Aeschylus, Eumenides

The Eumenides was the third play in the tetralogy which included the Agamemnon, Choephoroi, and Proteus, produced in 458 B.C. The satyr play does not survive. The Eumenides concerns itself with the wanderings and eventual liberation of Orestes from his responsibility/guilt for the destruction of his mother Clytaemestra, thanks to the intervention of Athena and the first homicide court, the Areopagus of Athens. This play (remarkably) has two different places where the action takes place, and two different choruses. Cf. Anne Lebeck, The Oresteia: A Study in Language and Structure (Washington: Center for Hellenic Studies 1971), Ch. 13-18.

Section:	Content of sections:	Lines
PROLOGOS	[scene is Delphi] (A) The PYTHIA, Priestess of Delphi 1-63 (B) Apollo, Hermes, Orestes, Ghost of Clytaemestra 64-139	1-139
PARODOS	CHORUS of Furies (Eumenides) and APOLLO The Binding Spell	140-234
EPISODE I	[Now the scene is Athens] (A) ORESTES, Chorus of Furies 235-396 Old notion of justice must be abandoned (269) The THESMOS on which their power rests (390) (B) ATHENE, Orestes 397-489	235-489
STASIMON	CHORUS of Furies 'Now comes the downfall of new laws' (490-91) 'Hybris is Impiety's child, his name true indication of his nature.' (533)	490-565
EPISODE 2	ATHENE, CHORUS of ATHENIAN JURORS, ORESTES, APOLLO Apollo would bribe the court: (668-673) Athene: "Now hear my THESMOS, Attic people, judging the first trial for blood that's shed' (681-682) Erinyes threaten the court: 711-712, 719-720 Erinyes bring up two old scandals: Zeus & Kronos (640-1) Apollo & Moirai (723-8)	566-777
STASIMON 2	CHORUS: LAMENT FOLLOWING THE TRIAL ATHENA: RECONCILIATION WITH ATHENS AND A NEW THESMOS Erinyes: 'My hate is going' (900)	778-1031
EXODOS:	CHORUS OF WOMEN	1032-1047

Section:

Content of sections:

Lines

PROLOGOS

[scene is Delphi]
(A) The PYTHIA, Priestess of Delphi 1-63
(B) Apollo, Hermes, Orestes, Ghost of Clytaemestra 64-139

1-139

PARODOS

CHORUS of Furies (Eumenides) and APOLLO
The Binding Spell

140-234

EPISODE I

[Now the scene is Athens]
     (A) ORESTES, Chorus of Furies                      235-396
          Old notion of justice must be abandoned (269)
          The THESMOS on which their power rests (390)
    (B) ATHENE, Orestes                                         397-489

235-489

STASIMON

CHORUS of Furies
'Now comes the downfall of new laws' (490-91)
'Hybris is Impiety's child, his name true indication of his nature.' (533)

490-565

EPISODE 2

ATHENE, CHORUS of ATHENIAN JURORS, ORESTES, APOLLO

Apollo would bribe the court: (668-673)
Athene: "Now hear my THESMOS, Attic people,
judging the first trial for blood that's shed' (681-682)

Erinyes threaten the court: 711-712, 719-720

Erinyes bring up two old scandals: Zeus & Kronos (640-1)
Apollo & Moirai (723-8)

566-777

STASIMON 2

CHORUS: LAMENT FOLLOWING THE TRIAL
ATHENA: RECONCILIATION WITH ATHENS AND A NEW THESMOS
Erinyes: 'My hate is going' (900)

778-1031

EXODOS:

CHORUS OF WOMEN

1032-1047

transformation from Furies into Eumenides
narrow view of DIKE ('justice') vs. broad view of justice.
retribution justice vs. compensation justice
savagery & monstrous behavior vs. rational civilized behavior

AESCHYLUS, EUMENIDES

THEMES: