Euripides' Orestes was quite possibly the most famous Greek play in antiquity. It has a fast moving plot, one which is simple and episodic in nature. The story fills that period of events from Orestes' murder of his mother Clytemnestra to his trial in Athens. Argos' citizens sentence Orestes to death for this murder. Menelaus, the King of Sparta and Orestes' uncle takes control of Argos. Orestes murders his cousin Hermione, Menelaus' daughter with Helen. Apollo saves the day before Orestes tries to burn down the palace of Mycenae. Apollo as Deus ex Machina resolves the play and its political implications.
An ancient commentator described everyone in this play as bad, except perhaps Pylades. The plan to murder Helen is Pylades' idea. Helen herself is vain and simple. Menelaus is duplicitous. Electra is just plain bloodthirsty.
Thucidydes says that reckless daring was held to be loyal courage, that the club superseded family ties.
The play itself was produced in 408 BC. The plot has a similar structure to an Aristophanic comedy. One might call it a comic tragedy. It should be contrasted with Sophocles' Orestes
Setting:
Before the royal palace [represented by the skene] at Argos. It is six days after Clytemnestra and Aegisthus her lover have been murdered.
Dramatis Personae:
Electra [Sister of Orestes, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra]
Helen [of Troy, wife of King Menelaus, Sister of Clytemnestra]
Hermione [Daughter of King Menelaus and Helen]
Chorus of Argive Maidens
Orestes [Son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra]
King Menelaus of Sparta [Brother of Agamemnon]
Tyndarus [Father of Clytemnestra and Helen]
Pylades [Friend and cousin of Orestes, Son of King Strophius of Phocis]
A Phrygian slave
Apollo [God of healing, medecine and the sun]
Summary:
Prologue [Lines 1-139] Delivered by Electra. Orestes is lying asleep on a bed.
Orestes is being tormented by the Erinyes [The Furies] and has been suffering so for six days following the matricide of his mother, Clytemnestra, and murder of her lover, Aegisthus, in revenge for their murder of his father, Agamemnon. While Orestes sleeps, exhausted, his sister Electra keeps watch and meditates on the calamitous misfortune to the house of Atreus. She reveals that the towns folk are to decide the fate of her brother and herself that day. Electra was also a party to the crime of matricide, she places her hope in Menelaus; the latter who is shortly to arrive from Troy.
Helen enters . As Menelaus' wife, Helen [of Troy], she has been secretly sent ahead for fear of the Greeks' revenge, asks Electra to take offerings for her to the tomb of her sister, Clytemnestra. Electra refuses, telling her to send her daughter Hermione instead. Helen exits. Electra comments that Helen is as vain as ever.
Hermione Enters
Helen tells Hermione to take the libations and offerings she has brought to Clytemnestra's tomb and gives her instructions what to do. Hermione exits. Helen Exits/
Parodos [Lines 140-207]
The Chorus of Argive Maidens enter and speak with Electra of her brother's plight.
First Episode [Lines 208-347] Electra, Orestes and the Chorus
Orestes awakes, momentarily sane, but the Erinyes again are tormenting him inside his head and he falls back into a delirium.
First Stasimon [Lines 316-355]
The Chorus sing of avenging spirits and fortune's reversals. The Chorus Leader announces the imminent arrival of Menelaus.
Second Episode [Lines 355-806]
When Menelaus arrives at the palace. He enquires about Orestes. Orestes begs for his help against the people of Argos, who are about to sentence him and his sister, Electra, to death by stoning as matricides. Clytemnestra's and Helen's father, Tyndareus, then enters and accuses his grandson of murder. He says to Orestes that he could have sent Clytemnestra into exile instead. Orestes answers that he was only obeying Apollo's orders and that if he had let his mother go unpunished, no husband would ever feel safe again. Unmoved and unconvinced Tyndareus says he will support a sentence of death being passed against Orestes. He exits telling Menelaus not to assist him. Orestes again turns to Menelaus, but the latter only agrees to some minimal moral support, he will try to persuade the people or Argos to be more lenient. Orestes' friend Pylades enters; he has been forced into exile by his father for having assisted in Clytemnestra's murder. Hearing of Orestes' predicament, Pylades urges him to attend the court and stand trial and, if condemned, to die a hero's death. After the two friends leave, the Chorus bewails Orestes' deed.
Second Stasimon [Lines 807-843]
The Chorus of Argive Maidens recount the terrible murder of Clytemnestra that has been committed by Orestes.
Third Episode [Lines 844-]
Fourth Stasimon 1246–1285
Orestes defends himself, maintaining that if he had let his mother go unpunished, no husband would ever be safe. Tyndareus leaves unmoved. Orestes again turns to Mcnelaus, but the latter consents only to try to persuade thehoopla to be lenient.Orestes' friend Pylades enters; he has been driven into exile by his father for assisting in Clytemnestra's murder. Hearing of Orestes' medicament, Pylades advises him to stand trial and, if condemned. to die a hero's death. After the two friends leave, the Chorus bewail Orestes' deed.
Fourth Episode
Orestes and Electra have both been sentenced to death by stoning by the Argive assembly. A Messenger informs Electra that, despite Orestes' plea to the Argive Assembly not to embolden their women to commit crime. The assembly's only concession is that they may take their own lives. Orestes, returning, rebukes his sister for lamenting. Pylades insists he will die with them and urges that they punish Menelaus, who maintained an indifference to their misfortune throughout the trial. In revenge against him and on behalf of all Greece, Orestes and Pylades decide to assassinate Helen. At Electra's suggestion they plan to take Hermione as hostage. Calling on the soul of Agamemnon for aid, Orestes and Pylades enter the palace, while Electra watches for Hermione's return to the palace.
Just as Helen's scream is heard from inside the palace, Hermione returns from her errand to Clytemnestra's grave. Convinced by Electra that the cry was Orestes', Hermione enters the palace. Not long after a Phrygian Slave rushes out in panic; he describes Helen's near death, and the sudden disappearance and seizure of Hermione.
Menelaus approaches; Orestes and Pylades bar the gates to the palace. They appear on the roof holding Hermione. Orestes threatens to kill Hermione and set fire to the palace unless Menelaus persuades the Argives to spare his and his sister's lives. When Menelaus defies him, Orestes calls out to Electra and Pylades to begin to set fire to the palace.
At this juncture, the god Apollo appears from above [as Deus ex Machina] and announces the fate of each: Helen, he has snatched her away from Orestes' sword; she has ascended to Elysium to become a goddess of the sea and the patroness of sailors. Orestes - after suffering and exile from Argos, is to be tried in Athens and freed by verdict of the gods; he will then wed Hermione and return to rule Argos as its king. Electra is to marry Pylades, and Menelaus is to get himself another wife and return home to Sparta. Apollo himself will effect a conciliation between Orestes and the people of Argos.
The first
third of the play (1-724) describes an attempted rescue
The middle movement of the play (725-1097) develops by contrast an example of loyal friendship
The third
movement is the plan for revenge (1098-1690).
References
Orestes (play) - Wikipedia
Euripides: Orestes (Ὀρέστης) - - Major Reference Works - Wiley Online Library
Orestes by Euripides - Greek Mythology
Argos - Wikipedia
Wikimapia - Argos
Erinyes - Wikipedia
Phoebus - Encyclopedia Mythica
Apollo - Encyclopedia Mythica
Loxias - Encyclopedia Mythica
(PDF) Euripides. Orestes | Enrico Medda - Academia.edu
Donald J. Mastronarde (1 April 2010). The Art of Euripides: Dramatic Technique and Social Context. Orestes: Cambridge University Press. pp. 40–1. ISBN 978-1-139-48688-0.
J.R. Porter (1 May 1994). Studies in Euripides' Orestes. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-32924-9.
Matthew Wright (1 November 2013). Euripides: Orestes. A&C Black. ISBN 978-1-4725-2126-2.
Euripides: Orestes - Matthew Wright - Google Books
Ian C. Storey; Arlene Allan (28 January 2014). A Guide to Ancient Greek Drama. Euripides' Orestes: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 286–. ISBN 978-1-118-45512-8.
Euripides' Orestes: An Interpretation
Nathan A. Greenberg
Harvard Studies in Classical Philology Vol. 66 (1962), pp. 157-192
Published by: Department of the Classics, Harvard University
DOI: 10.2307/310739
https://www.jstor.org/stable/310739
Comic and Tragic License in Euripides' "Orestes"
Francis M. Dunn
Classical Antiquity Vol. 8, No. 2 (Oct., 1989), pp. 238-251 (14 pages)
Published by: University of California Press
DOI: 10.2307/25010907
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25010907
Greek Versions
Orestes - Euripides - Internet Archive Teubner
Euripides : with an English translation p. 121 A. Way
Euripides, Orestes - Gilbert Murray - Perseus Digital Library
Euripides (1826). The Orestes and Phoenissae of Euripides; correctly printed from the text of porson: with a literal traslation and explanatory notes. By D. Spillan,
Translations
Euripides : with an English translation p. 121 A. Way
Euripides, Orestes - Perseus Digital Library
The Internet Classics Archive - Orestes by Euripides
Orestes by Euripides - Project Gutenberg
The Project Gutenberg eBook of the Tragedies of Euripides, Volume I.
Euripides (c.480–c.406 BC) - Orestes: Translated by George Theodoridis
Euripides (25 March 2013). Orestes. Start Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-62558-902-6.
Euripides. Orestes and Other Plays. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 978-0-14-196198-9.
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