The Eumenides
(Aeschylus)
The third part of Aeschylus' trilogy, The Oresteia, the play begins after Orestes with Electra's help, has killed their mother, Clytaemnestra. Due to this unnatural act, Oresters has been driven mad by The Furies, primal Greek goddesses who torture such blasphemers, and he has fled to the temple of Apollo in Delphi. The play begins with Orestes in the suppliant chair, begging for mercy while the Furies sleep around him. The Pythia, Apollo's priestess, is surprised by this damaged visitor, and even more surprised by the presence of both the God Apollo and Hermes, who have escorted Orestes to Athens so that the man's crimes will be judged by Athene, the goddess of Wisdom.
The ghost of Clytaemnestra, Orestes' mother, enters. She is furious that her son has escaped.She wakes the Furies, who shriek at the absence of their prey. Apollo re-enters, and he and The Furies argue about Orestes' fate and the nature of justice. The Furies leave the temple of Apollo to continue their pursuit of Orestes.
The action moves to the temple of Athene on the Acropolis of Athens. Orestes bows before the statue of Athene and begs for mercy. However, The Furies arrive and begin to goad and torture Orestes for his crimes. At this point, Athene enters and demands to know what the cause of the disturbance is and who and why are these people at her temple. After hearing all the facts, she agrees to put Orestes' case on trial and summons 12 jurors and the citizens of Athens to judge him. Apollo agrees to advocate for Orestes' cause, and The Furies plea the case against the matricide.
Orestes wins his case only at the decision of one vote, Athene's. He leaves victorious, finally made King; the curse on The House of Atreus has resolved at last. The Furies are devastated at Athene's decision, but the Goddess attempts to ameliorate their anger. Athene offers them a home in her city, Athens, and the raving Furies transform into benign Euminides through the Goddess' counsel. Order is restored, and the blood feud of centuries is altered into rational agreement through the glories of Athens and humane justice.
Resumos Relacionados
- The Libation-bearers
- The Libation-bearers
- The Libation-bearers
- The Libation-bearers
- The Libation-bearers
|
|
