
Clytemnestra ( the myth)
Posted by: Maria Atalanti
Published on: 24/01/2021
Back to BlogClytemnestra was the daughter of Tyndareus and sister of the Beautiful Helen. She is described as a beautiful woman and according to Hesiod had blue eyes. Her first husband was Tantalus, with whom she had a child, which Agamemnon killed, as well as her husband, when he decided to kidnap and marry her.
Together with Agamemnon she had four children, Chrysothemi, Electra (Laodice), Iphigenia (Ifianassa) and Orestes.
When Agamemnon was chosen as the Commander-in-Chief for the campaign against Troy, the fleet was assembled in Avlida and was preparing to sail. Because there was a prolonged stillness and they could not sail, they received an oracle, according to which Agamemnon should have to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia, to have a strong wind. Agamemnon did not hesitate to do so, and for this act Clytemnestra never forgave him.
During her husband’s long absence in Troy (10 years), Clytemnestra formed a love affair with his cousin, Aegisthus. So, when Agamemnon returned, bringing with him the tragic princess of Troy Cassandra, she murdered them both, as an act of revenge for the sacrifice of her daughter.
Then she and Aegisthus were murdered by her son Orestes, who wanted to avenge the death of his father.
Information:
https://www.greek-language.gr/digitalResources/ancient_greek/mythology/lexicon/atreides/page_009.html
https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9A%CE%BB%CF%85%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B9%CE%BC%CE%BD%CE%AE%CF%83%CF%84%CF%81%CE%B1
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