Download Clytemnestra and Agamemnon

By Miss Yao W.
House of Atreus
• The Family of
Agamemnon is
descended the
Zeus.
• Agamemnon was
the son of Atreus,
and the greatgrandson of the
blasphemous King
Tantalus of Lydia.
• His family is also
known as the illfated “House of
Atreus.”
The King of Mycenae
BIG MAN ON CAMPUS
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Son of Atreus and the brother of
Menelaus. Member of the tragic
house of Atreus.
King of Mycenae, and he was the
leader of the Greek coalition during
the Trojan war.
He married Clytemnestra and had
several children by her.
He was murdered in his
homecoming by Clytemnestra and
her lover, Aegisthus.
His death was avenged by his son
Orestes.
Odysseus confronted him in the
underworld.
Queen of Mycenae
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She is the daughter of Tyndareus and
Leda,and the half sister of Helen.
Her first husband was Tantalus 3, but
after Agamemnon killed Tantalus and
their child, she was betrothed to
Agamemnon.
She bore several children by
Agamemnon, including Iphigenia,
Orestes, Electra.
When Agamemnon was called to the
Trojan War, Aegisthus became her
lover.
Together they fashioned the
conspiracy to murder King
Agamemnon.
Her son Orestes avenged his father’s
death by slaying her and her lover
Aegisthus.
The Sacrifice of Iphigenia
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In this illustration, it depicts of the imperial family of
Mycenae. Beginning clockwise with the armed
soldier--King Agamemnon, then his wife
Clytemnestra, his fairest daughter Iphigenia, and his
son Orestes.
Iphigenia is about to be sacrificed at Aulis to
Artemis, because of a boast her father.
Agamemnon displays reluctance, it is hard for a
father to kill his own flesh and blood. His obeisant
posture and stooped head exhibit this.
Iphigenia bows down and beseeches to her father,
hoping to inspire her father’s unyielding heart. Her
loving mother Clytemnestra stands beside
Agamemnon, also tries to sway her husband, but met
with futile ramification.
Thus the fair-skinned Iphigenia was murdered by her
own father, some sources say that Iphigenia was
saved last minute by Artemis and replaced a deer in
her place.
Whatever happened, the sacrifice brought nothing
but fatality and discontent to the family.
Clytemnestra never forgiven Agamemnon for killing
her “sweet flower.”
The Passage
In the Odyssey, Odysseus goes to Hades to consult with the seer Tiresias, but
he also encountered some of his comrades who fought in the Trojan War, of
which included Agamemnon. Odysseus questioned the Mycenaean King of
his death, the answer he got was this:
“…Aegisthus was the cause of my death.
He killed me with the help of my accursed wife
After inviting me to a feast in his house,
Slaughtered me like a bull at a manger.
So I died a most pitiable death,
And all around me my men were killed
Relentlessly..’”
(Lombardo Translation, Book 11, Line 415-450)
Agamemnon & Clytemnestra’s Role
• The conversation between Agamemnon and Odysseus in Hades,
showed Odysseus how one soldier’s homecoming could be and how
ten years of war could change his kin.
• Because Agamemnon was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and
he never got to see his children. Agamemnon repeatedly ordered
Odysseus to be suspicious of his wife Penelope, to land his ship
away from the main harbor rather than having a big home
welcoming party.
• Agamemnon also warns Odysseus to never to trust no woman, and
tell Penelope “some things” but no everything.
• Although Penelope neither solicited any of her suitor, nor contrived
against her husband, many other Greek soldiers’ wives did.
The Murder of Agamemnon
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On this ebony Greek vase it depicts the woeful death of the King Agamemnon of Mycenae. Agamemnon is
seen murdered callously at the hands of his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus.
The man at the very left is Aegisthus, he is holding a sword ready to plunge it into Agamemnon (in the
middle), notice that already there is a bloodstain on the Agamemnon's mantle, it could have been enacted
by Clytemnestra (woman to the right) or just Aegisthus’ doing. It is anyone’s guess.
Clytemnestra is holding out her arms perhaps to praise the murder of her husband, or maybe dancing with
other females in the background to the burial ceremony of Agamemnon.
Orestes’ Return
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This is a black Greek vase showing the comeback of Agamemnon’heir, Orestes who is returning to regain his throne
of the King of Mycenae from Aegisthus, and to slay the murderers of his father as well---his mother Clytemnestra
and his uncle Aegisthus.
Orestes, the armored soldier must have surprised his mother and his uncle, because the left and right of the vase,
there are dancers and lyres around maybe it is some kind of religious ceremony. Orestes has his left hand is holding
the hair of the culprit Aegisthus, while his right is directing the nib of the sword into Aegisthus’ gut.
Queen Clytemnestra is holding an ax probably to intimidate her son into surrendering (this is mentioned in
Aesthuylus’ play).
Bibliography
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Patrick, Richard. All Color Book of Greek Mythology. Hong Kong: Octopus
Book Limited, 1972 (Patrick 23)
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology, Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York:
Penguin Books USA Inc., 1969. (Hamilton 246-247)
Lombardo, Stanley. Odyssey, Homer. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett
Publishing Company Inc.,2000 (Lombardo 170 Line 415-450)
Parada,Carlos.“Clytaemnestra.” Greek Mythology. Greek Mythology Link. 13
Jan. 2005 <http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Clytemnestra.html>
Parada,Carlos.“Agamemnon.” Greek Mythology. Greek Mythology Link. 13
Jan. 2005 <http://homepage.Mac.com/cparada/GML/Agamemnon.html>
Gibson, Mia. “Clytemnestra.” Encyclopedia Mythica. 3 Mar 1997.
Encyclopedia Mythica Online 13 Jan 2005
<http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/clytemnestra.html>
Hunter, James. “Agamemnon.” Encyclopedia Mythica. 3 Mar 1997.
Encyclopedia Mythica Online . 13 Jan 2005
<http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/Agamemnon.html>
<http://www/beazley.ox.ac.uk/CGPrograms/Dict/image/klytaimnestra.jpg>
<http://www/beazley.ox.ac.uk/CGPrograms/Dict/image/agamemnonLINC.jpg>