus to explore the complex and thorny issues of crime, guilt, vengeance, and justice in an in-depth and three-dimensional way. After all, both Orestes’ and the Furies’ sides have merit.
Why are the Furies skeptical of Zeus?
The Furies are skeptical that Zeus would care more about a father’s murder than a mother’s. They remind Apollo and Athena that Zeus defeated his own father, Kronos, in order to gain control over Mt. Olympus. The Furies use Greek myth to argue their case.
Why does Orestes ask Apollo to explain to the jury why he killed Clytemnestra?
Orestes begs Apollo to explain to the jury why he killed Clytemnestra, adding that his murder was really justice. Apollo agrees, a sserting that Orestes was in fact doing the will of Zeus, the omnipotent “Olympian Father,” who is always just . The Furies are scornful, unable to believe that Zeus would order a son to murder his mother. Apollo, outraged, describes the trap that Clytemnestra laid for her husband, and the horrific, dishonorable way that she killed him.
What do the Furies believe about Orestes?
The Furies believe that Orestes, as the only surviving criminal, deserves to be punished, while Apollo and Orestes believe that since Orestes’ mother was herself a murderer, her crime essentially wipes out his. The issue of gender also becomes increasingly important here.
What lines are in the Eumenides?
The Eumenides: Lines 567-1043. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Eumenides, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. The scene shifts to a court within Athens. Athena enters, along with the ten citizens whom she has chosen as members of the jury.
What does Apollo say to the Furies?
The Furies are defiant, asking if Apollo intends to force Orestes’ acquittal, and reminding him that doing so would not be just.
What myths do the Furies use?
The Furies use Greek myth to argue their case. Within Classical mythologies, there are many instances of sons overthrowing their fathers for power including—most prominently Zeus himself.
