Agamemnon Summary

The first chorus of Agamemnon gives the reader a description of the events that have been occurring on the journey home from the war. The war had been in effect for ten years and it is unclear of whether or not it is still being fought.

Atreus' sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus, the joint kings of Argos, attempted to led huge armies on a mission to avenge Greece. The Gods intervened to help the kings punish Paris for taking Helen [of Troy]. Clytaemnestra, Agamemnon's wife is making sacrifices at all the altars in Argos, and no one knows or understands why. There was a terrible omen when the army first left, two eagles tore open a pregnant hare so that all could see. It was explained by the seer, Calchas, that Agamemnon and Menelaus will acquire

Troy but it will anger Artemis, who is the goddess tat protects all innocent creatures. Unless there is a sacrifice she will stop the fleet from sailing.

It appears that Zeus believes that through suffering men learn, so from the gods comes a "tough love" in which the men are hurt for their own good to learn in the end. At Aulis, the army was beginning to fall apart through hunger and boredom. Calchas advised Agamemnon that Artemis would stop the winds until he sacrificed his daughter Iphigeneia. This puts Agamemnon into a predicament. If he doesn't kill his daughter he will be in bad name with the gods. Yet if he does he will anger Artemis and his wife. Agamemnon decided to kill Iphigeneia. He killed her brutally ignoring her beauty and innocence. No one knew what would happen next.

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