Clytemnestra

Clytemnestra awaits the arrival of the unknown man who has come to her palace seeking hospitality. He enters and addresses Clytemnestra by her name, a breach of protocol that surprises her. She commands him to reveal his face but cannot immediately place him. Clytemnestra learns that he has visited Mycenae before, and the conversation shifts to the topic of laws. The man mentions that vengeance can be a stronger law than hospitality. When Clytemnestra inquires if he has wronged her family, he admits to having wronged her husband, Agamemnon.

Adhering to the laws of hospitality, she allows him to stay in the palace despite his admission. Her servant, Aileen, performs the ritual washing of the guest’s feet and recognizes him. Clytemnestra reveals that she knows the man’s identity. He is Aegisthus, the son of Thyestes and the cousin of Agamemnon. Clytemnestra grants him a safe refuge in the palace despite the threat he represents. Later, Aileen privately tells Clytemnestra that Aegisthus saved her life when Agamemnon and Menelaus reclaimed the city. Clytemnestra remains wary of his intentions, unsure whether he desires vengeance or the throne. At dinner, Aegisthus interacts with Clytemnestra’s children, Orestes and Chrysothemis. Orestes greets Aegisthus with a veneer of politeness, while Chrysothemis engages him with stories. After dinner, Clytemnestra walks in the garden, reflecting on the lives of Helen and Leda. She remains determined to protect her family and kingdom from any threats, including those posed by Aegisthus.

Clytemnestra and her daughter Electra go to the market in the bustling streets of Mycenae. As they navigate the crowd, they encounter various vendors, and Clytemnestra reflects on a recent meeting with the elders, who insisted that she imprison Aegisthus. Clytemnestra, asserting her authority, refused, asserting that Aegisthus posed no immediate threat and that there would be no advantage to imprisoning him. Now, Electra and Clytemnestra discuss Aegisthus’s background. Electra reveals that Aegisthus was born from an incestuous union when Thyestes raped his own daughter, Pelopia. Aegisthus was raised by Atreus, the father of Menelaus and Agamemnon, and was unaware of his true parentage. Clytemnestra notes Electra’s intent to understand Aegisthus through these stories, but she also realizes that control is often an illusion, especially for women.

Later, Clytemnestra observes Aegisthus practicing with weapons. His movements are desperate and unrefined. Clytemnestra challenges him to a sparring match, and they engage in a vigorous and exhausting exchange. Clytemnestra uses the opportunity to gain insight into Aegisthus’s character and complex emotions. They discuss their weapons, which were both gifts from their mothers, and Clytemnestra notices his strength and manipulation, likening him to a wolf showing its teeth. After the encounter, Clytemnestra bathes, reflecting on her role as a mother. Aileen brings news of Chrysothemis’s nightmares and the palace gossip surrounding Clytemnestra’s decision to allow Aegisthus to stay. Clytemnestra dismisses the concerns, emphasizing her control over the situation. At dinner, Clytemnestra sits with Leon, her loyal servant, and discusses the elders’ disapproval of her rule. Leon states that the elders’ dreams of power are just that—dreams—and that enduring their dissent is part of the burden of leadership. An intimate encounter occurs between Clytemnestra and Leon, during which Clytemnestra reflects on her feelings and the sense of emptiness that pervades her life.

Fall arrives. In Mycenae, Clytemnestra reflects on the stillness and silence of her surroundings, likening them to Aegisthus’s eyes. During a meeting in the megaron with the elders, the throne’s future and Aegisthus’s presence are discussed. The elders express concern over Aegisthus’s potential claim to the throne and suggest imprisoning him. Clytemnestra insists that she has a plan to handle Aegisthus and reminds them of her successful rule over Mycenae. The discussion shifts to the situation in Troy, where a plague has struck the Greek army. Clytemnestra inquires about King Agamemnon’s well-being and dismisses the elders’ concerns about her leadership, demanding their respect and counsel.

Later, Clytemnestra speaks with her son Orestes in the practice yard, encouraging him to attend meetings with the elders to learn about leadership and politics. She advises him on how to handle the elders’ deceitful nature. Later, she observes a council in which young men offer their swords to replace a fallen warlord. Kyros, Eurybates’s son, is chosen despite a past incident in which he showed disrespect to Clytemnestra’s daughters. She warns Kyros that this is his chance to make her proud. Clytemnestra then overhears a conversation between Electra and Leon, in which Electra questions Leon’s loyalty to Clytemnestra and his knowledge of their familial past. Clytemnestra interrupts them, and later, Electra and Clytemnestra discuss Aegisthus. Electra admits her fascination with broken people, which prompts Clytemnestra to reflect on her own attraction to Aegisthus.

Clytemnestra encounters Aegisthus during an early morning walk. They engage in a candid conversation about their traumatic pasts, sharing experiences of violence, cruelty, and suffering within their families. They discuss Aerope, Atreus’s wife, and her influence over Atreus and Thyestes. A tense moment of unspoken desire and understanding occurs between them.

Clytemnestra decides to secretly follow Aegisthus to understand him better. She observes him in various places, including the streets of the citadel, the practice yard, and a tavern where he drinks alone. Despite her efforts to remain unnoticed, Aegisthus seems aware that he is being watched. One night at the tavern, a drunken merchant recognizes Aegisthus and confronts him, taunting and insulting him. The merchant even spits on Aegisthus, but Aegisthus refrains from violence despite his rage and leaves the tavern. Clytemnestra observes this incident and notes Aegisthus’s restraint and sadness. On another occasion at the tavern, Aegisthus intervenes to protect a young girl from being abused by a group of drunk merchants. Clytemnestra sees this and is moved by his unexpected act of protectiveness.

Later, Clytemnestra confronts Aegisthus in the armory, questioning his motives for helping the girl and demanding to know why he tolerates insults from others. During this intense encounter, they share a brief, charged moment of physical contact, and Clytemnestra puzzled by his reaction to her. Later, he surprises her outside her bedroom. He grabs her, covering her mouth, but she breaks free and boldly asks if he has come to kill her. He does not respond. Sensing his desire, Clytemnestra confidently steps into her bedroom and undresses. Aegisthus follows, and they become intimate, described metaphorically as “two knives slicing each other” (350).