1. The Eumenides

2. Acropolis and Environs

3. Areopagus

4. Areopagus

5. The Eumenides Dramatis personæ Setting The Plot Orestes
Clytemnestra (ghost)
The Pythia
Apollo
Athena
Chorus 1: Eumenides
Chorus 2: Athenian women
Setting
1: The temple of Apollo at Delphi
2: The acropolis at Athens
The Plot
Athena and an Athenian court exonerate Orestes and give the Eumenides a new divine role.

6. The Eumenides: Plot I. At the temple of Apollo in Delphi (1-234)
A. The Pythia’s speech (1-63)
1. Before entering temple (1-33)
a. History of prophecy at Delphi / Prayer to Apollo and Zeus (1-19)
b. Prayer to Athena, Dionysus, springs, Poseidon, Zeus again (20-31)
c. She enters the temple (32-33)
2. After entering temple (34-63)
a. She describes her horror (34-38)
b. She retells what she saw (39-59)
c. She calls upon Apollo (61-64)

7. Red-Figure Krater 1

8. Red-Figure Krater 2

9. Red-Figure Krater 3

10. The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
B. Apollo’s speech (64-93)
1. He will defend Orestes (64-66)
2. He has lulled the Eumenides to sleep (66-68)
3. He describes the Eumenides (67-73)
4. He tells Orestes to seek sanctuary at Athena’s temple in Athens (74-80)
5. Foretells the trial and Orestes’ acquittal (81-83)
6. Declares that he did indeed order Orestes to murder Clytemnestra (84)
7. Interruption: Orestes begs Apollo for further aid (85-87)
8. Apollo asks Hermes to accompany Orestes to Athens; invokes Zeus Xenios (88-93)

11. The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
C. Clytemnestra wakes the chorus (94-139)
1. She is dishonored for her murder among the dead, but Orestes has gone free (94-105)
2. She reminds the Eumenides of her sacrifices and their duty ( )
3. She awakens them ( )
D. 1st Stasimon: the Eumenides sing of their shame and disgust at Apollo ( )
1. They rouse themselves ( )
2. Their shame at falling asleep... ( )
3. …turns to anger at Apollo, a young god who has unjustly used force against senior citizens ( )

12. The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
4. They are driven on by the foul murder of Clytemnestra ( )
5. Zeus’ generation rules by force, not by right ( )
6. Apollo has sullied himself and his shrine ( )
7. They vow to fight on ( )
E. Apollo appears and argues with the Eumenides ( )
1. Apollo orders them away, threatening and abusing them ( )
2. Stichomythia: Eumenides blame Apollo for his actions and defend their own ( )

13. The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
3. Apollo accuses them of ignoring Zeus, Hera, and Aphrodite’s rights with their one-sided view ( )
4. The Eumenides refuse to quit ( )
5. Apollo will continue to help Orestes, who sought his help ( )
II. Outside the temple of Athena in Athens
A. Orestes argues with the Eumenides ( )
1. He prays to Athena; she does not appear yet ( )
2. The Eumenides search for Orestes ( )
3. The spy him and sing of his punishment ( )
4. Orestes claims he has been purified by Apollo ( )

14. The Eumenides: Plot (cont.)
5. He summons Athena; again she does not appear ( )
B. 2nd Stasimon ( )
1. Orestes must pay ( )
2. The Eumenides pursue only the guilty ( )
3. Their divine role is ancient ( )
4. They perform a necessary service none of the other gods will undertake ( )
5. They bring down the arrogant ( )
6. They are steadfast and right, though terrible ( )