Agamemnon 2
Agamemnon (cont.)
– F. The chorus still doubt (475-487)
– G. The chorus introduce the messenger (488-502)
• V. Messenger speech: note that some weeks have
passed (503-680)
– A. Herald speech part 1 (503-537)
» 1. N.B. prayer to Apollo (509-513)
» 2. Agamemnon is returning (522-526)
» 3. The Trojan temples are destroyed; cf. 338-342
(527-528)
» 4. Excessive praise of Agamemnon; cf. 468-470 (530532)
Agamemnon (cont.)
– B. Stichomythia c. chorus; n.b. chorus’ fear at 550 (538550)
– C. Herald speech Part 2 (551-581)
» 1. Suffering at Troy (551-573)
» 2. Boasting of success (574-578)
– D. Chorus responds; they are convinced (582-585)
– E. Clytemnestra speaks (586-612)
» 1. N.B. her masculinity
» 2. She lies; irony at 607 (605-612)
– F. Herald and chorus trade couplets about Menelaos (613635)
Agamemnon (cont.)
– G. Herald speech part 3: the storm (636-680)
• VI. 2nd stasimon (681-810)
– A. Helen (681-749)
» 1. Literal discussion of Helen (681-715)
» 2. Lion metaphor (716-736)
» 3. Back to Helen (737-749)
– B. Hybris (750-781)
» 1. What many say (750-756)
» 2. What the chorus says (757-762)
» 3. Hybris, Tharsos, Ate (763-771)
Agamemnon (cont.)
– D. The chorus welcomes Agamemnon (782-810)
» 1. They try to moderate their praise (785-787)
» 2. They were angry when Agamemnon left (789-804)
» 3. Now they are glad (805-807)
» 4. They hint that all is not well; clearer hint in the
Greek at Ægisthos (808-810)
• VII. Agamemnon speaks (811-854)
– A. Troy has fallen (811-828)
» 1. He credits the gods (811)
» 2. He portrays Troy as proud (820)
– B. Human jealousy (829-843)
Agamemnon (cont.)
– C. Re-settling affairs at home; credits gods again at 852853 (844-854)
• VIII. Clytemnestra responds (855-913)
–
–
–
–
–
A. She has been afraid for Agamemnon (855-876)
B. Orestes kept safe in Phocis (877-886)
C. She is cried out (887-894)
D. Now she rejoices (895-904)
E. The red tapestry (905-913)
• IX. They debate (914-974)
– A. Agamemnon refuses to trample the cloth (914-930)
– B. Stichomythia (931-943)
– C. Agamemnon is convinced (944-957)
Agamemnon (cont.)
– D. Clytemnestra is ironically grateful (958-974)
• X. 3rd stasimon (975-1033)
– A. Chorus gripped by vague fear (975-1000)
– B. Loss creates safety; cf. Polycrates (1001-1016)
– C. Zeus prevents mortal from being too happy (10171033)
• XI. Clytemnestra orders Cassandra into the house;
she doesn’t respond (1034-1071)
• XI. Cassandra scene (1072-1330)
– A. Cassandra and the chorus sing (1072-1177)
» 1. Of Thyestes (1090-1099)
Agamemnon (cont.)
» 2. Of the impending murder; chorus horrified (11001135)
» 3. Of Tereus, Procne, and Itys (1136-1155)
» 4. Of Troy (1156-1177)
– B. Cassandra and the chorus speak (1078-1330)
» 1. Of Thyestes (1178-1201)
» 2. Stichomythia on Cassandra (1201-1213)
» 3. More of Thyestes (1214-1222)
» 4. Of Ægisthus and Clytemnestra (1223-1245)
» 5. Stichomythia: she spells it out for the chorus (12461256)
» 6. Of Apollo, Cassandra, and Orestes (1257-1298)
» 7. She must die (1299-1333)
Agamemnon (cont.)
• XII. Agamemnon killed; chorus ineffective (13311371)
• XIII. Clytemnestra argues with the chorus (13721576)
– A. She describes the murder (1371-1398)
– B. She defends herself (1399-1576)
» 1. Masculine (1401, 1422-1425)
» 2. Iphigenia (1417-1418, 1521-1529, 1555-1559)
» 3. Defends Ægisthus (1434-1437)
» 4. Chorus blames Zeus (1485-1488)
» 5. Clytemnestra claims to be the instrument of
Thyestes’ revenge (1497-1504)
Agamemnon (cont.)
» 6. Chorus admits eye-for-an-eye justice was exercised
against Agamemnon (1560-1566)
» 7. Clytemnestra thinks she has swept the pollution
from the house (1573-1576)
• XIV. Ægisthus arrives (1577-1673)
– A. He claims the death of Agamemnon as just revenge for
his father (1577-1611)
– B. Now a tyrant, he threatens the chorus (1628-1632)
– C. Chorus correct him: Clytemnestra murdered
Agamemnon; they pray for Orestes’ revenge (1633-1635,
1643-1645)
Agamemnon (cont.)
– D. Ægisthus punish the chorus (1649-1653)
– E. Clytemnestra prevents it: Fate decreed what happened
(1654-1661)
Orpheus and Eurydice
– Orpheus
• The human originator of music and poetry.
• Please ignore everything you read of “Orphic” cults.
– Eurydice
• His new wife.
• Dies.
– The myth: Orpheus’ trip to Hades to rescue her.